AWS Cloud9 Review: Is the Browser IDE Still Worth Using?

🏆 Our Verdict

AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from Amazon Web Services. It provides developers with a flexible platform for writing, running, and debugging code directly in the browser. With built-in support for popular programming languages, real-time collaboration tools, and seamless integration with AWS services, Cloud9 is ideal for teams and developers working on cloud-native and serverless applications. However, its dependency on AWS may not appeal to those seeking a more generalized IDE.

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons

Pros:

• Cloud-Based Convenience: No installation required; access your projects from anywhere via a browser.
• AWS Integration: Built-in support for AWS services like Lambda, S3, and EC2.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple developers can work together simultaneously.
• Customizable Environment: Configure workspaces to match your project needs.
• Multi-Language Support: Supports Python, JavaScript, PHP, and more.

Cons:

• AWS Dependency: Primarily designed for AWS users, limiting its appeal for general-purpose development.
• Internet Connectivity Required: Cannot be used offline.
• Limited Plugin Ecosystem: Fewer extensions compared to competitors like Eclipse.
• Resource Allocation Costs: AWS-hosted instances may incur costs if not managed properly.
• Interface Learning Curve: Some users may find the UI less intuitive than traditional IDEs.

📖 About

AWS Cloud9 is an IDE designed to empower developers by providing a fully managed, cloud-based development workspace. It allows you to write, test, and debug applications entirely in your browser. Developed with integration into AWS at its core, Cloud9 supports a wide range of use cases, from serverless development to collaborative coding.

🗓️ How It Works

1. Set Up Your AWS Account

• Sign up or log in to your AWS account to access Cloud9.

2. Create a Cloud9 Environment

• Launch a new Cloud9 environment by selecting an EC2 instance or using your local server.

3. Code in the Browser

• Open your workspace in a browser, and start coding with syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and debugging tools.

4. Collaborate in Real-Time

• Share your environment link with team members for live collaboration.

5. Deploy with AWS Services

• Easily deploy your applications directly to AWS services like Lambda or S3.

💲 Pricing Overview

AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) that allows you to write, run, and debug code directly in your browser. While there is no additional charge for using AWS Cloud9 itself, you are billed for the underlying compute and storage resources utilized during your development activities. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the associated costs:

Compute Charges:

• Amazon EC2 Instances:
  • When you create an AWS Cloud9 environment, it typically provisions an Amazon EC2 instance to host your development environment.
  • You are billed for the EC2 instance based on its type and the duration it runs.
  • For example, a t2.micro Linux instance is priced at $0.0116 per hour.
  • If you use this instance for 90 hours in a month, the compute cost would be:
    • $0.0116/hour × 90 hours = $1.05

Storage Charges:

• Amazon EBS Volumes:
  • Your AWS Cloud9 environment uses Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) for persistent storage.
  • You are charged based on the provisioned storage size.
  • For instance, a 10 GB EBS volume is priced at $0.10 per GB-month.
  • The monthly storage cost for a 10 GB volume would be:
    • $0.10/GB-month × 10 GB = $1.00

Total Monthly Estimate:

• Combining the compute and storage costs from the examples above:
  • Compute: $1.05
  • Storage: $1.00
  • Total Monthly Cost: $2.05

Additional Considerations:

• AWS Free Tier:
  • New AWS customers eligible for the AWS Free Tier can use AWS Cloud9 without incurring charges, provided their usage stays within the Free Tier limits.
  • If your usage exceeds the Free Tier, standard AWS rates apply.
• Connecting to Existing Servers:
  • You can connect your AWS Cloud9 environment to an existing Linux server via SSH at no additional charge.
  • In this scenario, you are not billed for AWS compute resources but may incur costs associated with your existing server.
• Other AWS Services:
  • If you utilize additional AWS services (e.g., AWS Lambda, Amazon S3) within your AWS Cloud9 environment, you will be billed at the standard rates for those services.

For more detailed information, please refer to the AWS Cloud9 Pricing page.

🥊 Competition

Feature	AWS Cloud9	Eclipse
Cloud-Based Access	Fully cloud-based, accessible via browser	Requires local installation
AWS Integration	Deep integration with AWS services	General-purpose IDE, not tied to a cloud
Collaboration	Real-time collaboration tools built-in	Limited collaboration features
Offline Access	Not available	Fully functional offline
Language Support	Multi-language support	Broad language support with plugins
Plugin Ecosystem	Limited compared to traditional IDEs	Extensive library of plugins
Cost	Usage-based pricing tied to AWS resources	Free and open-source

📌 Conclusion

AWS Cloud9 is a robust and innovative IDE, especially for developers working on AWS-based projects or in collaborative environments. Its cloud-based nature offers flexibility, while its AWS integration ensures seamless deployment of applications. However, its reliance on internet connectivity and AWS ecosystem may limit its usability for broader development needs.

