OpenCode Review 2026: Open-Source CLI Agent by SST

What Is OpenCode?

OpenCode is an open-source terminal-based AI coding agent built by SST, the team behind the serverless framework. It runs in your terminal, supports any model provider through BYOK, and offers flat-rate Black subscription plans for managed access.

What Sets It Apart

OpenCode occupies a specific niche in the CLI agent space: it is fully open source under the MIT license and genuinely free to use if you bring your own API keys. This sets it apart from Claude Code and Codex, which require paid subscriptions or specific provider accounts.

The vim-style interface feels natural for terminal-native developers. OpenCode handles multi-file editing, shell command execution, and test generation within a lightweight footprint. There is no IDE to install, no extension marketplace to navigate — just a terminal tool that works with your existing workflow.

For developers who want managed model access without BYOK, the Black subscription tiers ($20, $100, $200/mo) provide flat-rate pricing with access to all major coding models. This is a straightforward alternative to tracking per-token API costs.

The trade-off for this simplicity is a narrower feature set. OpenCode does not have IDE integration, browser automation, or the deep codebase indexing that tools like Cursor or Windsurf provide. It is a terminal tool, and it stays in the terminal.

Who It’s For

• Developers who want a free, open-source CLI agent with full control over model choice
• Terminal-native users who prefer lightweight tools over full IDE replacements
• Teams exploring flat-rate subscription pricing as an alternative to per-token API costs
• Developers who need an MIT-licensed tool they can inspect and modify
• Not ideal for those who want GUI-based editing or enterprise features like SSO and audit logs

Sources

• OpenCode
• OpenCode GitHub
• Pricing