Gemini CLI vs Claude Code: which terminal agent should you use?
updated · #1 vs #13 in ai coding agents & IDEs · prices checked
$ which one should you use?
want the strongest agent for multi-file repo work from your terminal? Claude Code. work already pays for a Gemini Code Assist licence or a Gemini API key, and you want an open source CLI? Gemini CLI.
Claude Code ranks higher on our board: #1 vs #13 of 13 coding agents, 9.0/10 vs 5.5/10.
#1 of 13 in coding agents
Claude Code
numptr says9.0/10
the one to beat for multi-file repo work. session limits, not surprise bills.
- best for
- delegating multi-file features from terminal or IDE
- why 9.0
- best at multi-file work. you hit session limits, not surprise bills.
#13 of 13 in coding agents
Gemini CLI
numptr says5.5/10
free users got shipped off to Antigravity CLI, so it's api key or Code Assist only now. decent terminal agent, if work's paying.
- best for
- teams on a Gemini Code Assist licence or a paid Gemini API key who want an open-source terminal agent
- why 5.5
- free users were moved to Antigravity CLI in june, so it's api key or Code Assist only now. 65.8% on Terminal-Bench 2.1 with Gemini 3.1 Pro, well behind Codex CLI and Claude Code, and it isn't tuned for Gemini 4 Argon.
who wins for which job
big multi-file changes in a real repo
Claude Code
best for: delegating multi-file features from terminal or IDE.
your company already has Gemini Code Assist
Gemini CLI
best for: teams on a Gemini Code Assist licence or a paid Gemini API key who want an open-source terminal agent.
open source you can read and fork
Gemini CLI
Google's open-source (Apache 2.0) terminal agent. since june 18, 2026 it runs on paid Gemini API keys, Vertex AI and Gemini Code Assist licences; Google moved free and Google One users to Antigravity CLI.
overall, on our scores
Claude Code
#1 of 13 coding agents, 9.0/10. Gemini CLI: #13, 5.5/10.
the differences, side by side
rank
Claude Code#1 of 13 in coding agents
Gemini CLI#13 of 13 in coding agents
numptr score
Claude Code9.0/10
Gemini CLI5.5/10
best for
Claude Codedelegating multi-file features from terminal or IDE
Gemini CLIteams on a Gemini Code Assist licence or a paid Gemini API key who want an open-source terminal agent
free tier
Claude Codeno free access: Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan (Pro and up)
Gemini CLIno free plan for individuals since june 18, 2026 (free and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI)
paid plans
Claude CodePro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually); Max 5x $100/mo; Max 20x $200/mo; Team standard seat $25/mo ($20 annual); Team premium seat $125/mo ($100 annual)
Gemini CLIGemini API key at API rates (pay as you go); Gemini Code Assist Standard $19/user/mo billed annually ($22.80 monthly; 1,500 requests/day); Enterprise $45/user/mo billed annually ($54 monthly; 2,000 requests/day); or Vertex AI
affiliate
Claude Codeno affiliate programme found. doesn't touch the rank.
Gemini CLIno affiliate programme found. doesn't touch the rank.
price checked
Claude Code2026-10-22 at claude.com/pricing
Gemini CLI2026-10-22 at geminicli.com/docs/resources/quota-and-pricing
# straight from our rankings data. prices from each vendor's own page.
pick neither if
go deeper
quick answer: in Gemini CLI vs Claude Code, Claude Code wins on our board: #1 of 13 coding agents with 9.0/10, because it's the best agent we rank for proper multi-file repo work, and you hit session limits rather than surprise bills. Gemini CLI sits at #13 (5.5/10). it's open source and decent, but since june 2026 it's for people on a paid Gemini API key, Vertex AI or a Gemini Code Assist licence, and Google itself now points you at Antigravity CLI for its newest models.
the short version
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| our rank | #1, 9.0/10 | #13, 5.5/10 |
| what it is | Anthropic's agent: terminal, IDE extensions, desktop app and web | Google's open source (Apache 2.0) terminal agent |
| free | no free access: Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan (Pro and up) | no free plan for individuals since june 18, 2026 (free and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI) |
| how you pay | a Claude plan (Pro $20/mo, $17 billed annually; Max from $100), or an Anthropic Console account | a Gemini API key or Vertex AI at API rates, or a Gemini Code Assist licence |
| limits | rolling five-hour sessions plus weekly limits, shared with the rest of your Claude plan | Code Assist Standard 1,500 and Enterprise 2,000 requests per user per day; API key and vertex vary |
| models | Claude models (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku), or third-party providers in the CLI, VS Code and JetBrains | Gemini models, but Google says it isn't optimised for Gemini 4 Argon |
ranks and scores come straight from our coding agents board, and nobody pays to move up it.
why Claude Code ranks higher
it's the one to beat for repo work. reading a codebase, editing a dozen files, running the tests and fixing what it broke: that's the job Claude Code is best at on our board, and it's why it's #1.
