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1:1 Comparison Updated January 10, 2026

Amazon Q vs AirgapAI: Complete Comparison (2026)

Detailed comparison of AWS-native Amazon Q Business and local-first AirgapAI for enterprise AI deployment.

AQ
Amazon Q Business
VS
AirgapAI AirgapAI

Quick Verdict

Choose AirgapAI If:

  • You need air-gapped or on-premise AI
  • You handle sensitive, regulated, or classified data
  • You want to minimize long-term AI costs
  • You need 2,800+ pre-built enterprise workflows
  • You require 78x accuracy with Entourage Mode

Choose Amazon Q If:

  • You're fully invested in AWS infrastructure
  • You're comfortable with cloud AI processing
  • You need extensive SaaS connectors
  • You prioritize AWS-native development
  • Cost is not a primary concern

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Security & Privacy

Feature AirgapAI Amazon Q
Air-Gapped Operation
On-Premise Deployment
Zero Cloud Data Transmission
SCIF/Classified Environment Approved
FedRAMP High Option On-Prem GovCloud
Data Sovereignty Compliance Regional

Capabilities

Feature AirgapAI Amazon Q
Pre-Built Enterprise Workflows 2,800+ Limited
Multi-Agent Collaboration Full (Entourage Mode) Basic
Accuracy (vs Traditional RAG) 78x Better Standard
Enterprise Connectors Custom 40+
Code Generation
Document Analysis

Deployment & Support

Feature AirgapAI Amazon Q
Deployment Time Weeks Days (Cloud)
Enterprise Support Included Tier 1-3 Basic
Training Included Extra Cost
AWS Expertise Required

Pricing

Feature AirgapAI Amazon Q
License Model Perpetual Subscription
Per-User Cost $697 one-time $25-30/month
4-Year TCO (10 users) $6,970 $12,000+
Hidden Costs None AWS Infra Required

Detailed Product Analysis

Editor's Pick
Best Value
AirgapAI

AirgapAI

100% Local AI with 78x Accuracy

4.8/5

AirgapAI is the enterprise-grade local AI platform that delivers ChatGPT-level capabilities without sending a single byte of data to the cloud. With 2,800+ pre-configured workflows, new users achieve immediate success while power users configure sophisticated automations. The integrated Blockify technology provides 78x better accuracy than traditional RAG systems by eliminating hallucinations through structured data ingestion.

Strengths

  • 100% air-gapped operation - zero cloud data transmission
  • 78x more accurate than traditional RAG (Blockify integration)
  • 2,800+ pre-built enterprise workflows out of the box
  • Multi-agent collaboration (Entourage Mode)
  • Enterprise deployment support with Tier 1-3 support included

Considerations

  • Requires on-premise hardware or private cloud
  • Higher initial setup compared to cloud-first solutions
Pricing: $697 one-time perpetual license per user
Best For: Enterprises requiring data sovereignty, compliance, and cost control
Learn More About AirgapAI Calculate Your ROI
AQ

Amazon Q Business

AWS's AI Assistant for Enterprise

3.9/5

Amazon Q Business brings AI capabilities to AWS customers with enterprise connectors for data sources like S3, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. Q Developer provides strong coding assistance. While AWS offers FedRAMP through GovCloud, all processing occurs in AWS infrastructure, making it unsuitable for organizations requiring local data processing.

Strengths

  • Deep integration with AWS services and infrastructure
  • Strong coding capabilities with Q Developer
  • FedRAMP High available in GovCloud
  • 40+ enterprise connector integrations
  • Custom guardrails and access controls

Weaknesses

  • Cloud-only processing - requires AWS connectivity
  • No air-gapped or on-premise deployment option
  • Best value requires AWS ecosystem commitment
  • Learning curve for non-AWS shops
  • Additional costs for GovCloud and compliance
Pricing: $25/user/month for Business Lite, $30/user/month for Business Pro
Best For: AWS-native organizations comfortable with cloud AI processing

Which Solution Fits Your Situation?

