Gemini CLI vs OpenCode in 2026

Q: Can Gemini CLI be installed without npm?

Gemini CLI installs globally using npm . The facts also state other ways to install it. Check Gemini CLI's own pages for the full list of ways to install it, since the facts here do not cover every option.

Q: Does AgentHydra cost anything?

AgentHydra is free, with no account or subscription , and it is open source under the MIT License . It shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list .

Gemini CLI and OpenCode compared on what each does, what each costs and what to check before you pick one to work with AI coding agents.

By SupaKeeper · 2026-10-29

SupaKeeper is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.

Gemini CLI installs globally with npm ^[1] and publishes a stable release every week ^[1]. OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent ^[2] available as a terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[2]. This page compares the two with AgentHydra for managing AI coding sessions ^[3].

Option	What its sources say it does	Cost	Account or install
Gemini CLI	Provides lightweight access to Gemini, the most direct path from a prompt to the model ^[1]; queries and edits large codebases ^[1]	not published in the facts	global npm install ^[1]; Homebrew ^[1]; MacPorts ^[1]; npx without install ^[1]; stable releases weekly ^[1]
OpenCode	An open source AI coding agent ^[2]; helps you write code in a terminal, IDE, or desktop ^[2]; available as terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[4]; share links for sessions ^[2]; does not store code or context data ^[2]	not published in the facts	terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[4]
AgentHydra	Shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list ^[3]; replies into a Claude session's chat or sends one message to several sessions ^[3]; moves a Claude chat between accounts ^[3]	Free, no account or subscription ^[3]	No account ^[3]; tray app needs Windows, macOS and Linux builds exist but not verified ^[3]; Windows install by one-line PowerShell script ^[3]

The short answer

Gemini CLI is an open source AI agent that brings Gemini into your terminal, and OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent you can use in a terminal, desktop app, or IDE. People open this page to compare terminal tools for working with AI coding agents. Gemini CLI installs globally with npm ^[1] and publishes a stable release every week ^[1]. OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent ^[2] available as a terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[2], and it offers share links for sessions ^[2]. AgentHydra shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list, updated live while they run ^[3]. If you need a terminal tool that reaches a Gemini model and gives install and release details, Gemini CLI's page covers that. If you want an open source coding agent available in several interfaces with shareable sessions, OpenCode's page covers that. If your need is to see and manage the AI coding sessions on your own machine, AgentHydra addresses it ^[3].

What Gemini CLI, OpenCode is built for

Gemini CLI installs globally using npm ^[1], and its page explains the release cadence. It publishes new stable releases each week at 20:00 UTC on Tuesdays ^[1], preview releases each week at 23:59 UTC on Tuesdays ^[1], and nightly releases each day at 00:00 UTC. OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent ^[2] that you can run as a terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[2]. It provides share links for sessions ^[2], so a session can be shared for reference or to debug. The two tools sit on different needs: Gemini CLI's page details how to install it and when every build lands ^[1] ^[1], and OpenCode's page describes its coding agent and its interfaces ^[2] ^[2]. Neither page in the facts here describes a way to see the sessions running on a machine in one list.

What AgentHydra is built for

AgentHydra is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list, updated live while they run ^[3]. It lets you type a reply into a Claude session's own desktop chat, or send one message to several sessions ^[3]. It moves a Claude chat, history included, to another of your accounts ^[3]. It splits a task's pieces across Claude Code CLI sessions on your accounts, and moves a worker to another account when one nears its limit ^[3]. It shows cost at API list prices by day, model, project and account ^[3]. It pairs each failed shell command with the command that fixed it, and can copy those pairs out as a rules file for your agents ^[3]. It lists each Claude and Codex account with its plan and quota, and can open, focus, quit, create and delete Claude Desktop instances ^[3]. It exposes its features as MCP tools, including checks so an agent knows which account it is on and how much quota is left ^[3]. It packs a task and its repository into a Markdown file, leaving out common secret files, then copies a prompt and opens ChatGPT for you to send yourself ^[3].

Pricing and fees

The facts given here do not state a dollar price for Gemini CLI or for OpenCode, so none is published ^[1] ^[2]. Gemini CLI is an open source agent ^[1], and OpenCode is an open source agent ^[2], but open source here does not imply a price in the facts, so check each project's pages for cost. AgentHydra is free, with no account or subscription ^[3]. Its licence is the MIT License ^[3]. No source here describes an account, trial or discount for Gemini CLI or OpenCode, so none is stated. The only price given in the facts for any of the three is free for AgentHydra ^[3]. If you need the cost of Gemini CLI or OpenCode for your own use, check their own pages, since the facts here do not state one.

Setting it up and daily use

Gemini CLI can be installed globally using npm ^[1]. Its page gives no other setup detail in these facts, so check it for anything further. OpenCode is available as a terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[2], and it provides share links for sessions ^[2]. The facts here say nothing more about daily setup for OpenCode. AgentHydra installs on Windows with a one-line PowerShell script, or from a build downloaded from GitHub Releases, or from source with Bun ^[3]. Its tray app needs Windows; macOS and Linux builds exist but have not been verified ^[3]. There is no account or subscription to set up ^[3]. You can print the same cost numbers as JSON from the command line ^[3]. For anything the facts do not cover about Gemini CLI or OpenCode, check their own pages.

Things to check before you choose

Ask which tool's sessions you want to see. Gemini CLI's page covers installing it and when releases land ^[1] ^[1], and OpenCode's page covers its coding agent and interfaces ^[2] ^[2], while AgentHydra lists sessions on your machine ^[3]. Ask what you pay for each; the facts state a price for AgentHydra, free ^[3], and none for Gemini CLI or OpenCode, so check their pages. Ask what system you run on; AgentHydra's tray app needs Windows ^[3]. Ask how you want the tool to appear; OpenCode offers a terminal interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[2]. Ask about costs your own use may face at API list prices, which AgentHydra reports ^[3].

How to choose

Match the need to the tool whose page states it. If you want a terminal install with a stated release cadence, Gemini CLI's page gives the npm command and the weekly schedules ^[1] ^[1] ^[1]. If you want an open source coding agent in a terminal, desktop, or IDE with shareable sessions, OpenCode's page states that ^[2] ^[2] ^[2]. If you want to see and manage the Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine, AgentHydra shows them in one searchable list ^[3] and is free ^[3]. The three are not the same kind of tool, so the choice is which need you are answering.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gemini CLI free to use?

The facts given here do not state a dollar price for Gemini CLI, so none is published ^[1]. Gemini CLI is an open source agent ^[1], but the facts do not say what it costs. Check its own pages if you need the price, since the facts here give none.

Does OpenCode cost anything?

The facts given here do not state a dollar price for OpenCode ^[2]. OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent ^[2], but the facts do not say whether it has a fee. Check its own pages if you need the cost, since the facts here give none.

Can Gemini CLI be installed without npm?

Gemini CLI installs globally using npm ^[1]. The facts also state other ways to install it. Check Gemini CLI's own pages for the full list of ways to install it, since the facts here do not cover every option.

What interfaces does OpenCode run in?

OpenCode is available as a terminal-based interface, desktop app, or IDE extension ^[2], and it helps you write code in a terminal, IDE, or desktop ^[2]. It also provides share links for sessions ^[2].

Does AgentHydra cost anything?

AgentHydra is free, with no account or subscription ^[3], and it is open source under the MIT License ^[3]. It shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list ^[3].

Free, with no account or subscription. ^[3]

Try AgentHydra