you're not stuck in the terminal. Anthropic runs it in the terminal, VS Code (and Cursor) extensions, JetBrains, a desktop app and the browser. same agent, wherever you'd rather sit.
predictable bills. it comes with every paid Claude plan and draws from the same usage pool as your chats. limits reset on a rolling five-hour window with weekly limits on top. when you run out you wait, move up a plan, or switch on usage credits at API rates. no meter quietly spinning in the background unless you ask for one. the full breakdown is in Claude Code pricing.
the catch: there's no free way in. Claude Code needs Pro or above, and Anthropic says there's no fixed message count, so heavy days on Pro can hit the wall.
where Gemini CLI still makes sense
your company already pays for Gemini Code Assist. sign in with Google, set your Google Cloud project and you get 1,500 (Standard) or 2,000 (Enterprise) requests per user per day. if that licence is sitting there unused, it costs you nothing extra to try.
you want to read the source. it's Apache 2.0 on GitHub, ships stable releases weekly, runs non-interactively in scripts and talks to MCP servers. nice for CI jobs and tinkering.
you want pay as you go. plug in a Gemini API key or Vertex AI and you pay per token, no subscription. Google's own docs warn that this can get pricey for lots of small calls, and suggest keeping an eye on it with /stats model.
the bit most comparisons miss
Gemini CLI used to be the "free Claude Code". not any more. Google's banner says unpaid tier and Google One users had Gemini CLI replaced by Antigravity CLI on june 18, 2026. the README also says Gemini CLI isn't optimised for the latest Gemini models, and to use Antigravity for Gemini 4 Argon. so if you came here because you wanted Gemini for free in a terminal, the answer is Google Antigravity (#7 on our board), not Gemini CLI.
which should you pick?
- you want the best agent for real multi-file work: Claude Code
- work already pays for Gemini Code Assist: Gemini CLI, it's included
- you want Gemini models at $0: Google Antigravity, not Gemini CLI
- you want open source and any model, Claude and Gemini included: OpenCode (#3). see OpenCode vs Claude Code
- you already pay for ChatGPT: Codex (#6). see Codex vs Claude Code
the rest of the field
| rank | tool | best for | free tier | paid from | numptr score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Claude Code | delegating multi-file features from terminal or IDE | no free access: Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan (Pro and up) | Pro $20/mo | 9.0/10 |
| #13 | Gemini CLI | teams on a Gemini Code Assist licence or a paid Gemini API key who want an open-source terminal agent | no free plan for individuals since june 18, 2026 (free and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI) | Gemini API key at API rates | 5.5/10 |
| #7 | Google Antigravity | trying multi-agent coding workflows for $0 | individual $0: unlimited Tab and Command requests, basic weekly agent limits | no standalone plan | 7.5/10 |
| #3 | OpenCode | devs who want a Claude Code-style agent without being tied to one model | free and open source (MIT); free models included, or bring your own key, or log in with GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT Plus/Pro | optional OpenCode Go $10/mo or Go Plus $40/mo | 8.5/10 |
| #6 | OpenAI Codex | ChatGPT subscribers who want a cloud + local coding agent | included in ChatGPT Free (limited usage) | included in ChatGPT Go $8/mo, Plus $20/mo, Pro $100, $200 or $500/mo | 8.0/10 |
faq
is Gemini CLI better than Claude Code?
not on our board. Claude Code is #1 with 9.0/10 and Gemini CLI is #13 with 5.5/10. Gemini CLI is open source and handy if you have a Code Assist licence; Claude Code is the stronger agent for repo work.
is Gemini CLI still free?
not for individuals on the free tier. Google says unpaid tier and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI on june 18, 2026. you can still use it with a paid Gemini API key, Vertex AI or a Gemini Code Assist licence.
is Claude Code free?
no. it's included in every paid Claude plan, starting at Pro ($20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually), and not in the free plan.
can Claude Code use Gemini models?
Claude Code runs Claude models. Anthropic says the CLI, VS Code and JetBrains versions also support third-party providers, but if you want to switch freely between Claude and Gemini, OpenCode is built for it.
what's the best Gemini CLI alternative?
for most builders, Claude Code. for free Gemini, Google's own Antigravity. more options in best Claude Code alternatives and the best ai coding agent in 2026.
sources
checked 2026-10-23
- Gemini CLI quotas and pricing (Antigravity CLI banner, Code Assist request limits, pay as you go): https://geminicli.com/docs/resources/quota-and-pricing/
- Gemini CLI README (Apache 2.0, not optimised for Gemini 4 Argon, sign in options, release channels): https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli
- Claude plans (Claude Code on Pro and up, usage limits, prices): https://claude.com/pricing
- Claude Code overview (terminal, IDE, desktop, web, third-party providers): https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview
- ranks, scores, verdicts and free tiers: numptr data/tools.json (coding agents board)