Run Claude Opus 4.7 for Free Using Amazon Kiro AI

Claude Opus has always been the model developers want to use but rarely do — because the API cost adds up fast. A complex coding session can burn through dollars before you've even shipped anything meaningful. Most people end up settling for Sonnet and convincing themselves it's close enough.

Amazon just changed that equation. Their new Kiro AI platform is offering a free 30-day Pro trial that includes full access to Claude Opus 4.7, Sonnet, Haiku, and several other models — and with a bit of setup, you can route all of that through Claude Code directly. No API key needed. No billing surprises during the trial. Just Opus, locally wired into your workflow.

This guide covers everything: claiming the trial, understanding what Kiro actually is, using both the IDE and CLI, and setting up the gateway that connects Kiro's models to Claude Code. By the end you'll have a fully working Opus environment at zero cost.

The Real Value Proposition Here

Before getting into steps, it's worth being clear about what makes this setup interesting versus just "another free AI trial."

Most free AI trials give you a limited model or a capped number of requests. Kiro's offer is different — you get full Pro plan access, which includes their highest-tier models, for 30 days at $0. The catch is that month two costs $20, so you need to cancel before that hits. But unlike a lot of these deals, there's no credit limit during the trial and no usage throttle on the models themselves.

The second interesting part is the Kiro Gateway — an open-source local proxy server that lets you use Kiro's authenticated session as the backend for Claude Code. This means Claude Code thinks it's talking to Anthropic, but it's actually talking to Kiro, which is talking to Claude Opus 4.7 on your behalf.

What Is Amazon Kiro AI?

Kiro AI is an AI-native IDE built by Amazon and launched in 2026. It's not a plugin or an extension — it's a full standalone development environment, similar in layout to VS Code but designed from scratch around AI-assisted workflows.

The platform has three ways to interact with it:

• Kiro IDE — A desktop application (Windows, Mac, Linux) with a built-in AI agent panel
• Kiro CLI — A terminal-based tool that works like Claude Code's CLI
• Kiro Gateway API — A local proxy server that routes external tools through your Kiro session

That third piece is what separates Kiro from most AI IDEs. Most tools keep you inside their own environment. Kiro's gateway opens the door to using their models from anywhere — including Claude Code.

Free Plan vs. Pro Plan — What You Actually Get

The critical difference is Opus. On the free plan you won't have reliable access to Claude Opus 4.7 — that's the model behind this entire setup.

Model Breakdown — Which One Should You Actually Use?

Kiro Pro gives you access to six models. Here's an honest breakdown of where each fits:

For most developers, a sensible default is Sonnet for daily work and Opus when the problem actually needs it — architecture decisions, debugging a tricky race condition, reviewing a large PR. Save Haiku or DeepSeek for the repetitive stuff.

Step-by-Step: Claiming the Free Kiro Pro Trial

1. Go to the Official Site

Navigate to kiro.dev. Use only the official site — do not use third-party referral links, as these sometimes redirect to different checkout flows.

2. Sign In

Click Sign In and authenticate using Google, GitHub, or another supported provider. No separate account creation needed.

3. Find the Plan Section

Once signed in, look for Upgrade in the navigation. Open the Plan section and confirm you see Kiro Pro listed at $20/month — this is the tier you're about to activate for free.

4. Initiate the Upgrade

Click Upgrade to Pro. This redirects you to Stripe. Before entering anything, confirm the total shows $0.00. If it shows any charge, stop — something is off.

5. Enter Payment Details and Subscribe

Stripe requires card details even for $0 checkouts. Fill in your information and click Subscribe. Your Pro plan activates instantly.

If the Pro badge doesn't appear: hard refresh with Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac).

How to Cancel Without Wasting Your Free Month

Cancel immediately after activating — this locks in the free month without risking a charge.

1. Open Kiro account settings
2. Click Update Subscription
3. Choose Kiro Free from the plan options
4. Scroll down and click Continue

Kiro will confirm: "Your subscription will be updated at the end of the current billing period." This means your Pro access stays active for the full 30 days — cancelling early doesn't cut it short. Refresh the page and Pro will still show as your active plan.

