Gemini CLI Alternatives: 6 Picks Now the Free Tier Has Moved (Nov 2026)
Gemini CLI lost its free tier on 18 Jun 2026. Six alternatives by reason for leaving, with models and prices checked 4 Nov 2026.
Our view: Antigravity CLI is the first Gemini CLI alternative to try, because Google moved free users and Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers to it on 18 Jun 2026. If you would rather leave Google, Claude Code, Codex CLI, OpenCode and Qwen Code are the main options. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
Munder Difflin is free and open source: a desktop app that runs a team of AI agents for all kinds of knowledge work, coding included, on your own computer. More pages like this sit in our Comparisons hub.
What is Gemini CLI, and what does it cost now?
Gemini CLI (gemini) is Google’s open source AI agent for the terminal, Apache 2.0, and for individuals it is now paid only. Its README, read 4 Nov 2026, opens with a notice: “No free tier or Google AI plans”. Free individual access and Google AI Pro and Ultra “moved to Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026”. What remains is Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise, Code Assist for GitHub on Google Cloud, and “legacy paid API / Vertex keys”.
Google’s announcement of 19 May 2026 set that date and said Gemini CLI “will remain accessible via paid Gemini and Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform API keys.” Stable v0.67.0 shipped on 4 Nov 2026.
Which models and quotas does Gemini CLI have?
Gemini 3 and Gemini 2.5 models, not Gemini 4. Its model docs, read 4 Nov 2026, offer Auto (Gemini 3) with gemini-3-pro-preview and gemini-3-flash-preview, Auto (Gemini 2.5), or Manual. The README says it is “Not tuned for the Gemini 4 series” and sends Gemini 4 Argon users to Antigravity CLI.
The quota page, read 4 Nov 2026, gives 1,500 model requests per user per day on Code Assist Standard and 2,000 on Enterprise. Its table still shows 1,000 free requests a day for a personal sign in, but the banner above it says Gemini CLI “was replaced by Antigravity CLI on June 18th, 2026” for unpaid and Google One users. Trust the banner. Our guide to installing Gemini CLI covers the sign ins that still work.
What are the best Gemini CLI alternatives?
Six, sorted by why you would leave. Every page below was read on 4 Nov 2026.
| Alternative | What it is | Where it runs | Price or licence, 4 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antigravity CLI | Google’s terminal for Antigravity agents | Terminal | Individual plan $0 a month, or Pro and Ultra. |
| Munder Difflin | A team of AI agents for knowledge work, coding included | Your computer | Free and open source. |
| Claude Code | Anthropic’s coding agent | Terminal, IDE, desktop, web | All rights reserved. Pro from $17 a month (4 Nov). |
| Codex CLI | OpenAI’s coding agent | Your computer | Apache 2.0. Plus $20 a month (4 Nov) or API pricing. |
| OpenCode | Open source coding agent | Terminal, beta desktop app | MIT. Provider costs. |
| Qwen Code | Open source agent that began as a Gemini CLI fork | Terminal, editor, desktop, browser, chat | Apache 2.0. Provider costs. |
1. Antigravity CLI: if you want to stay with Google
Our view: this is the default move, since Google built it as the successor. Antigravity’s CLI page calls it “the terminal-first surface to interact with Antigravity agents”. The pricing page, read 4 Nov 2026, has an individual plan at $0 a month with “Basic weekly rate limits”, then Google AI Pro and Ultra with more.
The models page lists Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 3.8 Flash and Claude models, though Argon is not on the free plan and three older models “Will be removed on November 18, 2026.” The migration guide says agy plugin import gemini converts extensions, and workspace skills move from .gemini/skills/ to .agents/skills/. More in Claude Code vs Antigravity.
2. Munder Difflin: if one agent at a time is the bottleneck
Munder Difflin is ours, for several agents on research, writing, ops and code side by side. Engines such as Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI do the work, so Gemini CLI can stay as one engine. Slack and webhooks bring jobs in; MCP servers, skills and plugins add tools. A Cloud Office and a mobile app are coming soon. Today, agents run while your computer runs. See how to install and use Munder Difflin.
3. Claude Code: if you want Anthropic’s models
Our view: Claude Code is the swap if model quality matters more to you than open source. Its overview, read 4 Nov 2026, says it is “Available in your terminal, IDE, desktop app, and browser”.
Anthropic’s pricing page, read 4 Nov 2026, leaves Claude Code out of Free and includes it in Pro at $17 a month billed annually or $20 monthly, with Max at $100 and Ultra at $200. Our Gemini CLI vs Claude Code page goes feature by feature.
4. Codex CLI: if you already pay for ChatGPT
Codex CLI is “a coding agent from OpenAI that runs locally on your computer”, per its README, Apache 2.0, with rust-v0.166.0 out on 29 Oct 2026. On OpenAI’s pricing page, read 4 Nov 2026, Plus at $20 a month is the first plan with “Codex on the web, in the CLI, in the IDE extension, and on iOS”, using GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Luna. Pro starts at $100 a month as of 4 Nov 2026, and an API key bills at API pricing. See Codex vs Gemini CLI.
5. OpenCode: if you want any provider
We think OpenCode suits you if you liked choosing your own key. It is MIT licensed and shipped v2.2.5 on 30 Oct 2026. Its providers page, read 4 Nov 2026, claims “75+ LLM providers” plus local models, Google Vertex AI among them. The v2.2.3 notes add a Claude Agent provider “to use your Claude Code login and models”, in OpenCode’s words.
6. Qwen Code: if you liked Gemini CLI itself
We think Qwen Code is the most familiar swap: its README says it “was originally based on Google Gemini CLI v0.8.2” before it “stopped syncing with upstream”. It is Apache 2.0 and shipped v0.26.7 on 4 Nov 2026. It “Supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and Qwen APIs”, plus local models through Ollama or vLLM.
If you came for a free tier, keep walking. The auth docs, read 4 Nov 2026, say “The Qwen OAuth free tier was discontinued on 2026-04-15”, so you bring an API key or an Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan.
When should you stay on Gemini CLI?
Stay if your company already pays for Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise. Google’s announcement tells those customers “your access remains unchanged” and promises “access to the latest Gemini models and other updates.” Scripts built on gemini -p --output-format json are another reason not to rush.
FAQ
Is Gemini CLI still free?
Not for individuals. Google's announcement of 19 May 2026 said that on 18 Jun 2026 Gemini CLI would stop serving requests for Google AI Pro and Ultra and for people using it free of charge. The README, read 4 Nov 2026, now says "No free tier or Google AI plans." The code itself stays Apache 2.0.
What replaced Gemini CLI?
Antigravity CLI, run as agy. Gemini CLI's README points free users and Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers there. Antigravity's migration guide, read 4 Nov 2026, gives agy plugin import gemini to turn old extensions into plugins.
Who can still use Gemini CLI?
Organisations on Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise, Code Assist for GitHub on Google Cloud, and people with paid API or Vertex keys. Google's quota page, read 4 Nov 2026, lists 1,500 model requests per user per day on Standard and 2,000 on Enterprise.
Is there an open source Gemini CLI alternative?
Yes. Qwen Code is Apache 2.0 and started from Gemini CLI's code. Munder Difflin is free and open source too. OpenCode is MIT, and Codex CLI is Apache 2.0. Claude Code is not open source. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
Can I keep using Gemini models without Gemini CLI?
Yes. Antigravity CLI runs Gemini models, Qwen Code's README says it supports Gemini APIs alongside OpenAI, Anthropic and Qwen, and OpenCode's providers page lists Google Vertex AI. Checked 4 Nov 2026.