AWS Cloud9: Redefining Development in the Cloud

AWS Cloud9 alternatives in 2026

AWS announced in 2024 that Cloud9 was no longer accepting new customers, and existing customers were given a migration path. If you are evaluating Cloud9 today, plan the work as a temporary bridge or pick a successor outright.

GitHub Codespaces is the closest one-for-one replacement: a hosted VS Code instance per repository, with prebuilt dev containers, port forwarding, and full Git integration. Codespaces bills by minute and gives every Pro account a free monthly quota. The trade-off is the GitHub-first model; if your code lives elsewhere, you mirror or move.

Gitpod and Replit fill the rest of the field. Gitpod targets the same workflow as Codespaces but stays repository-agnostic and runs on AWS, GCP, or self-hosted Kubernetes. Replit leans toward beginners, classroom use, and quick prototypes, with collaborative editing and one-click deploys. For an AWS-native team, Codespaces or Gitpod is the realistic upgrade; Replit fits a learning context more than a production codebase.

Case study: how a small product team planned its move off AWS Cloud9

A four-person product studio ran most of its early work inside AWS Cloud9. The browser IDE meant nobody had to configure a local toolchain, a new contractor could open a ready environment in minutes, and everyone shared the same runtime as the team’s other AWS services. For two years that trade held up.

The trigger to reconsider came in July 2024, when AWS stopped accepting new customers for Cloud9. Existing environments kept working, but the team read the signal: a tool that no longer takes sign-ups rarely gets new features or long-term support. Rather than wait for a forced deadline, they treated the move as planned work instead of an emergency.

Their approach was methodical. First they wrote down what Cloud9 actually gave them: a browser workspace, fast onboarding, and close ties to their AWS account. Then they matched each need against current options. GitHub Codespaces covered the browser workspace and onboarding for repositories already on GitHub. Gitpod suited the contractors who worked across several clients. For the parts that leaned hardest on AWS, CodeCatalyst kept the work inside the same account.

The migration ran over three sprints. They moved one service at a time and kept Cloud9 running as a fallback until each new environment was reproducible, then wrote a short setup guide so a fresh hire could still start in minutes. Nothing had to be rushed, nobody lost access, and the team came out with a browser workflow it could still count on a year later.

If you are still on Cloud9, the takeaway is simple: you are not forced out today, so plan the exit while it is calm. Pick the alternative that matches how your team already works, move service by service, and keep the old environment until the new one is proven.

AWS Cloud9 troubleshooting in 2026

AWS closed Cloud9 to new customers on 25 July 2024. Most of what goes wrong with it now follows from that one change.

The console offers no way to create an environment. If your AWS account had never opened a Cloud9 environment before that date, the create button is not there and no support request brings it back. Accounts that were already using the service kept their access. For a new account, the AWS Toolkit for VS Code or JetBrains covers the editing side, and CloudShell gives you a browser terminal against the same account.

An existing environment will not resume. An EC2-backed environment stops its instance after the idle timeout and starts it again when you reopen the IDE. That resume fails if the instance was terminated by hand, if its instance type is no longer offered in the Region, or if the EBS volume was detached. Open the EC2 console and find the instance tagged with the environment ID before assuming the IDE itself is broken.

The bill keeps growing while nobody is writing code. Cloud9 charges nothing for itself. The EC2 instance and the EBS volume behind it do charge, and a stopped instance still bills for its volume every month. Closing the browser tab stops neither. Delete the environment from the Cloud9 console when you are finished with it, then check in EC2 that the instance and the volume are actually gone.

The environment list comes back empty. Two ordinary causes come before data loss. First, Cloud9 was never offered in every Region, and an environment created in one Region is invisible from another, so check the Region selector. Second, the AWSCloud9User and AWSCloud9Administrator managed policies control who can see the list, so an IAM cleanup that removed them leaves the environments in place while your account loses the ability to list them.

When the answer is to move. AWS points existing users at the IDE Toolkits for local editing and CloudShell for a browser shell. CodeCatalyst Dev Environments come closest to the same workflow, although AWS documents that route as re-creating the environment by hand rather than migrating it, so budget time for reinstalling the toolchain and cloning the repository again.