Inside the Kiro IDE — Your First Session

Download the Kiro desktop app for your OS from kiro.dev, install it, and sign in through your browser when prompted. The authentication uses your existing Kiro session — no new credentials.

Once you're in, Kiro feels familiar if you've used VS Code. Same sidebar layout, same file explorer, same tab structure. The main addition is the AI agent panel on the right — this is where you'll spend most of your time.

Vibe Mode vs. Spec Mode — Choosing Your Working Style

When you open a project folder, Kiro asks you to pick a mode. This choice shapes the entire session.

Vibe Mode is your go-to when you already have code and want to move fast. You describe what you want, the AI makes it happen. No planning phase, just iteration.

Spec Mode forces the AI to understand your project's full scope before touching any files. If you're building something from scratch, this prevents the classic problem of the AI going off in a direction you didn't intend by step three.

Enabling Autopilot

Before you start any session in Vibe mode, turn on Autopilot. With it on, the AI doesn't just respond — it reads your files, makes edits, runs terminal commands, and verifies results on its own. You describe the goal once, and Kiro handles the rest.

The Kiro CLI — For Developers Who Live in the Terminal

If you prefer working in a terminal over a GUI, Kiro's CLI is a proper alternative — not just a stripped-down version of the IDE. It operates similarly to Claude Code's CLI and shares your Kiro account, so Pro access applies here too.

Installing the CLI

Open a terminal and paste the install command from the Kiro website. It installs globally and is ready immediately.

Signing In

kiro

The CLI will prompt you to authenticate. Press Enter, complete sign-in in your browser, and your session activates. You won't need to sign in again as long as the session stays valid.

Switching Models Mid-Session

/model

This brings up the full model list. Select whichever fits your current task and continue. You can switch models mid-session without losing context.

Wiring Kiro into Claude Code via the Gateway

This is the most powerful part of the setup. The Kiro Gateway is an open-source local server (github.com/jwadow/kiro-gateway) that sits between Claude Code and Kiro's API. From Claude Code's perspective, it's talking to Anthropic. In reality, requests are routed through your authenticated Kiro session.

Here's the complete setup flow:

Phase 1 — Install Claude Code

Get the install command from claude.com/product/claude-code, run it in your terminal, and don't open Claude Code yet. The gateway must be running before you launch it.

Phase 2 — Clone and Configure the Gateway

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/jwadow/kiro-gateway
cd kiro-gateway

Check if Python is installed:

python --version

If Python isn't installed, download it from python.org. During installation on Windows, check "Add Python to PATH" or commands won't work.

Install dependencies by running the command listed in the repository README. This typically takes under a minute.

Open the project in VS Code:

code .

Edit the .env file:

Find the Kiro ID authentication line — it'll be commented out with a #. Remove the # and save. Make sure you're already signed into Kiro before this step, since the gateway authenticates via your existing session.

Phase 3 — Start the Gateway Server

python main.py

The server starts and prints a local URL — typically http://localhost:8000. Copy it. Keep this terminal open the entire time you're working — closing it kills the gateway and breaks the connection.

Configuring Claude Code to Use the Gateway

With the gateway running, you need to redirect Claude Code away from Anthropic's servers and toward your local proxy.

Step 1 — Launch Claude Code

Open a new terminal tab and run:

claude

When Claude Code prompts you about the API endpoint, choose to customize it and paste your gateway URL (http://localhost:8000).

Step 2 — Edit the Settings File

Claude Code stores configuration in ~/.claude/settings.json. Open that file and add the following inside the opening {:

"env": {
  "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "http://localhost:8000",
  "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "kiro"
}

Save the file. You can do this in any text editor — VS Code, Notepad, nano, whatever you prefer.

Step 3 — Pick Your Model

Inside Claude Code, run:

/model

Select Claude Opus 4.7 from the list. Claude Code will confirm the active model. From this point, every request flows through your local gateway and is handled by Kiro's backend using your Pro credits.

Using Claude Code Inside VS Code (Without a Separate Terminal)

If you'd rather keep everything in one window, Anthropic's official VS Code extension gives you Claude Code as a sidebar panel inside VS Code.

