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Claude Code vs OpenCode: which should you pick?

A repo agent on a paid Claude plan, or a free MIT-licensed agent that uses the model you bring.

Editorial scores, unchanged by this page: Claude Code 4.7 · OpenCode 4.5.

The tools

  • Claude Code

    4.7

    Anthropic's coding agent for reading a repo, editing files, and running commands.

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  • OpenCode

    4.5

    Open-source coding agent for the terminal, desktop, or an IDE, with free models or your own.

    Visit

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Comparison

What it is

Claude Code

Anthropic's coding agent. It reads a repo, edits files, and runs commands. It is not a separate editor.

OpenCode

An open-source coding agent. The homepage says it writes and runs code in a terminal, desktop app, or IDE, and the FAQ also lists a web app.

Best for

Claude Code

People pointing an agent at a real repository from a paid Claude plan.

OpenCode

People who want the agent to be free and will choose the model, including a local one.

Pricing model

Claude Code

Freemium. The pricing page lists Claude Code as off on Free and on for Pro and Max. Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month with $200 billed up front for the year. Max starts at $100 a month. Prices exclude tax. Team and Enterprise include it. The FAQ lists Enterprise at $20 per seat per month plus usage at API rates, billed annually. A Console account bills API tokens.

OpenCode

Freemium. The homepage says the agent is free and includes free models. Zen is pay as you go at the provider's rate with no markup, plus a $1.23 card fee per $20 top-up. Other providers bill you separately.

Free tier

Claude Code

No. The pricing table shows Claude Code as No on Free and Yes on Pro, Max 5x, and Max 20x.

OpenCode

Yes. The homepage FAQ says a set of free models works without an account. Paid models and Zen cost extra.

Platforms

Claude Code

macOS, Linux, and Windows. The product page lists the terminal, web, iOS, Android, GitHub, VS Code, JetBrains, and Slack. The VS Code extension also names Cursor and Devin Desktop.

OpenCode

Terminal, desktop app, IDE extension, and a web app, per the homepage and FAQ. Install docs cover macOS, Linux, and Windows, and recommend WSL for the terminal on Windows.

Key strengths

Claude Code

One paid Claude plan covers chat and Claude Code. The product FAQ says it asks before it edits files or runs commands. It is built for a repo task that can keep running.

OpenCode

The homepage says the source is MIT-licensed, and that you can log in with ChatGPT Plus or Pro or GitHub Copilot. It lists 75+ providers through Models.dev, including local models. The docs include a Plan mode that does not edit.

Limitations

Claude Code

Not on the Free plan. The pricing FAQ says web, desktop, mobile, and Claude Code share one usage pool, with a rolling five-hour window and weekly limits on paid plans.

OpenCode

The model bill is separate unless you stay on the free models. The FAQ says your data is stored when you use those free models. The docs say OpenCode 1 and OpenCode 2 cannot be installed side by side under the default command.

Prices were checked against the sources below on Oct 25, 2026. They exclude tax unless a source says otherwise, and they change. Where a figure could not be pinned down, the cell says to check the site.

Pick one

  • Pick Claude Code if

    you want the repo agent included on a paid Claude plan and you will steer it from the terminal or an IDE.

  • Pick OpenCode if

    you want a free, MIT-licensed agent and you will bring a model, use a free model, or run a local one.

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Questions

Is OpenCode free?
The software is. OpenCode's homepage says the agent is free and includes free models you can use without an account. Zen is pay as you go: you pay the provider rate with no markup, plus a $1.23 card fee per $20 top-up. Any other provider you connect bills you itself.
Does Claude's free plan include Claude Code?
No. Claude's pricing table, checked 25 Oct 2026, shows Claude Code as No on Free and Yes on Pro, Max 5x, and Max 20x. Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month if you pay $200 up front for the year. Max starts at $100 a month. Prices exclude tax.
Can OpenCode use Claude models?
Yes, as a connected provider. The homepage lists Claude among the models you can connect, and the Zen page lists Claude model rates. That is separate from a Claude subscription. This page does not say a Claude Pro login works inside OpenCode. The homepage does say ChatGPT Plus or Pro and GitHub Copilot logins work.
Which one runs a local model?
OpenCode. The homepage says it connects local models, and lists 75+ providers through Models.dev. Claude Code uses Claude models on a Claude plan or Console API usage. This page does not describe a local Claude Code mode.
Is OpenCode on the coding-agents shortlist?
No. That shortlist still leads with Claude Code for a large existing repo. OpenCode is in the directory at 4.5, and this comparison does not change either score. Claude Code stays 4.7.

On VibeStack

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