Which AI tool? · updated
Which AI coding agent is best in the terminal?
Claude Code is our top pick for coding in the terminal with an AI agent, out of 3 tools we compared. Terminal agent that is strong at multi-step changes across a codebase.
Quick picks
- Top pick: Claude Code. Terminal agent that is strong at multi-step changes across a codebase.
- Free plan or tier in our sourced pricing facts: Antigravity CLI.
- Open source: OpenAI Codex.
The 3 tools, in order
From official sites- #1 Claude Code
- Terminal agent that is strong at multi-step changes across a codebase.Why we picked it: Understands your codebase, edits files and runs commands, so you can hand it bug fixes, tests or longer migrations. Source: claude.comFree plan: Not in the Claude Free plan. Included with Claude Pro from $17 a month billed annually. Source: claude.comPricing: Included with Claude Pro ($20 a month billed monthly, or $17 a month with annual billing), Max ($100 a month) and Ultra ($200 a month), and with Team and Enterprise seats. Source: claude.com, checked Official site: claude.com · Our profile
- #2 OpenAI Codex
- Coding agent available in the CLI, IDE and cloud; good for parallel background tasks.Why we picked it: The Codex CLI is a lightweight, open source (Apache 2.0) coding agent that runs in your terminal. Source: github.comFree plan: ChatGPT Free includes Codex only in the desktop app. The CLI needs ChatGPT Plus or an API key. Source: developers.openai.comPricing: Included in ChatGPT Free ($0), Go ($8 a month), Plus ($20 a month), Pro (from $100 a month, with $100, $200 and $500 tiers), Business, Edu and Enterprise plans. Source: developers.openai.com, checked Official site: openai.com · Our profile
- #3 Antigravity CLI
- Google's terminal coding agent (agy) and the successor to Gemini CLI for individuals. Runs subagents in parallel on the same agent engine as the Antigravity app. Free Individual plan; Google AI Pro and Ultra raise limits.Why we picked it: Google's successor to Gemini CLI runs subagents in parallel and imports Gemini CLI extensions as plugins. Source: antigravity.googleFree plan: Free Individual plan at $0 with basic weekly rate limits. Source: antigravity.googlePricing: Free Individual plan at $0 with access to a variety of agent models and basic weekly rate limits. Source: antigravity.google, checked Official site: antigravity.google · Our profile
Method
How we ordered this list
The list follows the order of our terminal coding agents ranking, limited to the 3 tools that do this job. We rank each tool by how well it does the job for a solo builder or small team, based on official product information. Payment never changes a ranking. How we rank
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Frequently asked
Which AI coding agent is best in the terminal?
Claude Code is our top pick for coding in the terminal with an AI agent. Terminal agent that is strong at multi-step changes across a codebase. The other 2 we compared: OpenAI Codex and Antigravity CLI.
Which of these tools have a free plan?
Free plan or free tier in our sourced fact sheets: Antigravity CLI (1 of 3). Prices change, so confirm on the official pricing page before you buy.
Which of these tools are open source?
Open source per their official pages: OpenAI Codex.
How is this list ordered?
The list follows the order of our terminal coding agents ranking, limited to the 3 tools that do this job. We rank each tool by how well it does the job for a solo builder or small team, based on official product information. Payment never changes a ranking.
Are any placements sponsored?
Some placements on AI Tool Podium are sponsored. Every sponsored placement is clearly labeled.
When was this page last updated?
This page was last updated on 2026-11-13. Features and prices change often, so check each official site before you buy.
Sources
- Claude Code official site: claude.com/product/claude-code
- Claude Code pricing source: claude.com/pricing
- OpenAI Codex official site: openai.com/codex
- OpenAI Codex pricing source: developers.openai.com/codex/pricing
- OpenAI Codex: why we picked it: github.com/openai/codex
- Antigravity CLI official site: antigravity.google/product/antigravity-cli
- Antigravity CLI pricing source: antigravity.google/pricing
- Antigravity CLI: why we picked it: antigravity.google/docs/cli/gcli-migration
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