BACK TO BLOG
AI 10 SEP 2026 · 10 MIN READ

CLI AI Coding Agents: 2026 Deep Comparison

A June 2026 comparison of terminal AI coding agents, with feature tables and links to the source documentation.

Ali Gamal Ali

Lead Front-End Developer · Luftborn

// QUICK REACTIONS

Enjoyed this article? Leave a signal without writing a comment.

Updated June 12, 2026 A current, verified comparison of the 12 leading terminal-native AI coding agents including 2026 model bumps, pricing changes, and new entrants (Grok Build, OpenCode). 🌐 Live site 📅 Last updated: June 12, 2026

🚀 TL;DR Quick 2026 Changes

What’s new this year

  • Claude Code → default Opus 4.8, plugin marketplace, Safe Mode, billing restructure, 51.9% SWE-bench Pro
  • Codex CLI → GPT-5.5 / 5.3-Codex, 400K context, Rust rewrite, /goal GA, 59.1% SWE-bench Pro
  • GitHub Copilot CLI → GA Feb 25, 2026, Sonnet 4.6, /fleet, Project Polaris
  • Kiro CLI (AWS) → GA, spec-driven, $100/mo Pro Max tier, Sonnet 4.6 / Opus 4.8
  • Qwen Code (Alibaba) → Qwen 3.6 Plus, 1M context, 78.8% SWE-bench Verified
  • Kimi Code CLI (Moonshot) → K2.6 GA Apr 21, 2026, 300 sub-agents, MoonViT multimodal, 58.6% SWE-bench Pro
  • Trae Agent (ByteDance) → MCP support added (stdio + SSE + HTTP), “TRAE Work” rebrand
  • Warp Code (Warp) → open-sourced May 7, 2026 under AGPL-3.0; OpenAI = founding sponsor
  • Grok Build (xAI) 🆕 → beta May 25, 2026, 8 parallel sub-agents, plan mode, headless CI, ACP
  • OpenCode 🆕 → open-source TUI with 75+ providers; free via local models

Heads up deprecations & free-tier endings

  • Antigravity CLI (Google) → went closed-source in 2026, deprecation June 18, 2026. Migrate to Gemini CLI v3.
  • Qwen Code (Alibaba) → free tier (2000 runs/day) ended Apr 15, 2026. BYOK / DashScope only going forward.
  • Amazon Q CLI (AWS) → users actively migrating to Kiro.

📦 Agent Cards

🤖 Claude Code Anthropic

Badges: Premier · Default Opus 4.8 · MCP

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Spec Value
Context 1M tokens
Model Opus 4.8 (default), Sonnet 4.6
Free Tier $5 trial credit
Paid $20 Pro / $100 Max
SWE-bench 51.9% Pro

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Plugin marketplace
  • ✦ Safe Mode for sensitive ops
  • ✦ /agents orchestrator
  • ✦ Billing restructure (Max-tier weekly quotas)

🔗 claude.com/product/claude-code

⚡ Codex CLI OpenAI

Badges: Open Source · GPT-5.5 + 5.3-Codex · MCP

npm install -g @openai/codex
Spec Value
Context 400K tokens
Model GPT-5.5 / 5.3-Codex
Free Tier ✗
Paid ChatGPT Plus $20 · API PAYG
SWE-bench 59.1% Pro

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Rust rewrite faster, smaller binary
  • ✦ /goal GA autonomous multi-step
  • ✦ Native sandboxing
  • ✦ Full-trajectory logs

🔗 github.com/openai/codex

🌟 Antigravity CLI Google

Status: Closed-source (2026) · Deprecation June 18, 2026 · Migrate to Gemini CLI v3

npm install -g @google/antigravity-cli
Spec Value
Context 1M tokens
Model Gemini 3.5 Flash
Free Tier 1000 req/day
Paid $0 base
SWE-bench 43.3% Pro

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Free quota leader (until EOL)
  • ◈ Closed-source pivot
  • ◈ Sunsetting June 18, 2026

🔗 github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli

🐙 GitHub Copilot CLI GitHub

Badges: GA (Feb 25, 2026) · MCP · Sonnet 4.6

gh extension install github/gh-copilot
Spec Value
Context 200K
Model Sonnet 4.6 + GPT-5.5
Free Tier Free for OSS / Verified students
Paid $10 Pro
SWE-bench ~70%

