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Amp vs Codex — Terminal Code Intelligence or OpenAI Multi-Surface Agent?

Amp and Codex both compete as AI coding agents, but they start from different desks. Amp is Sourcegraph’s agentic coding tool for large-repo edits with Orbs remote machines and Dial mode switching. Codex is OpenAI’s coding agent across app, editor, terminal, and cloud-style surfaces, usually via ChatGPT plans or API-key CLI/SDK paths. Use Amp when you want Sourcegraph-line code intelligence plus Orbs/Dial. Use Codex when you want OpenAI’s multi-surface loop. Existing aicoolies Scores (both Score-dated 2026-03-25): Amp overall 85, speed 87, privacy 83, developer experience 84; Codex overall 80, speed 72, privacy 68, developer experience 79. Choose on product shape and current surfaces first; the scoreboard is secondary review evidence with those dates.

analyzed by Raşit Akyol September 16, 2026 updated September 28, 2026

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AmpwinnerCodex

Amp reviewCodex review

Verdict

Prefer Amp when you want Sourcegraph-line code intelligence with Orbs and Dial. Prefer Codex when you want OpenAI multi-surface coding agents (app/editor/terminal/cloud) and the newer CLI worktree/daemon direction. Score references stay as published (both Score-dated 2026-03-25): Amp overall 85; Codex overall 80. Product shape decides; the scoreboard is secondary. Our pick: Amp.

Quick Comparison

Ampwinner

Pricing
Amp pricing (vendor_documented, as-of 2026-09-17): free Hobby tier with all product features, pay-as-you-go orbs or free own Runners, and BYOK / linked ChatGPT (and other) subscriptions with no Amp token fees or limits on non-Enterprise tiers. Self-hosted orbs (your own compute via amp orb provider) are free for individuals and teams; Enterprise workspaces pay standard orb pricing for them from October 29, 2026. Optional Individual plans: Megawatt $20/month and Gigawatt $200/month, each bundling included agent usage and orb minutes (vendor Individual cards describe ~45,000 minutes of orb time). Teams workspaces add sharing and pooled credits at no extra workspace fee; members can sit on Hobby, Megawatt, or Gigawatt. Enterprise is custom (SCIM, audit/network controls, pooled credits, priority support).
Pricing Model
Freemium
Platforms
CLI (macOS, Linux, WSL), VS Code
Open Source
No
Telemetry
Clean
Status
Active
Editorial Pick
—
Last Verified
Oct 22, 2026
Description
Amp is a multi-model coding agent for terminal, web, macOS/iOS, and IDE-connected workflows. Vendor docs describe the same agent and threads across surfaces, with remote Orbs (incl. self-hosted), local Runners, Dial modes (low / medium / high / ultra), shared threads, MCP, plugins, and BYOK / linked ChatGPT subscriptions. Pricing spans a free Hobby tier, optional Megawatt ($20/mo) and Gigawatt ($200/mo) Individual plans, no-extra-charge Teams workspaces, pay-as-you-go credits, and Enterprise.

Codex

Pricing
Codex is included in ChatGPT plans: Free ($0) and Go ($8/month) with GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app (subject to rollout), Plus at $20/month (web, CLI, IDE extension, iOS and cloud integrations), Pro at $100, $200 or $500/month, Business at $20/user/month billed annually for 2+ users ($25 billed monthly), and Enterprise & Edu. API-key usage covers the CLI, SDK and IDE extension at API pricing, without cloud features such as GitHub code review and Slack. OpenAI says that starting in December 2026, the usage allowance of Plus, Pro and Business plans will be shared between ChatGPT and Codex and measured in tokens, with more advanced models and complex tasks using more of it; when it runs out you can wait for the reset, upgrade or buy credits.
Pricing Model
Paid
Platforms
Codex app, web/cloud tasks, CLI, IDE extension, SDK, GitHub review, Slack/Linear integrations, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Open Source
No
Telemetry
Concerns
Status
Active
Editorial Pick
✓ Recommended
Last Verified
Oct 14, 2026
Description
Codex is OpenAI's coding agent for software development across the Codex app, editor, terminal, and cloud tasks. It helps write, review, debug, refactor, and automate code, with ChatGPT plan access for managed surfaces and API-key usage for CLI, SDK, and IDE workflows. The open-source CLI and SDK support local repository work, while cloud features add GitHub review, Slack/Linear integrations, worktrees, skills, MCP, and automations.

What each product actually is

Amp centers large-repo agentic edits with a commercial freemium desk that now spans local threads and remote Orbs. Dial selects capability modes; Orbs run unsupervised remote agents you can still steer.

Codex is OpenAI’s multi-surface coding agent: managed app/cloud/review-style surfaces plus CLI/SDK/IDE paths. The buyer job is often “delegate or pair across OpenAI’s tools,” not only a single terminal multiplexer.

Current surfaces (vendor-documented)

Amp (since the 2026-03-25 score date): Agents in Orbs (remote unsupervised machines); event-driven Orbs via webhooks; Dial customization — tune builtin modes and place custom plugin agents on the Dial; custom agents via Plugin API. Sources: https://ampcode.com/news/agents-in-orbs · https://ampcode.com/news/event-driven-orbs · https://ampcode.com/news/build-your-own-dial

Codex (since the 2026-03-25 score date): CLI train through 0.154 — GPT-6 Astra picker/default story; experimental worktrees; Windows background daemon; agents dashboard / task tooling (Aug–Sep 2026). Sources: https://github.com/openai/codex/releases

Scoreboard (from existing reviews)

Amp (Score dated 2026-03-25): overall 85, speed 87, privacy 83, developer experience 84.

Codex (Score dated 2026-03-25): overall 80, speed 72, privacy 68, developer experience 79.

These figures come from the existing aicoolies reviews for each tool. On those published totals Amp leads across overall, speed, privacy, and developer experience. Prefer fit and current product surfaces (Orbs/Dial vs Astra/worktree/daemon); use the table as supporting Score references with the dates above.

Workflow

Choose Amp for codebase-intelligent local threads plus remote Orbs and Dial modes. Choose Codex for OpenAI multi-surface delegation and the newer CLI worktree/daemon direction.

Ecosystem and billing

Amp: freemium Megawatt/Gigawatt-style tiers + orb usage (catalog). Codex: managed surfaces via ChatGPT plans; CLI/SDK/IDE API-key usage on token rates. Cite catalog/vendor; no invented plan math.