Roo Code Alternatives: 6 Picks Now That Roo Code Is Shut Down (Nov 2026)

Roo Code was shut down on 15 May 2026. Six alternatives sorted by why you are leaving, with licences and prices checked 4 Nov 2026.

Chaitanya Giri 5 min read Comparisons
Title card on white. A pill reading Alternatives, the title Roo Code alternatives, the line 6 picks now that Roo Code is shut down and a Checked 4 Nov 2026 line. Six small tiles named ZooCode, Munder Difflin, Cline, Kilo Code, Roomote and Claude Code slide in under a grey tile labelled Roo Code.

Our view: ZooCode is the first Roo Code alternative to try, because it continues the same extension with the same modes and imports your Roo Code settings. Roo Code itself was shut down on 15 May 2026 and its repository is archived. 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 are in our Comparisons hub.

What was Roo Code?

Roo Code was a free, open source AI coding agent for VS Code that worked with almost any model. Its docs, read 4 Nov 2026, say it is “compatible with dozens of providers and hundreds of models”. The providers page lists Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, DeepSeek, OpenRouter and Ollama, among others.

The README lists five modes: Code, Architect, Ask, Debug and Custom Modes. The FAQ says “The Roo Code extension is free and open-source”, and you paid your model provider per token. The licence is Apache 2.0, per the GitHub API.

Is Roo Code shut down?

Yes. Its README, read 4 Nov 2026, says: “The Roo Code Extension was shut down on May 15th.” The GitHub API shows the repository archived, with its last push and final release, v3.54.0, on 15 May 2026.

No Roo Code Cloud pricing page is left to check: roocode.com redirects to roomote.dev. The README now reads like a forwarding address, naming ZooCode and Cline. Our view: move before a model or VS Code update breaks it. The full story is in what is Roo Code.

Animation. On a white background, a candle on a saucer stands beside a card that reads Roo Code. The flame shrinks and goes out, a thin line of smoke rises, and the card turns over to read Shut down, 15 May 2026, Final release v3.54.0. Tapping the card turns it back to the front.
Shut down on 15 May 2026, final release v3.54.0, per Roo Code's README and the GitHub API, read 4 Nov 2026.

What are the best Roo Code 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
ZooCode Community fork of Roo Code VS Code, JetBrains beta Apache 2.0. Free with your keys; Team $25 a seat a month (4 Nov).
Munder Difflin A team of AI agents for knowledge work, coding included Your computer Free and open source.
Cline The project Roo Code came from VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, desktop Apache 2.0. Free for individuals; you pay for inference.
Kilo Code Open source agent that began as a Roo fork VS Code, JetBrains, CLI MIT. Provider rates with zero markup.
Roomote The Roo team’s cloud coding agent Your own infrastructure, or hosted FCL 1.0. Self hosted free up to 10 users.
Claude Code Anthropic’s coding agent Terminal, IDE, desktop, browser All rights reserved. Pro from $17 a month (4 Nov).
Animation. On a white background, a row of six coat hooks on a wooden rail. A coat drops onto each hook in turn, each with a paper tag: ZooCode, Munder Difflin, Cline, Kilo Code, Roomote, Claude Code. One empty hook at the end has a faded tag that reads Roo Code, Archived. Tapping a coat flips its tag to show where it runs.
Six alternatives and where each runs, from each vendor's pages, read 4 Nov 2026.

1. ZooCode: if you want Roo Code to keep going

ZooCode is the closest swap: the same extension, new maintainers. Its README, read 4 Nov 2026, says it “continues development of this project after the Roo team wound down active Roo Code work to focus on Roomote”. It keeps the five modes, is Apache 2.0, and shipped v3.94.0 on 31 Oct 2026.

The migration guide is two steps: export your Roo Code settings, then import the file. It warns: “The exported file can include sensitive settings, including API keys.” The pricing page lists Free at $0 with your own keys, and Team at $25 per seat a month, on 4 Nov 2026.

2. Munder Difflin: if you want a team, not one agent in one editor

Munder Difflin is what we make, a team of AI agents on your own computer. It runs on engines such as Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI, and connects tools through MCP servers, skills and plugins. Agents run while your computer runs. A Cloud Office and a mobile app are coming soon. Setup is in how to install and use Munder Difflin.

