# Claude Code vs OpenCode

> Claude Code vs OpenCode: OpenCode is our pick, leading for beginners and free plans. They split on where it runs and editor support. Verified October 2026.

![Claude Code logo](https://www.versusref.com/logos/claude-code.png) ![OpenCode logo](https://www.versusref.com/logos/opencode.png)

Both AI coding agents platforms, Claude Code (Terminal-first coding agent included in Claude Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise plans or billed via API; also IDE extension, desktop app and cloud sessions (cloud_agent).) and OpenCode (Most-starred OSS coding agent; provider-agnostic TUI with build/plan agents; optional pay-as-you-go Zen gateway and $10/$40 Go subscriptions (also oss_self_hosted)) go head to head here, priced from $17/mo and $0 + your model API bill respectively. Start with the bottom line, then the verified fact table and real production costs.

AI coding agents platforms · 39 facts compared · all sourced · pricing verified Oct 2, 2026

## Bottom line

OpenCode wins five of seven use cases: Beginners, Free Plans, Local Models, Open Source and VS Code. Its cheapest paid plan is $10/mo, while Claude Code's is $20/mo, and its free plan includes the agent, whereas Claude Code is not included on the Free plan. OpenCode is MIT licensed, supports 75+ providers and runs local models, while Claude Code is proprietary. Claude Code takes Enterprise, with SOC 2, admin audit logs and a zero data retention option, as well as Terminal Workflows, where it offers background agents. For most individual developers and open source teams, OpenCode's lower cost and openness carry the comparison.

## Verdict summary

| Use case | Winner | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beginners | OpenCode | For newer developers, entry price and included usage matter most. |
| Enterprise | Claude Code | OpenCode makes a strong statement on code handling: it does not store any of your code or context data, while Claude Code describes user choice on consumer plans. |
| Free Plans | OpenCode | What the free plan allows is the deciding factor. |
| Local Models | OpenCode | Running models on your own machine is the deciding factor, and only OpenCode publishes local model support. |
| Open Source | OpenCode | The license matters most here. |
| Terminal Workflows | Claude Code | Both are built for the shell: Claude Code lists a terminal CLI among ten surfaces, and OpenCode lists a terminal TUI and a CLI among seven. |
| VS Code | OpenCode | Editor support is close. |

## Claude Code vs OpenCode: head-to-head facts

| Fact | Claude Code | OpenCode | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| How usage is metered | Time windows + per-token ([source](https://claude.com/pricing)) | Own API key + per-token + $ usage pool + time windows ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/go/)) | Oct 2 |
| What the free plan allows | Claude Code not included on the Free plan ([source](https://claude.com/pricing)) | Agent free ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/zen/)) | Oct 2 |
| Cheapest paid plan (monthly) | $20 ([source](https://claude.com/pricing)) | $10 ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/go/)) | Oct 2 |
| Top individual plan | $200 ([source](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11049741-what-is-the-max-plan)) | $40 ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/go/)) | Oct 2 |
| Usage included at entry tier | n/a | Go $10/mo: per-model monthly $-equivalent allowances ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/go/)) | Oct 2 |
| Rate-limit window | Rolling five-hour session window + weekly limit ([source](https://claude.com/pricing)) | 5-hour window = 20% of monthly allowance ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/go/)) | Oct 2 |
| Bring your own API key | true ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview)) | true ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/providers/)) | Oct 2 |
| Models available | Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5 +1 more ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/model-config)) | n/a | Oct 2 |
| Pick the model per task | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/model-config)) | ✓  true ([source](https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode)) | Oct 2 |
| Runs local models | n/a | ✓  Yes ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/providers/)) | Oct 2 |
| Where it runs | Terminal CLI +9 more ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview)) | terminal TUI, CLI +5 more ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/)) | Oct 2 |
| Autonomous multi-file edits | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview)) | ✓  true ([source](https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode)) | Oct 2 |
| Runs terminal commands | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes)) | ✓  Yes ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/permissions/)) | Oct 2 |
| Background / cloud agents | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/claude-code-on-the-web)) | n/a | Oct 2 |
| Opens PRs from issues | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/github-actions)) | ✓  Yes ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/github/)) | Oct 2 |
| MCP support | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp)) | ✓  true ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/)) | Oct 2 |
| Trains on your code? | Consumer (Free, Pro, Max): user choice ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/data-usage)) | 'OpenCode does not store any of your code or context data' ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/enterprise/)) | Oct 2 |
| Zero data retention option | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/data-usage)) | n/a | Oct 2 |
| Self-hosted / VPC deployment | ✓  Yes ([source](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/self-hosted-environments-deploy)) | ✓  Yes ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/enterprise/)) | Oct 2 |
| License | Proprietary ('SEE LICENSE IN README.md' on the npm package) ([source](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@anthropic-ai/claude-code)) | MIT ([source](https://github.com/anomalyco/opencode)) | Oct 2 |
| Supported model providers | n/a | 75+ providers via AI SDK + Models.dev: Anthropic +17 more ([source](https://opencode.ai/docs/providers/)) | Oct 2 |

## Claude Code vs OpenCode pricing: true cost at 3 usage tiers

Real monthly cost at 3 developer profiles: hobbyist (~5 h/week), full-time developer (~25 h/week of daily agent use), team of 5. Most vendors do not publish how much usage a plan covers, so the full-time row spans the cheapest to the top individual plan unless the vendor publishes its own guidance for daily users. Bring-your-own-key and open-source agents show the model bill you pay the provider, never $0.

