The best alternatives to Qwen Code
Qwen Code might not be the right fit: the price, a missing feature or a payment model you don't like. These are the closest alternatives in our catalog, ordered by rating, with the full review of each one.
Why look for a Qwen Code alternative
The tool is still free and open, and it works with very different providers and even with models you run yourself. What changed the maths this year is that the free Qwen auth quota closed on 15 April 2026 after earlier cuts, so what used to be free end to end now needs a paid key or a local model.
What its own users repeat in the July 25, 2026 sweep:
- The free Qwen auth quota closed on 15 April 2026, after dropping from 1,000 to 100 daily requests, and it was the main reason to pick it (strong theme)
- Anyone who relied on that quota has to move to a paid key, a third-party provider or a local model, with the cost or the hardware that implies (strong theme)
- Nearly 600 open issues and documentation that trails the access policy changes (present theme)
Best alternatives to Qwen Code
The open source terminal agent that works with any model provider.
Moonshot's terminal agent: open source with very low API prices.
Google's terminal agent, open source with a generous free tier.
What the internet says about each alternative
OpenCode 4/5 · Free
It is the open terminal agent with the most traction in the catalogue, and the community credits it with context efficiency against the closed ones. The year brought two blows that still weigh: the forced removal of the Claude integration after Anthropic’s legal demand, and an unauthenticated remote code execution flaw that left a bad taste.
Where it wins: Open source under MIT with a huge community and daily development in the open Where it slips: The Claude integration was pulled from the repo at Anthropic’s legal request, so using Anthropic models from here stopped being the supported path
Kimi CLI 3.9/5 · From $19
It is the cheap route to a terminal agent with its own model behind it, with a free plan and a paid step at $19 a month well below the western rivals. The trade-off is maturity: the tool is mid-rename to Kimi Code CLI and carries hundreds of open issues against a still-small community.
Where it wins: A paid step from $19 a month with a free plan below it, well under what the western terminal agents charge Where it slips: It is mid-rename to Kimi Code CLI, config migration included, which leaves documentation and tutorials half aligned
Gemini CLI 3.3/5 · Free
July's sweep is dominated by one structural change: since 18 June 2026 Gemini CLI no longer serves free accounts or personal paid plans, which move to Antigravity CLI, and only enterprise licences and paid API keys stay on board. The repo keeps shipping releases and the community that built it feels sidelined.
Where it wins: The code stays open under Apache 2.0 and the repo ships releases every few days Where it slips: The free path for individual developers is gone: the repo's own announcement carries hundreds of downvotes and the charge of closing a project built on volunteer work
Comparison table
| Tool | Price | Free trial | Platforms | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen Code | Free | No | macOS, Windows | VisitQwen Code (opens in a new tab) | |
| OpenCode | Free | No | macOS, Windows | VisitOpenCode (opens in a new tab) | |
| Kimi CLI | From $19 | No | macOS, Windows | VisitKimi CLI (opens in a new tab) | |
| Gemini CLI | Free | No | macOS, Windows | VisitGemini CLI (opens in a new tab) |
Still unsure? Read the full review of Qwen Code?