2026 highlights

  • ✦ /fleet orchestrator for parallel agents
  • ✦ Project Polaris (deep repo indexing)
  • ✦ Native PR / Actions integration

🔗 docs.github.com/en/copilot

☁️ Amazon Q CLI AWS

Badges: AWS-native · MCP · Free

brew install amazon-q-cli
Spec Value
Context 100K
Model Claude Sonnet 4 (was 3.7)
Free Tier 50 messages/mo
Paid $19/mo Pro
SWE-bench ~58%

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Best AWS infra automation
  • ✦ IAM-aware tools
  • ◈ Users migrating to Kiro

🔗 aws.amazon.com/q/developer

🎯 Kiro CLI AWS

Badges: Spec-Driven · GA · MCP

npm install -g @aws/kiro-cli
Spec Value
Context 200K+
Model Sonnet 4.6 / Opus 4.8
Free Tier Preview
Paid $100/mo Pro Max

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Requirements → design → tasks → code
  • ✦ Neurosymbolic spec engine
  • ✦ AWS-managed identity + IAM

🔗 kiro.dev

🔥 Qwen Code Alibaba

Badges: Apache 2.0 · BYOK · Free tier ended Apr 15, 2026

npm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code
Spec Value
Context 1M tokens
Model Qwen 3.6 Plus
Free Tier ✗ (ended Apr 15)
Paid BYOK / DashScope
SWE-bench 78.8% Verified

2026 highlights

  • ✦ OpenAI-compatible API
  • ✦ Self-hostable
  • ✦ Highest published SWE-bench Verified in the lineup

🔗 github.com/QwenLM/qwen-code

🌙 Kimi Code CLI Moonshot AI

Badges: GA (Apr 21, 2026) · MoonViT multimodal · MCP

npm install -g @moonshot/kimi-cli
Spec Value
Context 300K
Model K2.6 + MoonViT
Free Tier Plan-based
Paid $20/mo Pro
SWE-bench 58.6% Pro

2026 highlights

  • ✦ 300 sub-agents in parallel
  • ✦ Multimodal (images, diagrams)
  • ✦ Strong value-to-perf ratio

🔗 github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli

⚙️ Trae Agent ByteDance

Badges: MIT · BYOK · MCP (2026: stdio + SSE + HTTP)

pip install trae-agent
Spec Value
Context API-dependent
Model Any LLM (BYOK)
Free Tier Free / self-host
Paid $0
SWE-bench ~55%

2026 highlights

  • ✦ “TRAE Work” rebrand
  • ✦ Full trajectory logs for audit
  • ✦ Local-first / privacy-friendly

🔗 github.com/bytedance/trae-agent

🖥️ Warp Code Warp

Badges: AGPL-3.0 (May 7, 2026) · Freemium · MCP · OpenAI founding sponsor

brew install --cask warp
Spec Value
Context Configurable max
Model Claude / GPT-5.5 + Codex harness
Free Tier Freemium + BYOK
Paid $0.04/credit overage

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Open-sourced under AGPL-3.0 (UI crates MIT, 56K★)
  • ✦ Codex as local child-agent harness
  • ✦ Drag-drop images + inline Mermaid render
  • ✦ Cited #1 Terminal-Bench (vendor claim)
  • ◈ Cloud platform “Oz” remains proprietary

🔗 warp.dev · Open-source coverage

🛸 Grok Build xAI 🆕

Badges: Beta (May 25, 2026) · ACP · Parallel sub-agents

curl -fsSL https://x.ai/cli/install.sh | bash
Spec Value
Context 2M tokens
Model grok-build-0.1
Free Tier Via SuperGrok / X Premium+
Paid $30/mo (SuperGrok)

2026 highlights

  • ✦ Plan mode before execution
  • ✦ 8 parallel sub-agents in isolated git worktrees
  • ✦ Headless CI mode
  • ✦ Agent Client Protocol (ACP)
  • ◈ Beta feature set still evolving

🔗 x.ai · Launch review

🧩 OpenCode opencode.ai 🆕

Badges: Open Source · Free (Local) · 75+ Providers

npm install -g opencode-ai
Spec Value
Context Model-dependent
Model Any (75+ providers)
Free Tier Yes (local models)
Paid BYOK only

2026 highlights

  • ✦ 75+ provider integrations (Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Qwen, Kimi…)
  • ✦ Ollama / LM Studio local support
  • ✦ Polished terminal UI
  • ✦ Fully open-source

🔗 opencode.ai · docs/cli

📊 Side-by-Side Comparison

[!TIP] Sorted roughly by published SWE-bench performance, then by ecosystem strength.

