OpenCode vs Claude Code: Open Source Agent vs Anthropic's CLI
OpenCode vs Claude Code comes down to one trade-off. Claude Code is Anthropic's own agent, tuned for Claude models and paid through a Claude subscription or the API. OpenCode is an MIT-licensed, open-source agent that works with 75+ model providers, including local models, so you choose the model and the bill. Pick Claude Code if you already pay for Claude Pro or Max and want the smoothest Claude experience. Pick OpenCode if you want model freedom, free or local models, or an open-source tool you can inspect. One rule matters: you cannot use a Claude Pro/Max subscription inside OpenCode; you'd need an API key or a different provider.
All facts below come from official docs and pricing pages, checked on 17 October 2026. For the wider field, see our best AI coding agents ranking.
At a glance
| OpenCode | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Open-source project (anomalyco on GitHub) | Anthropic |
| Licence | MIT (GitHub) | Proprietary |
| Where it runs | Terminal UI, desktop app, IDE extension | Terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop, web |
| Models | 75+ providers via Models.dev, plus local (Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp) | Claude models; third-party providers (Bedrock, Vertex AI etc.) in the CLI and IDEs |
| Sign in with a subscription | GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT Plus/Pro, GitLab Duo | Claude Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise |
| Use Claude Pro/Max? | No (Anthropic prohibits it) | Yes |
| Cost | Free tool; you pay your model provider, or OpenCode Zen / Go | Pro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually), Max from $100/mo, or API |
| Project instructions file | AGENTS.md (made by /init); falls back to CLAUDE.md |
CLAUDE.md |
| MCP config | opencode.json → mcp |
claude mcp add / .mcp.json |
What is OpenCode?
OpenCode describes itself as "the open source AI coding agent" (opencode.ai). Its repo had about 214,000 GitHub stars when we checked the GitHub API on 17 October 2026. You install it with:
curl -fsSL https://opencode.ai/install | bash
# or
npm i -g opencode-ai
Then run opencode in your project, use /connect to add a provider, and /init to create an AGENTS.md file describing your codebase (docs). Tab switches between a Plan agent (suggests, doesn't edit) and a Build agent (makes changes), and /undo / /redo roll changes back.
What is Claude Code?
Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding tool. It reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands and works in your terminal, IDE, desktop app or browser. It is included with paid Claude plans; the Free plan doesn't include it (pricing). Our Claude Code tutorial for beginners covers setup.
Pricing: subscription vs pay-per-token
Claude Code uses your Claude plan's usage limits, a rolling five-hour window plus weekly limits on paid plans, shared with Claude chat (Anthropic help). Pro costs $20 a month ($17/mo billed annually) and Max starts at $100 a month. Pay-as-you-go API pricing is per model; for example, Sonnet 5.5 is $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens on Anthropic's pricing page.
OpenCode itself is free. You pay whichever provider you connect:
- Your own API keys (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, OpenRouter and more): the provider's normal rates.
- Existing subscriptions: GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT Plus/Pro or GitLab Duo sign-in.
- OpenCode Zen: pay-as-you-go access to a curated model list. OpenCode says it charges at cost plus card fees (4.4% + $0.30 per transaction); its listed Claude prices match Anthropic's (Zen docs).
- Free models: Zen offers some free models for a limited time, and OpenCode notes some free models may use your data to improve the model.
- Local models: connect Ollama or LM Studio and pay nothing per token (see best tools to run LLMs locally).
Bottom line on cost: a heavy Claude user often gets more for the money from a Claude subscription in Claude Code. A budget user can spend far less in OpenCode with cheaper, free or local models, at some cost in quality on hard tasks.
The Claude subscription rule
OpenCode's providers docs say Anthropic explicitly prohibits using Claude Pro/Max subscriptions in OpenCode, and that the plugins that allowed it were removed as of OpenCode 1.3.0. To use Claude models in OpenCode, use an Anthropic API key, Zen, or a provider such as Amazon Bedrock. Don't rely on third-party workarounds; they can put your Claude account at risk.
Workflow and features
Both are terminal-first agents that plan, edit files, run shell commands and ask before risky actions. The differences we found in the docs:
- Model switching: OpenCode lets you switch providers and models per session. Claude Code is built around Claude models and supports Anthropic's cloud partners.
- Interfaces: OpenCode has a TUI, a desktop app and IDE extensions. Claude Code also covers the desktop app, the web and Slack, plus VS Code and JetBrains.
- Plan vs act: OpenCode's built-in Plan/Build agents on Tab; Claude Code's plan mode and permission modes.
- Undo: OpenCode's
/undoand/redo; Claude Code has checkpointing to rewind edits. - Instructions: OpenCode reads
AGENTS.mdand, if none exists, falls back to yourCLAUDE.md(and.claude/skills) for easy migration (rules docs); Claude Code readsCLAUDE.md.
MCP support
Both support the Model Context Protocol. In OpenCode, add servers under mcp in opencode.json, with "type": "local" (a command) or "type": "remote" (a URL); OAuth servers authenticate with opencode mcp auth <name> (MCP docs). OpenCode's docs warn that some servers, such as GitHub's, add a lot of tokens to your context. For Claude Code, see our list of the best MCP servers for Claude Code.
Who should use which?
- Choose Claude Code if you already pay for Claude Pro/Max, mainly want Claude models, and value the official tool with the newest Claude features first.
- Choose OpenCode if you want to use GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Qwen or local models; already pay for GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT; want open-source code you can audit; or need to keep costs low.
- Use both: many developers do. Plan or review in one, implement in the other, and keep one shared instructions file (OpenCode can read
CLAUDE.mdwhen there is noAGENTS.md).
Still deciding? Compare Cursor vs Claude Code and Claude Code vs Codex, or browse Claude Code alternatives.
How we compared
We read OpenCode's docs (intro, providers, Zen, MCP), its GitHub repo, Anthropic's Claude Code docs and pricing, and the Anthropic help centre on 17 October 2026. Star counts come from the GitHub API on the same day. We didn't run timed benchmarks, because results depend heavily on the model you connect to OpenCode. The embedded video gives one creator's hands-on view of the cost-versus-quality trade-off.
Sources
- OpenCode website and docs: providers, Zen, MCP servers, rules
- anomalyco/opencode on GitHub
- Claude Code overview (Anthropic)
- Claude pricing (Anthropic)
- Using Claude Code with your Pro or Max plan (Anthropic)
FAQ
Is OpenCode better than Claude Code?
Neither wins outright. Claude Code gives the most polished Claude experience on a Claude subscription; OpenCode wins on model choice, open-source licensing and the ability to use free or local models.
Can I use my Claude Pro or Max subscription in OpenCode?
No. OpenCode's docs say Anthropic explicitly prohibits it and the plugins that enabled it were removed in OpenCode 1.3.0. Use an Anthropic API key, OpenCode Zen or another provider instead.
Is OpenCode free?
The tool is free and MIT-licensed. You pay for the models you connect, unless you use local models through Ollama or LM Studio or one of Zen's limited-time free models.
Can OpenCode use Claude models?
Yes, through an Anthropic API key, OpenCode Zen or cloud providers such as Amazon Bedrock, billed per token rather than through a Claude subscription.
Does OpenCode support CLAUDE.md?
Yes, as a fallback. OpenCode's own file is AGENTS.md, but its docs say it reads CLAUDE.md in your project (and ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md globally) when no AGENTS.md exists; if both exist, only AGENTS.md is used.
See the full ranking: best Coding agents tools, ranked.