This is a question a lot of people ask, especially surfers and remote workers. The honest answer depends entirely on what you’re looking for.
Taghazout
A small fishing village turned surf town, about 20km north of Agadir. If you’re a surfer, this is the obvious choice — it’s one of the best surf spots in Africa, and the whole village has been built around surf culture. The vibe is chilled, the streets are narrow and very Moroccan despite the international crowd, and it’s genuinely charming in a way that Agadir city isn’t.
But it’s small. Very little to do outside of surfing and eating. Not a base for exploring. If it rains or the surf is flat, you might find yourself at a loose end. And it’s significantly more expensive than nearby Agadir for food, accommodation, and basically everything else.
Agadir
A proper city. Better infrastructure, more options for food, work, day trips, and daily life. Less photogenic — Agadir doesn’t look “Moroccan” in the way that Taghazout or Marrakech does. The beach is excellent but not a surf beach (it’s a bay, sheltered).
Better for: families, couples, remote workers, people who want to use the region as a base, people who want to eat well and cheaply, people who want a city that functions.
The practical verdict
If you’re primarily here to surf — Taghazout. If you want a relaxed base that functions as an actual city — Agadir, with a day trip or two to Taghazout. Many people do both: stay in Agadir, make a day trip to Taghazout. It’s 20 minutes by grand taxi.