Setup:

1. Open Extensions in VS Code — Ctrl + Shift + X
2. Search Anthropic and install the official Claude Code extension
3. Click the Claude icon in the sidebar
4. Select New Session
5. Choose your model and send a test message

As long as python main.py is still running in a terminal somewhere, Claude Code inside VS Code will route through Kiro just as it does standalone. You can minimize that terminal — it keeps running in the background.

What to Expect From This Setup in Practice

A few things worth knowing before you commit to this workflow:

Latency is slightly higher than direct API. Routing through a local gateway adds a small hop. On most machines this is imperceptible, but on older hardware or slow internet you might notice a second or two of added delay on Opus responses.

The gateway terminal must stay open. This is the most common point of confusion. If Claude Code suddenly stops responding, check whether the python main.py terminal is still running.

Opus isn't always the right choice. Even with free access, Opus is slower. For quick questions or small file edits, Sonnet will feel faster and the quality difference won't matter. Save Opus for the work that actually benefits from it.

Cancel before day 30, not on day 30. Billing systems sometimes process end-of-period charges a day early. Cancelling on day 28 or 29 is safer than cutting it close.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Kiro Pro's free trial require a credit card?

Yes, Stripe requires payment details even when the charge is $0. You won't be billed during the first month, but the card is saved for auto-renewal — which is why cancelling early matters.

What is the difference between the Kiro CLI and Claude Code's CLI?

They are functionally similar but separate tools. The Kiro CLI talks to Kiro's backend directly through your account. Claude Code's CLI, when paired with the Kiro Gateway, also talks to Kiro — but it does so by routing through the local proxy, which translates requests into the format Kiro understands.

Can the Kiro Gateway handle multiple projects at the same time?

Yes. The local server handles requests from any tool pointing at http://localhost:8000, regardless of what project you have open. You do not need a separate gateway instance per project.

What happens if I forget to cancel and get charged for month two?

Nothing in your account is deleted — your session, history, and files remain untouched. You will have paid $20 for the second month. Reach out to Kiro support if you want to request a refund for an unintended charge.

Is the Kiro Gateway an official Amazon product?

No. The gateway at github.com/jwadow/kiro-gateway is an open-source community project, not built or maintained by Amazon. Kiro AI itself is the official Amazon product — the gateway is a third-party bridge tool built by the developer community.

Does this setup work on Windows, Mac, and Linux?

Yes — the Kiro IDE, Kiro CLI, Claude Code, and the gateway all support all three platforms. Python is required for the gateway and is available on all of them.

Does switching models inside Claude Code restart the session or lose context?

No. Using /model changes which model handles your next request, but your conversation history and open file context remain fully intact.

What is Autopilot mode and should it always be enabled?

Autopilot lets the AI autonomously read files, make edits, and run terminal commands without asking for your confirmation at each step. Turn it on for complex multi-step tasks where you want end-to-end execution. Turn it off when you want to review and approve each individual change before it is applied.

Why use Claude Code with the gateway instead of just staying inside the Kiro IDE?

It is a workflow preference. If you are already deeply invested in Claude Code — your prompts, your .claude/commands, your keyboard habits — the gateway lets you keep that exact workflow while using Kiro's models as the backend. The Kiro IDE is a great tool on its own, but it is a different environment with a different working style.

Does the gateway setup work with the Claude Code VS Code extension, or only the terminal version?

Both. The VS Code extension and the standalone terminal CLI both read from settings.json, which contains the ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL redirect. Once that file is configured, either interface will route through the gateway automatically.

Final Thoughts

This is one of those setups that is genuinely worth the 15 minutes it takes. You get Opus-level intelligence in your existing coding environment, for free, for a full month — and if you decide Kiro's Pro plan is worth $20/month after that, you will have a clear sense of the value by then.

The gateway approach is clever. It does not require you to change editors, abandon your Claude Code workflow, or learn an entirely new tool just to access better models. Everything works where you already work.

Claim the trial, cancel immediately, get the gateway running, and get back to building.

Resources Referenced in This Guide:

• Kiro AI — kiro.dev
• Claude Code — claude.com/product/claude-code
• Kiro Gateway (open-source) — github.com/jwadow/kiro-gateway
• Python — python.org