What is the difference between VS Code and Fig (Amazon Q)?

VS Code is best for Any developer wanting a fast, extensible code editor, while Fig (Amazon Q) is best for Developers wanting autocomplete for the terminal. VS Code starts at Free and Fig (Amazon Q) starts at Free.

Is VS Code or Fig (Amazon Q) cheaper?

VS Code starts at Free and is free. Fig (Amazon Q) starts at Free and is free.

Is there a free alternative to Fig (Amazon Q)?

Both VS Code and Fig (Amazon Q) offer free tiers.

VS Code vs Fig (Amazon Q)

VS Code is free, open-source code editor from Microsoft with extensions, integrated terminal, and Git support, while Fig (Amazon Q) is terminal autocomplete with IDE-style completions for hundreds of CLI tools. VS Code is open source and can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your data. VS Code is built for any developer wanting a fast, extensible code editor, whereas Fig (Amazon Q) targets developers wanting autocomplete for the terminal.

At a glance

	VS Code	Fig (Amazon Q)
Best for	Any developer wanting a fast, extensible code editor	Developers wanting autocomplete for the terminal
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Autocomplete	—	✓
Debugging	✓	—
Dotfiles	—	✓
Extensions	✓	—
Git Integration	✓	—
IntelliSense	✓	—
Plugins	—	✓
Scripts	—	✓

VS Code

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Extensions as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in developer tools

Try VS Code → Full review

Fig (Amazon Q)

Strengths

Includes Autocomplete as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Includes Scripts as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials
Includes dotfiles alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Some advanced features require upgrading to a paid plan
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in developer tools

Try Fig (Amazon Q) → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both VS Code and Fig (Amazon Q) are free, so this decision comes down to features and philosophy rather than budget.

Feature gaps: VS Code offers Debugging, Extensions and Git Integration that Fig (Amazon Q) lacks. Fig (Amazon Q) brings Autocomplete, Dotfiles and Plugins that VS Code does not have.

Team fit: VS Code is geared toward any size teams, while Fig (Amazon Q) is aimed at individual users and small setups. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: VS Code is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Fig (Amazon Q) is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: VS Code's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes extensions as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows. Fig (Amazon Q)'s biggest strengths are: includes autocomplete as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows. includes scripts as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows.

Watch out for: With VS Code, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With Fig (Amazon Q), the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.

Choose VS Code if...

You need a tool built for any developer wanting a fast, extensible code editor
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Debugging and Extensions
You care about includes extensions as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Your team size fits the any size profile VS Code is designed for

Choose Fig (Amazon Q) if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting autocomplete for the terminal
You specifically need Autocomplete and Dotfiles
You care about includes scripts as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Your team size fits the individuals profile Fig (Amazon Q) is designed for