OpenCode vs goose vs Crush: Free Coding Agents

Short answer: OpenCode, goose and Crush are free agents that run on your machine with any model. OpenCode (MIT, 224k GitHub stars) is a coding agent for terminal, desktop and IDE. goose (Apache-2.0) adds general tasks and a desktop app. Crush (FSL license) is Charm's terminal coding agent. You pay only for model usage.

At a glance

OpenCode vs goose vs Crush features

From OpenCode on GitHub, OpenCode providers docs, OpenCode MCP docs, goose on GitHub and Crush on GitHub.

OpenCode vs goose vs Crush pricing

All three tools are free. What you pay for is the model, either by API key, through a subscription you already have, or through the vendor's own model plan.

From opencode.ai/go, OpenCode providers docs, goose on GitHub, Crush on GitHub and Hyper credits docs.

OpenCode vs goose vs Crush: what they're like to use

None of them costs anything, so the choice comes down to scope (coding or everything), interface and license.

OpenCode

OpenCode is the default open-source answer to a commercial coding CLI, and it feels like one: a terminal UI, a read-only plan agent beside a full-access build agent, and almost any model you can name.

What I liked

• 75+ providers, local models, and ChatGPT or Copilot sign-in.
• Separate plan (read-only) and build agents, switched with Tab.
• MCP servers with automatic OAuth for remote ones.

What I didn't

• Claude Pro or Max subscriptions no longer work; Claude needs an API key.
• A fast-moving project with many open issues.
• MCP tools add to context quickly, which the docs themselves warn about.

Best for: developers who want the most popular open-source coding agent with free choice of model.

goose

goose is broader than the other two. It codes, but it is pitched just as much at research, writing and automation, and its desktop app makes it the friendliest of the three for people who don't live in a terminal.

What I liked

• Desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, plus a CLI and an API.
• Can use existing Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscriptions through ACP.
• 70+ MCP extensions and neutral Linux Foundation governance.

What I didn't

• Less specialised for coding than OpenCode or Crush.
• The move from Block's GitHub org left old links stale.
• No paid model plan, so you bring your own keys or subscription.

Best for: teams that want one local agent for code and everyday work, with open governance.

Crush

Crush is the one you'll enjoy looking at. Charm's terminal craft shows in every screen, and it pulls in LSP context so the model sees your code the way your editor does.

What I liked

• The most polished terminal interface of the three.
• LSP for code context, and MCP over stdio, HTTP and SSE.
• Runs almost anywhere, from macOS to Android and the BSDs.

What I didn't

• FSL license, not OSI open source; each release turns MIT after two years.
• Still pre-1.0.
• Terminal only, with no desktop app.

Best for: terminal-native developers who care about the interface and want LSP-aware context.

Which to choose

• Choose OpenCode for the biggest community, the widest model choice and a terminal, desktop or IDE front end.
• Choose goose if you want one agent for code and general work, with a desktop app and Linux Foundation governance.
• Choose Crush if you live in the terminal and want the most polished interface with LSP-aware context.

Model choice affects results more than the agent does, so try your usual model in each before you switch.

Where viaSocket fits

A coding agent works inside your repo. viaSocket connects agents to everything outside it: through MCP, an agent like these can call actions in 2,300+ apps, such as opening a ticket or posting a release note.

What viaSocket offers

• 2,300+ app integrations as agent tools, with managed authentication (features).
• MCP access for compatible AI clients and agents.
• Browser actions: an agent can open pages, click, fill in forms and read sites with no API (browser actions).
• Triggers, webhooks and schedules, with retries, execution monitoring and replay.
• Free plan: 100,000 tasks and 1,000 AI credits a month (pricing).

What you can build with it

• A coding agent that opens a ticket in your issue tracker for each bug it finds and links the fix.
• A release flow that posts the changelog to Slack and emails customers when a tag is pushed.
• An agent that checks a vendor dashboard with no API and files what changed as an issue.

Give your coding agent 2,300+ apps with viaSocket →

FAQ

Is OpenCode free?

Yes. OpenCode is MIT-licensed and free; you pay your model provider, or $10 a month for the optional OpenCode Go model plan.

Can OpenCode use a Claude Pro or Max subscription?

No. Its docs say Anthropic prohibits it, so Claude models need an API key. ChatGPT Plus/Pro and GitHub Copilot sign-in are supported.

Is Crush open source?

Crush uses the FSL-1.1-MIT license, which is source-available, not OSI open source. Each release converts to MIT two years later.

What happened to Block's goose?

goose now lives in the aaif-goose GitHub org as part of the Agentic AI Foundation at the Linux Foundation, still under Apache-2.0.

Do these agents work with MCP?

All three do. OpenCode supports local and remote MCP servers, goose connects to 70+ MCP extensions, and Crush supports stdio, HTTP and SSE servers.

Sources

• OpenCode: GitHub, docs, providers, MCP servers, OpenCode Go
• goose: GitHub
• Crush: GitHub, Hyper credits
• Independent: Pinggy roundup of open-source CLI agents
• viaSocket: homepage, features, browser actions, pricing

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