CISO defense contractor

Goal: deploy AI for classified document analysis

Recommendation: AirgapAI

Only AirgapAI offers air-gapped operation required for classified environments. Even AWS GovCloud requires cloud connectivity.

IT Director AWS-native company

Goal: integrate AI with existing AWS infrastructure

Recommendation: Consider Both

Amazon Q integrates well with AWS services. For sensitive data or cost optimization, AirgapAI remains better.

CTO 500-person enterprise

Goal: maximize AI productivity with cost control

Recommendation: AirgapAI

4-year cost of $348,500 (AirgapAI) vs $600,000+ (Amazon Q Pro). Perpetual licensing eliminates ongoing subscription burden.

Compliance Officer government contractor

Goal: maintain CMMC compliance with AI tools

Recommendation: AirgapAI

On-premise deployment simplifies CMMC boundary. GovCloud adds complexity to CMMC documentation.

4-Year Total Cost of Ownership Comparison

Compare the true cost of each solution over 4 years for different team sizes.

10-Person Team

AirgapAI

$6,970

$697 × 10 users (one-time)

  • Perpetual license
  • No ongoing fees
  • Includes support

Amazon Q Pro

$14,400+

$30 × 10 × 48 months

  • Requires AWS account
  • Ongoing subscription
  • Infrastructure costs extra
Save 52% with AirgapAI

100-Person Team

AirgapAI

$69,700

$697 × 100 users (one-time)

  • Volume pricing available
  • Enterprise support
  • Custom deployment

Amazon Q Pro

$144,000+

$30 × 100 × 48 months

  • Enterprise pricing
  • AWS infrastructure
  • Support extra
Save 52% with AirgapAI

Why Organizations Choose AirgapAI

$5M Revenue
VTech partner generated $5M in their first 12 months
VTech Case Study
Dell Partnership
"The coolest thing I saw at CES" - Enterprise credibility validated
CES 2025
Nuclear Certified
Approved for use in nuclear facilities and SCIF environments
Security Certification
Fortune 200
Deployed at Fortune 200 manufacturing companies
Customer Case Studies

Frequently Asked Questions

AirgapAI costs $697 per user as a one-time perpetual license. Amazon Q Business costs $25-30/user/month ($300-360/year), totaling $1,200-1,440 per user over 4 years. For a 100-user team, that's approximately $69,700 total for AirgapAI vs $120,000-144,000 for Amazon Q (plus AWS infrastructure costs). AirgapAI saves enterprises up to 52% over 4 years.

No. Amazon Q Business is exclusively cloud-based and processes all data through AWS infrastructure. Even AWS GovCloud requires network connectivity to AWS. Organizations requiring truly local data processing for security, compliance, or regulatory reasons should consider AirgapAI, which operates entirely within your network.

AWS GovCloud offers FedRAMP High authorization, but data still processes in AWS cloud infrastructure. For CMMC, ITAR, or classified work, AirgapAI's 100% local processing provides simpler compliance. You control all data, eliminating inherited controls documentation and cloud provider risk assessment.

Amazon Q offers 40+ pre-built connectors for services like S3, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Jira. AirgapAI focuses on pre-built workflows (2,800+) rather than connectors, enabling immediate productivity. For organizations needing extensive SaaS integrations, Q may have advantages; for those prioritizing local processing and workflows, AirgapAI excels.

Both solutions offer strong coding assistance. Amazon Q Developer provides IDE integration, code generation, and security scanning for AWS-native development. AirgapAI includes code generation within its 2,800+ workflows and can be customized with additional models. For AWS-specific development, Q Developer has advantages; for secure environments, AirgapAI wins.

With AirgapAI, your data never leaves your local infrastructure - it's processed entirely on your hardware with no external connectivity. With Amazon Q, all data is transmitted to AWS servers, processed in AWS infrastructure, and stored according to AWS retention policies. You can configure AWS data policies, but data does leave your direct control.

Ready for Secure, Local AI?

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