Agent SWE-bench Context Free Tier Min. Price MCP Open Source Best For
🤖 Claude Code (Anthropic) 51.9% Pro 1M $5 credit $20/mo ✔ ✔ Best overall (Opus 4.8)
⚡ Codex CLI (OpenAI) 59.1% Pro 400K ✗ $20/mo ✔ ✔ GPT-5.5 ecosystem
🔥 Qwen Code (Alibaba) 78.8% Ver. 1M Ended Apr 15 BYOK ✗ ✔ BYOK / self-host
🌙 Kimi Code CLI (Moonshot) 58.6% Pro 300K Via plan $20/mo ✔ ✔ Value + multimodal
🌟 Antigravity CLI (Google) 43.3% Pro 1M 1000/day $0 (EOL Jun 18) ✔ Closed Deprecated soon
🐙 Copilot CLI (GitHub) ~70% 200K Limited $10/mo ✔ ✗ GitHub workflows
🎯 Kiro CLI (AWS) 200K+ Preview $100/mo Pro Max ✔ ✗ Spec-driven dev
☁️ Amazon Q CLI (AWS) ~58% 100K 50 msg/mo $0 ✔ ✗ AWS (→ Kiro)
⚙️ Trae Agent (ByteDance) ~55% API-dep. BYOK $0 MCP 2026 ✔ Privacy / audit
🖥️ Warp Code (Warp) Configurable Freemium $0 ✔ AGPL-3.0 Open terminal UX
🛸 Grok Build (xAI) 2M Via SuperGrok $30/mo ACP ✗ Parallel sub-agents
🧩 OpenCode Model-dep. Free (local) $0 ✔ ✔ Multi-provider TUI

🧭 Decision Guide

[!IMPORTANT] Pick based on your bottleneck quality, cost, ecosystem, or compliance.

  • 🏆 Best Overall → Claude Code (Opus 4.8, plugins, Safe Mode)
  • 🆓 Best Free → Antigravity CLI until June 18, 2026, then migrate to Gemini CLI v3 or OpenCode + local models
  • 💰 Best Value → Kimi Code CLI ($20/mo, multimodal, 58.6% Pro)
  • ☁️ AWS Infra → Amazon Q CLI → eventually Kiro CLI
  • 🐙 GitHub Workflows → Copilot CLI (Project Polaris, /fleet)
  • 🔒 Privacy / Audit → Trae Agent (MIT, MCP, full trajectories)
  • 📋 Spec-Driven Teams → Kiro CLI ($100 Pro Max for serious teams)
  • 🇨🇳 BYOK / Self-host → Qwen Code (1M context, Apache 2.0)
  • 🛸 Parallel Sub-Agents → Grok Build (8× git worktrees, headless CI)
  • 🧩 Open Multi-Provider TUI → OpenCode (75+ providers, free via local)

📚 Sources

  1. Claude Code claude.com/product/claude-code
  2. OpenAI Codex CLI github.com/openai/codex
  3. Antigravity CLI (Google) github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli
  4. GitHub Copilot CLI docs.github.com/en/copilot
  5. Amazon Q Developer aws.amazon.com/q/developer
  6. Kiro CLI kiro.dev
  7. Qwen Code (Alibaba) github.com/QwenLM/qwen-code
  8. Kimi Code CLI (Moonshot) github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli
  9. Trae Agent (ByteDance) github.com/bytedance/trae-agent
  10. Warp Code (open-sourced May 2026) dev.to coverage
  11. Grok Build CLI (xAI) mer.vin launch review
  12. OpenCode opencode.ai/docs/cli

🌐 Live site: cliagents.vercel.app 📅 Last updated: June 12, 2026 📝 Source: All data verified from official documentation, benchmarks, and 2026 launch posts, If you find any wrong information Please Add comment.

Source: Original article on HackMD. Local review copy retrieved September 10, 2026.

// QUICK REACTIONS

Enjoyed this article? Leave a signal without writing a comment.

// DISCUSSION

Reader Comments (0)

Register or log in to leave a comment.

// NO COMMENTS YET