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OpenAI Codex vs OpenCode

OpenCode scores 24 out of 30 and OpenAI Codex scores 20. OpenCode is ahead on footprint, lock-in, self-direction and power.

OpenAI Codex

The giant

20/30 · Leaning convivial

OpenAI's coding agent for the terminal, with an open-source command line tool that works best with a ChatGPT login.

OpenCode

The small tool

24/30 · Leaning convivial

The open source coding agent for the terminal, desktop and your editor, with any model provider you like.

Footprint
3
4
Lock-in
4
5
Self-direction
3
4
Power
2
3
Longevity
4
4
Delivery
4
4
Price
Included with ChatGPT plans; or API pricing
Free; paid model access optional
Source
Open source command line tool (Apache-2.0)
Open source (MIT)
Runs on
Mac, Linux, Windows
Terminal, Mac, Linux, Windows (beta desktop app)
Maker
XL · Extra large
M · Medium

What you give up by switching

OpenCode works with any model provider you add keys for, so you choose and pay for the model yourself, and its docs mention a billed model service called Zen. The desktop app is still marked beta, and we found no statement on local models or telemetry.

How to move

Install it from npm or Homebrew, add your provider's keys and run it in a terminal inside your project. The docs recommend WSL on Windows.

Scores are our opinion on six questions from Ivan Illich, based on public sources and dated October 2026. Read the full reviews of OpenAI Codex and OpenCode, or see how we score.

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