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Amp Free: An Ad-Supported Free AI Coding Agent

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Introduction

You want to use an AI coding agent, but the monthly fee is a concern... Amp Free is a free AI coding assistance service supported by advertisements.

Amp, provided by Sourcegraph, is a powerful AI agent available in VS Code or via CLI. It uses state-of-the-art AI models (such as Claude Opus 4.5 and GPT-5.1) to assist with coding, refactoring, bug fixes, and more.

In this article, we will explain in detail how Amp Free's free credit system works, how to use it, its benefits, and things to keep in mind.

What you can learn in this article

  • What is Amp Free
  • How the free credit and advertising system works
  • Installation method and basic usage
  • Differences between Free and Paid modes
  • Benefits and precautions when using the service

Target audience

  • Those who want to try AI coding assistance tools for free
  • Those interested in Amp who want to try it out for free first
  • Developers who want to leverage AI agents in VS Code or CLI

What is Amp Free

Amp Free is a free usage plan for the AI coding agent "Amp" provided by Sourcegraph.

Key Features

  • $10 worth of free credits every day: Automatically replenished every hour, allowing for usage equivalent to approximately $300 per month.
  • Access to cutting-edge AI models: Frontier models such as Claude Opus 4.5 and GPT-5.1 are available.
  • Ad-supported operation: Free provision is realized through discreet advertisements displayed within the editor or CLI.
  • No training data sharing required: Since October 2025, user code is no longer used for model training.
  • Available in VS Code and CLI: Can be used directly within your familiar development environment.

Differences from Paid Plans

Amp has the following modes:

Mode Features Pricing Usage
Free $10 worth of credits daily, includes ads Free Personal development, learning, small projects
Smart No token limits, no ads, advanced features Paid Business use, large-scale projects
Rush Lightweight/fast models, for small tasks Paid Quick processing, small changes

The Free mode offers sufficient functionality, so it is recommended to try it for free first before considering a paid plan.

How the Free Credit System Works

Details of Credit Granting

  • $10 worth every day: $10 worth of credits are available per day.
  • Replenished every hour: Credits are automatically replenished, so if you run out, you can use them again after waiting.
  • Equivalent to about $300 per month: If used continuously, AI usage equivalent to about $300 per month is possible.
  • After exceeding the limit: If you exhaust your daily credits, you will need to switch to Smart mode (paid).

About Ad Display

Amp Free's free offering is supported by advertisements from developer tool companies.

Ad Features:

  • Text only: Simple text ads, rather than images or videos.
  • Discreet display: Displayed at the bottom of the editor or CLI, making it less likely to interfere with your work.
  • No impact on AI answers: Ads do not affect the AI's response content at all.
  • Developer-tool related: Ads for services aimed at developers, such as Axiom, Chainguard, Vanta, WorkOS, etc.

If you are concerned about ads:
You can hide ads by switching to a paid plan (Smart mode).

Data and Privacy

Important Update (Since October 2025):

  • No training data sharing required: Previously, user code could potentially be used for AI model training as a condition for free use. However, it is now operated solely on ad revenue, so data sharing is no longer required.
  • Privacy protection: Sufficient privacy is maintained for personal development and learning purposes.
  • For corporate use: If you handle confidential information, consider using Smart mode (paid), which offers SSO, audit support, and data non-retention options.

Installation Method

Amp can be used both as a VS Code extension and via the CLI.

Installing the VS Code Extension

  1. Install the Extension

    • Open VS Code
    • Search for "Amp" or "sourcegraph.amp" in the Extensions Marketplace
    • Install "Amp (Research Preview)"
    • Alternatively, install directly from the VS Code Marketplace

  2. Initial Sign-in

    • After installation, the Amp icon will appear in the VS Code left sidebar
    • Click the icon to open the Amp panel
    • For the first time, you need to sign in at ampcode.com
    • A browser will open; create an account or sign in

  3. Check Free Credits

    • After signing in, $10 worth of free credits will be automatically granted every day

Installing the CLI

If you want to use the CLI, you can install it using the following methods.

Method 1: Official Installation Script (Recommended)

curl -fsSL https://ampcode.com/install.sh | bash

Method 2: Using npm

npm install -g @sourcegraph/amp

Initial Authentication

amp

When you run it for the first time, an authentication screen will open in your browser. Once you sign in, you will be able to use Amp in the CLI.

Basic Usage

Switching Modes

In Amp, you can switch modes depending on the task and your budget.

Switching Modes in VS Code

  1. Open the Amp panel
  2. Click the mode selection menu near the prompt input field
  3. Select "Free"

Switching Modes in the CLI

Open the command palette (Ctrl+O or Cmd+O) and enter the following:

/mode free

Alternatively, directly in the prompt:

amp /mode free

Summary

Amp Free is a service that allows you to use cutting-edge AI coding assistance for free by accepting the display of advertisements.

Key Points

  • $10 worth of free credits every day, allowing for usage equivalent to approximately $300 per month.
  • Ad-supported model enables free provision (discreet and non-intrusive).
  • No training data sharing required (since October 2025).
  • Available in VS Code or CLI, allowing use within your familiar environment.
  • Ideal for personal development and learning purposes; check conditions for corporate use.
  • Those who want to try AI coding assistance for free.
  • Developers who want to leverage AI in personal projects.
  • Students and beginners learning programming.
  • Those who want to use the latest technology while being cost-conscious.

It's a good idea to try it for free first and then consider a paid plan as needed. If you don't mind the ads, the free plan is plenty practical.

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