| Volume | Buyer | Claude Code | OpenCode | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ~5 h/week of agent use | Hobbyist | $17/mo | Free with your own key; plans $10-$40/mo | Side projects and evenings. Priced at each vendor's cheapest paid plan (annual billing where offered), the tier every vendor sells for light use. |
| ~25 h/week, daily multi-file agent tasks | Full-time developer | $17-$200/mo | Free with your own key; plans $10-$40/mo | Daily agent use. Most vendors do not publish how much usage a plan covers, so this shows the span from the cheapest to the top individual plan; where a vendor publishes its own guidance for daily agent users, that figure is used instead. |
| 5 seats | Team of 5 | $125/mo | Team pricing not published | Priced from each vendor's own team plan: per-seat prices x 5, flat team plans as published. A tool with no published team price shows that rather than a guess. |

## Claude Code vs OpenCode: verdicts by use case

### Beginners → OpenCode

For newer developers, entry price and included usage matter most. OpenCode's cheapest paid plan is $10/mo, while Claude Code's is $20/mo. OpenCode also spells out per-model monthly allowances on its Go plan, which Claude Code does not publish. Both offer checkpoints and rollback, so an easy undo is covered either way. OpenCode's free plan includes the agent, whereas Claude Code is not included on the Free plan. Both run in the terminal and beyond.

### Enterprise → Claude Code

OpenCode makes a strong statement on code handling: it does not store any of your code or context data, while Claude Code describes user choice on consumer plans. Both offer a self-hosted or VPC deployment and SSO. Claude Code pulls ahead on the compliance record, publishing a zero data retention option, SOC 2 and admin audit logs, none of which OpenCode publishes. For a security review that needs that paper trail, Claude Code is easier to approve.

### Free Plans → OpenCode

What the free plan allows is the deciding factor. OpenCode's free plan includes the agent itself, whereas Claude Code is not included on the Free plan. Both let you bring your own API key. Once you pay, OpenCode starts at $10/mo, and Claude Code starts at $20/mo. OpenCode also runs local models, which Claude Code does not publish.

### Local Models → OpenCode

Running models on your own machine is the deciding factor, and only OpenCode publishes local model support. OpenCode also lists 75+ providers via AI SDK and Models.dev, starting with Anthropic, while Claude Code does not publish its supported providers. OpenCode is MIT licensed, whereas Claude Code is proprietary. Both let you bring your own API key.

### Open Source → OpenCode

The license matters most here. OpenCode is MIT licensed, while Claude Code is proprietary. OpenCode also lists 75+ model providers and runs local models, neither of which Claude Code publishes. OpenCode claims 211,500 GitHub stars and offers a hosted path through its Zen pay-as-you-go gateway if you would rather not run everything yourself.

### Terminal Workflows → Claude Code

Both are built for the shell: Claude Code lists a terminal CLI among ten surfaces, and OpenCode lists a terminal TUI and a CLI among seven. Both run terminal commands, read project rules files and support MCP; OpenCode reads AGENTS.md with a CLAUDE.md fallback, while Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md files. The difference is background agents. Claude Code offers background or cloud agents, which OpenCode does not publish, useful for work that continues after you close the laptop.

### VS Code → OpenCode

Editor support is close. OpenCode lists VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf and VSCodium among its editors, while Claude Code lists VS Code and Cursor through its VS Code extension, plus more. Both make autonomous multi-file edits and offer checkpoints and rollback, and neither publishes codebase indexing. OpenCode also spells out per-model monthly allowances on its entry Go plan, which Claude Code does not publish. Its broader named editor list and published entry usage give OpenCode a small edge.

## Claude Code vs OpenCode: common questions

### Is Claude Code cheaper than OpenCode?

No. Claude Code's cheapest paid plan is $20/mo, or $17/mo billed annually, while OpenCode's is $10/mo. Claude Code's top individual plan is $200/mo, compared with $40/mo for OpenCode. OpenCode's free plan also includes the agent, whereas Claude Code is not included on the Free plan.

### Claude Code vs OpenCode: which is better for beginners?

OpenCode is the gentler start. Its cheapest paid plan is $10/mo, while Claude Code's is $20/mo, and its free plan includes the agent, whereas Claude Code is not included on the Free plan. OpenCode also spells out per-model monthly allowances on its Go plan. Both offer checkpoints and rollback, so undoing agent mistakes is covered with either tool.

### Is OpenCode a good open source alternative to Claude Code?

Yes. OpenCode is MIT licensed and claims 211,500 GitHub stars, while Claude Code is proprietary. OpenCode also supports 75+ providers and can run local models.

### Is Claude Code or OpenCode better for enterprise compliance?

Claude Code publishes SOC 2, admin audit logs and a zero data retention option, none of which OpenCode publishes. OpenCode states that it does not store any of your code or context data. Both offer SSO and a self-hosted or VPC deployment.

### What do the top plans cost for Claude Code vs OpenCode?

Claude Code's top individual plan is $200/mo, while OpenCode's top individual plan is $40/mo.

### Does OpenCode offer a hosted option?

Yes. OpenCode offers the Zen pay-as-you-go gateway for anyone who would rather not run everything themselves.

### What does Claude Code charge for a team?

Claude Code lists its team plan at $25/user/mo. It offers SSO on Team and Enterprise, and an Enterprise plan through contact sales.

Source: https://www.versusref.com/coding-agents/claude-code-vs-opencode/