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OpenAI Codex vs OpenCode

Two terminal agent options for AI coding assistants. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.

OpenAI CodexTerminal agentllms.txt
OpenCodeTerminal agentCLI
Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗

Which fits you

Choose OpenAI Codex if
  • You're comfortable in a terminal and want to hand off whole tasks

Use it whenYou already pay for ChatGPT, or want an open-source CLI backed by OpenAI models.

Trade-offBuilt around OpenAI models, and usage limits depend on your ChatGPT plan.

Choose OpenCode if
  • You want to switch between model providers freely or keep your tools open source

Use it whenYou want to switch models freely or keep your agent tooling open source.

Trade-offResult quality depends on the model you connect, and you manage provider keys and costs yourself.

At a glance

OpenAI CodexOpenCode
Used by136 makers' products42 makers' products
Cost at default usagedevelopers 1 seat$8.00/mo ChatGPT Go$10/mo Go
Moved to it on GitHubpull requests since Oct 202412 from OpenCode8 from OpenAI Codex
Downloads★ 126.3k★ 210.3k
PricingIncluded with ChatGPT plans (limited on Free; Go $8/month; Plus $20/month; Pro from $100/month; Business $20/user/month; Enterprise custom), extendable with credits; the CLI can also use an API key. · paid from $8/moFree (open source, MIT) with your own model provider or subscription; optional paid model access through OpenCode Zen (pay as you go) or OpenCode Go ($10/month). · paid from $10/mo
Free tierYesYes
Open sourceYesYes
Incidents, 90 daysfrom its status page25+ (4 major)no public status feed

Who moves from one to the other

Public pull requests on GitHub since Oct 2024 whose title says "OpenAI Codex to OpenCode" or the reverse — real code changes, by developers in general rather than makers only.

OpenCode → OpenAI Codex12 PRs
All matching pull requests on GitHub ↗
OpenAI Codex → OpenCode8 PRs
All matching pull requests on GitHub ↗

What makers say

Makers on using it for AI coding assistants, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.

On OpenAI Codex
Codex is one of the three harnesses HarnessRouter routes to, and we use it in our own build loop. Its structured output made it one of the cleanest harnesses to normalize against.
HarnessRouter, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Helps us move faster from idea to implementation. Useful for prototyping, debugging, and shipping production-ready changes. A fast, reliable coding partner during development.
GetThis, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Helps us move faster from idea to implementation. Useful for prototyping, debugging, and shipping production-ready changes. A fast, reliable coding partner during development.
GetThis, the makerMay 2026 ↗
101 more on the OpenAI Codex page →
On OpenCode
A strong open local coding-agent runtime. We like it because it keeps agent work close to the developer environment while still fitting into a shared workspace through Vokal.
Vokal, the makerSep 2026 ↗
One of the agents the manager runs. Its config merge is how the manager registers itself as an MCP server inside a session, so an agent can rename itself and declare the repo it is working in.
agent-manager, the makerSep 2026 ↗
OpenCode has been part of my day-to-day development workflow while building Kapshot. It helped me explore ideas, iterate quickly, debug issues, and spend more time actually shipping the product.
Kapshot, the makerSep 2026 ↗
23 more on the OpenCode page →

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.

OpenAI Codex
Most loved
  • Takes complete repo-wide tasks, from implementation through tests, debugging and release prep, and verifies them in the same environment. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • Particularly strong at backend architecture and tracking down bugs from vague descriptions. PHHN
  • Usage limits are generous compared with Claude Code and Cursor. PHPH 2
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 96 reviews
OpenCode
Most loved
  • Works with models from any provider, so teams run a strong model on hard work and a cheap one on grunt tasks. PHHNHN 2
  • Open source with an SDK and plugin system, so products are built on it without vendor lock-in. PHHN
  • The low-cost Go plan gives heavy usage of open models and rarely hits limits. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
Watch-outs
  • Session management and prompt caching have been unreliable for some users. HNHN 2
  • It is more opinionated and harder to hack on than minimal harnesses, and some find its code sloppy. HNHN 2
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 49 reviews

Who uses each

OpenAI Codex136 makers' products
agent-managerAgent-SinAgentRailAlmanacAmamiAmnesiaAmy by JellyfishAskCodiBuildermarkChertChronockClick+124 more
OpenCode42 makers' products
agent-managerBlop AIBrev.ioCosyraCushionDMV by Agent CommunityEdgeeFoglioGAIAKapshotMycelOpenAdapter+30 more
Used by both — often one replacing the other, or each for a different part of the product
agent-managerCosyraDMV by Agent CommunityEdgeeOpenCode SuperappPolygraphReplayTaskShellVokal

What makers pair each with

With OpenAI Codex
Hosting
Frontend Framework
Transactional Email
LLM API
With OpenCode
Frontend Framework
Hosting
Transactional Email
Payments

Neither quite right?

See the whole AI coding assistants decision →
CursorAI-first editorA VS Code-style editor with AI completions, chat and agents built in, keeping your VS Code extensions.vs OpenAI Codex →vs OpenCode →
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)AI-first editorA VS Code-style editor with unlimited Tab completions, an in-editor agent, and one place to manage local and cloud Devin agents.vs OpenAI Codex →
Claude CodeTerminal agentHanding off multi-step tasks — features, refactors, bug hunts — to an agent that reads the repo, edits files and runs commands.vs OpenAI Codex →vs OpenCode →
GitHub CopilotEditor pluginAdding AI completions, chat and agents to the editor you already use, including VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, plus pull request reviews on GitHub.vs OpenAI Codex →