Comparing AI-Powered Code Assistants for Secure Coding (2025): GitHub Copilot vs Amazon CodeWhisperer (now Amazon Q Developer) By CyberDudeBivash • September 21, 2025 (IST)

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TL;DR — Which one should you pick?

  • You live on GitHub and already use CodeQL/Advanced Security: GitHub Copilot + code scanning (CodeQL) with Copilot Autofix is the tightest path to secure-by-default PRs. Autofix suggests remediations for many CodeQL findings and is free for public repos; private repos require GitHub code scanning (part of GHAS). The GitHub Blog+2The GitHub Blog+2

  • You’re an AWS-first shop or you need built-in license attribution: Amazon CodeWhisperer is now part of Amazon Q Developer. It ships IDE security scans and reference tracking (shows OSS license context) out of the box; Pro adds IP indemnity and centralized controls. AWS Documentation+1

  • Individuals & small teams: Copilot Pro is $10/user/mo, Business $19, Enterprise $39; Amazon Q Developer Pro is $19/user/mo. Free tiers exist on both, with limits. Pick based on where your repos live and which security workflows you want “on rails.” GitHub Docs Amazon Web Services, Inc.

What’s changed in 2025 (security-relevant)

  • Copilot Autofix expanded coverage for code scanning alerts; suggestions appear in PRs and IDEs to remediate common vulns (JS/TS/Java/Python and more). The GitHub Blog+2The GitHub Blog+2

  • CodeWhisperer → Amazon Q Developer: unified IDE extension, security scans, and reference tracking under “Amazon Q Developer”; Pro tier is $19 with admin controls and IP indemnity. AWS Documentation+1

  • Copilot goes multi-model + agentic: business/enterprise tiers can access premium models (including Gemini 2.5 Pro) and a coding agent (preview) that can take on tasks and propose changes. GitHub Docs+2Windows Central+2

Side-by-side (security & governance)

CapabilityGitHub CopilotAmazon CodeWhisperer → Amazon Q Developer
Secure coding assist (built-in)Copilot Autofix suggests fixes for CodeQL and other scanners’ alerts; free on public repos; requires GitHub code scanning for private repos. The GitHub Blog+1IDE security scans with fix suggestions; AWS says Q’s security scanning “outperforms leading benchmarkable tools” across popular languages. Amazon Web Services, Inc.
License/attribution controls“Block suggestions matching public code” (policy control), but no per-snippet OSS license attribution. GitHub DocsReference tracking shows when a suggestion resembles OSS and surfaces license details. Amazon Web Services, Inc.
Data controlsOrg-level policies, content exclusion, audit logs; multiple model choices by tier. GitHub DocsPro tier: org admin, SSO/IAM Identity Center, auto opt-out of data collection, IP indemnity. Amazon Web Services, Inc.
Ecosystem fitDeep with GitHub repos, PRs, code scanning, Dependabot; agent (preview) can run scoped tasks. The GitHub Blog+1Deep with AWS (console, IDE, CLI); same extension covers chat, generation, scans, and code transformations. AWS Documentation
Pricing headline (2025)Pro $10; Business $19; Enterprise $39 per seat/mo. GitHub DocsPro $19 per user/mo; Free tier with limits. Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Secure-coding workflows (what the tools actually do)

GitHub Copilot secure workflow

  1. Developer opens PR → Code scanning (CodeQL) runs in CI.

  2. Copilot Autofix proposes concrete patches for many alert types, right in the PR/IDE.

  3. Team reviews & merges; policy blocks risky code by default. The GitHub Blog+1

Amazon Q Developer secure workflow

  1. Developer codes in IDE with inline suggestions; runs an IDE security scan on-demand or pre-commit.

  2. Findings include CWE context + fix suggestions; reference tracking flags OSS-like snippets with license info.

  3. Pro admins set org policies and SSO; IP indemnity applies to generated code under Pro. AWS Documentation+1

Buying advice by scenario

  • All-in on GitHub + you already pay for GHAS: Choose Copilot Business/Enterprise and turn on code scanning + Autofix; you’ll get the smoothest PR-first security loop. The GitHub Blog

  • AWS-centric teams (Serverless/EKS/Lambda) or strict OSS attribution needs: Choose Amazon Q Developer Pro for security scans + reference tracking and IAM-native governance. Amazon Web Services, Inc.

  • Mixed estates: It’s reasonable to run Copilot for repos on GitHub and Q Developer in AWS-focused IDE work—just keep one security source of truth (CodeQL or another) to avoid duplicate findings.

Pricing & tiers (quick facts)

  • GitHub Copilot (2025): Pro $10, Business $19, Enterprise $39 per seat/month; Free plan with limited usage. Model access and request limits scale by tier. GitHub Docs

  • Amazon Q Developer (2025): Free tier; Pro $19/user/month, with org controls, IP indemnity, higher limits, and Java/.NET transformation allowances; overage for code-transform LOC. Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Caveats & gotchas

  • Copilot security fixes depend on code scanning being enabled (CodeQL or supported third-party). For public repos, Autofix for CodeQL is free; for private, you need GitHub code scanning. The GitHub Blog+1

  • Amazon Q Developer is the successor to CodeWhisperer; install the Q Developer extension and manage Pro at $19/user/mo. AWS Documentation

  • Model access varies by tier in Copilot (e.g., Gemini 2.5 Pro is premium); check plan tables before budgeting. Windows Central+1

Bottom line

  • If your secure SDLC lives in GitHub (PRs, checks, Dependabot), Copilot + CodeQL + Autofix is the shortest path to catching & fixing vulns where they matter—in PRs. The GitHub Blog

  • If you want IDE-first security scans with license attribution and strong AWS governance, Amazon Q Developer Pro is purpose-built. Amazon Web Services, Inc.

#CyberDudeBivash #SecureCoding #GitHubCopilot #AmazonQ #CodeWhisperer #CodeQL #Autofix #AppSec #SDLC #DevSecOps #IDE #PRSecurity #OSSCompliance

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