Gemini CLI
TerminalFree · open source
Google's free coding agent that runs in the terminal.
What sets it apart: 1,000 free requests a day with a Google account.
For: Developers who want to start for free.
AI Guide · Free Alternatives
Setup with usWe can set up the open-source option for youServer, updates and security maintenance included. The guide stays free.CategoryAll Coding & Website Building tools
Claude Code Alternatives: Free and Open-Source Options
Claude Code: no free plan. The 3 options below are free to start or open source; for each one, what you gain and what you lose is written from its official sources.
Output quality is not compared here. The differences come from each tool's own pages: setup, hardware, license, free limits, commercial use. To see which one suits you, try both on the same task. How tools are selected
Side by side
| Claude Codepaid | Gemini CLI | OpenAI Codex CLI | Cline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access | Paid | Open source | Open source | Open source |
| Where it runs | On your own computer or server | On your own computer or server | On your own computer or server | On your own computer or server |
| Free limit | — | The software is free | ChatGPT Free: GPT-6 Luna, standard speed in the desktop app, gradual rollout; short coding tasks | The software is free |
| Price | With the Pro plan: $20/month (billed monthly); $17/month billed annually | Sign-in with a personal Google account has been disabled since June 18, 2026; the old free quota can no longer be used with such an account. No free-tier figure is given for an enterprise Code Assist license or a paid API key | The CLI is open source; usage comes with your ChatGPT plan. Go: $8/month (light tasks in the desktop app only); the CLI and IDE extension are listed on Plus ($20) and up | The extension is free. There are three options: Cline credits (pay as you go), ClinePass ($9.99/month subscription) or your own API key |
| Info as of | Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 |
— : not checked. Details are in the cards below.
Alternatives and how they differ
Difference: Open-source terminal agent; a free quota with a personal Google account (60 requests per minute, 1,000 per day). It runs commands on your computer and offers a sandbox and folder-permission controls.
Best for: People who want to do site and code work from the terminal on a free quota
Difference: Open-source terminal agent; limited access for short tasks on the ChatGPT Free plan, more with a paid ChatGPT plan.
Best for: Developers who already use ChatGPT
OpenAI Codex CLI
TerminalFree · open sourceOpenAI's coding agent; works with your ChatGPT account.
What sets it apart: No separate subscription needed; your ChatGPT plan is enough.
For: ChatGPT users who want coding work done.
Difference: The VS Code extension is free; you only pay the API cost of the model you use. Every file change and command asks for approval.
Best for: Developers who want to choose their own model provider
Cline
VS Code extensionFree · open sourceAn open-source coding agent that runs inside VS Code.
What sets it apart: Connect any AI model you like; no subscription, only usage fees.
For: Developers who want to pick the model themselves and pay only for what they use.
Claude Code (paid)
Claude Code
TerminalPaid
An AI agent that reads your project on your computer and writes the code itself.
What sets it apart: Reads and changes files and runs commands; can build a site from scratch.
For: Developers and people who want to build their own site or tool.