Amp Free vs Poolside AI
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Amp Free | Poolside AI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (freemium) | Contact sales (enterprise) |
| Target Audience | Individual developers and small teams | Large enterprises in regulated industries |
| Deployment | VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, CLI | On-prem, VPC, workstation (defense only) |
| Model Access | Multi-model orchestration (GPT-5.5, Opus 4.8, etc.) | Laguna XS.2 (on-device) & M.1 (API), 256K context |
| Agent Features | Deep/smart/rush modes, subagents (Oracle, Librarian, Painter, Code Review) | Multi-agent orchestration, sandboxed execution, governance |
| Governance & Audit | Thread management, diff review, remote monitoring | Role-based access control, audit logs, data connectors |
Choose Poolside AI if you're an enterprise in a regulated industry needing on-prem deployment, auditability, and custom models. Choose Amp Free if you're an individual developer wanting free, frontier-code assistance with advanced agentic workflows. Poolside wins on security and governance; Amp Free wins on accessibility and cost.
Free ad-free agentic coding with multi-model orchestration for VS Code, Cursor, CLI & more.
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Open-weight agentic coding models for regulated enterprises needing auditable, on-prem AI
Visit WebsiteWhat real users say: Amp Free vs Poolside AI
Not marketing copy and not our opinion — a structured sweep of public discussion (reviews, forums, communities and video comments), showing what people praise and what they complain about for each tool.
Amp Free
60 mentions across 4 sources · 49% positive — mixed
Hacker News, Product Hunt, Bluesky, Lemmy
What users praise
- • Free daily credits give real access to frontier models.
- • Multi-model orchestration optimizes cost and speed.
- • Subagents like Oracle and Code Review extend capabilities.
- • Works across VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, JetBrains, CLI.
What frustrates them
- • Frequent capacity caps block free user access.
- • New applications have been closed due to demand.
- • Forced to switch tools when Amp Free is full.
- • Ads in free tier (despite 'ad-free' claims) may appear.
Researched Jul 4, 2026
Poolside AI
40 mentions across 4 sources · 48% positive — mixed
Hacker News, YouTube, Bluesky, Lemmy
What users praise
- • Open-weight models with strong SWE-bench scores (72.5%).
- • On-prem, VPC, and air-gapped deployment for high security.
- • 256K context length supports long-horizon reasoning tasks.
- • Multi-agent orchestration with sandboxed execution environments.
What frustrates them
- • Community feedback is scarce; limited real-world user reviews.
- • Platform is still in research preview as of April 2026.
- • Pricing is opaque; only 'contact us' with no published tiers.
- • Trademark dispute with Poolside FM creates name confusion.
Researched Jul 17, 2026
Who should pick which
- Enterprise Dev Team in FinancePick: Poolside AI
Requires on-prem deployment for data sovereignty, audit trails, and custom models. Poolside's governance and role-based access fit compliance needs.
- Solo Founder Building a Side ProjectPick: Amp Free
Needs free access to powerful agents with multi-model orchestration. Amp Free provides advanced features without cost.
- Healthcare Software EngineerPick: Poolside AI
Requires HIPAA-compliant, air-gapped environment with sandboxed execution and data connectors to medical databases.
- Open Source ContributorPick: Amp Free
Leverages free CLI integration and subagents (Librarian, Code Review) to accelerate contributions without spending.
- CI/CD Pipeline DeveloperPick: Amp Free
Amp's new 'orbs' allow running agents in headless remote machines, ideal for automated testing and deployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Amp Free vs Poolside AI: which should you choose?
Choose Poolside AI if you're an enterprise in a regulated industry needing on-prem deployment, auditability, and custom models. Choose Amp Free if you're an individual developer wanting free, frontier-code assistance with advanced agentic workflows. Poolside wins on security and governance; Amp Free wins on accessibility and cost.
Can I use Poolside AI for free?
No, Poolside AI is enterprise-only with contact-based pricing. No free tier is available.
Is Amp Free truly free with no ads?
Yes, Amp Free is ad-free and provides access to frontier models and agentic features at no cost.
Which tool offers better security for regulated industries?
Poolside AI offers on-prem/VPC deployment, role-based access control, audit logs, and data connectors—designed for high-consequence environments.
Does Amp Free support multiple models?
Yes, Amp Free orchestrates models like GPT-5.5, Opus 4.8, and fast models, selecting the best for each task.
Can Poolside AI models run on my local machine?
Yes, Laguna XS.2 can run on-device with only 3B active parameters, suitable for workstations (defense only).
Does Amp Free have a plugin system?
Yes, Amp Free has a plugin system supporting custom agents, subagents, and skills.
Which tool is better for team collaboration?
Poolside AI provides multi-agent orchestration and role-based access, better for enterprise teams. Amp Free offers thread management but lacks team features.
Are both tools updated frequently?
Yes, both have recent updates: Poolside launched its Platform and models in 2026; Amp introduced orbs and larger threads in mid-2026.
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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026