3. Cline: if you want the project Roo Code came from

Cline is where Roo Code started: Roo Code’s README calls it the project “from where Roo Code originated”. Cline’s README, read 4 Nov 2026, offers a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin, a CLI and a desktop app for macOS and Windows. It is Apache 2.0 and shipped v4.1.26 on 26 Oct 2026.

Its pricing page, read 4 Nov 2026, says “Cline is free for individual developers” and you pay only for inference. That page lists the JetBrains extension under Enterprise. More options are in Cline alternatives.

4. Kilo Code: if you want more editors and a CLI

Kilo Code began as a Roo fork; Kilo’s migration guide, read 4 Nov 2026, says “We started Kilo as a Roo fork in 2025.” Its README covers VS Code, JetBrains and a CLI, offers “500+ models”, and says you “pay the model provider’s rate with zero markup”. It is MIT licensed; the latest stable release was v7.8.18 on 26 Oct 2026.

The guide is frank: “What breaks: API key storage, Orchestrator mode, codebase indexing.” In return it lists “parallel subagents, an Agent Manager with git worktrees”. We set it against Cline in Kilo Code vs Cline.

5. Roomote: if you want to follow the Roo team to the cloud

Roomote is where the Roo team went; Kilo’s guide gives the stated reason as a “Pivot to Roomote, Roo’s cloud agent”. The Roomote homepage, read 4 Nov 2026, calls it “The cloud coding agent you actually own”, self hostable or hosted by them.

Self hosted pricing on that page, 4 Nov 2026: free for up to 10 users, $249 a month for 11 to 50 users and $499 a month for 51 to 100. “You pay your infrastructure and inference providers directly.” The LICENSE file is the Fair Core License, FCL-1.0-ALv2, and v1.20.0 shipped on 4 Nov 2026. We think that is a different deal from Apache 2.0, so read it first.

Animation. On a white background, chairs slide in around a long table while a small card on the table counts them. At 10 chairs the card reads Up to 10 users, Free. More chairs slide in and the card changes to 11 to 50 users, $249 a month, then 51 to 100 users, $499 a month. Tapping the table clears the extra chairs and starts the count again.
Roomote self hosted pricing: free up to 10 users, then $249 and $499 a month, from roomote.dev, read 4 Nov 2026.

6. Claude Code: if you want a first party agent

Claude Code is Anthropic’s own agent, and its overview, read 4 Nov 2026, says it is “Available in your terminal, IDE, desktop app, and browser.” The LICENSE file says “All rights reserved”. It shipped v2.1.318 on 4 Nov 2026.

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. See what Claude Code costs.

Which one should you pick?

Our view: ZooCode if you want your modes and settings back today. Munder Difflin if you want several agents on research, writing, ops and coding at once. Cline or Kilo Code for a larger project with a CLI and JetBrains. Roomote if your team wants cloud agents and accepts its licence. Claude Code if you already pay Anthropic.

FAQ

What replaced Roo Code?

Roo Code's README, read 4 Nov 2026, points to two projects: ZooCode, "a fork started by the Roo Code community", and Cline, "from where Roo Code originated". The Roo team itself moved to Roomote, a cloud coding agent. Kilo Code, which began as a Roo fork, publishes its own migration guide.

Is ZooCode the same as Roo Code?

It is a continuation of the same extension, with the same five modes. Its README, read 4 Nov 2026, says ZooCode "continues development of this project after the Roo team wound down active Roo Code work". It is Apache 2.0 licensed, and v3.94.0 shipped on 31 Oct 2026.

Can I move my Roo Code settings to another tool?

Yes, with some limits. ZooCode's migration guide, read 4 Nov 2026, has you export the settings file from Roo Code and import it, and warns the file can include API keys. Kilo's guide says API key storage, Orchestrator mode and codebase indexing break in the move.

Is Roomote open source?

Not in the Apache 2.0 sense. Roomote's LICENSE file, read 4 Nov 2026, is the Fair Core License, FCL-1.0-ALv2, and its homepage calls it source available. Self hosting is free for up to 10 users, per that page on the same day.

What is the best free Roo Code alternative?

Our view: ZooCode if you want the same extension. Munder Difflin is free and open source too, if you want a team of agents on your computer. Cline or Kilo Code if you want an older, larger project. ZooCode's and Cline's pricing pages, read 4 Nov 2026, list a free option, and you pay your model provider.