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What are the best free AI coding agents in 2026?
The best free AI coding agents in 2026 are: Gemini CLI (best truly free with 1000 requests/day), Goose (best open-source for local-first privacy), Aider (best git-native BYOK option), Roo Code (best free VS Code extension), and Kilo Code (best for model flexibility). These tools offer genuine agentic capabilities—autonomous planning, multi-file editing, and task execution—without subscription fees.
Understanding "free" AI coding agents
AI coding agents come with different pricing models. Here's what "free" actually means:
Truly Free (Zero Cost)
Examples: Gemini CLI free tier, Goose with local models
No payment required. Either generous free tiers from cloud providers, or run completely locally with open-source models.
Open Source (Free Tool)
Examples: Goose, Roo Code, Kilo Code, Aider
The tool itself is free. Use with free models (local Ollama, Gemini API) for zero cost, or connect paid APIs for better quality.
BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)
Examples: Aider, Kilo Code, Roo Code with Claude/GPT
Tool is free, but you pay API providers directly. Typically $10-30/month for moderate usage—still much cheaper than subscriptions.
Free Tier (Usage Limits)
Examples: Gemini CLI, Devin free tier
Generous free tier with daily/monthly limits. Usually enough for learning, side projects, or occasional use.
Best free AI coding agents: quick rankings
| Rank | Tool | Free Model | Best For | True Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gemini CLI | Free tier (1000/day) | Best truly free agentic tool | $0 |
| 2 | Goose | Open source + local models | Privacy-first, offline capable | $0 |
| 3 | Aider | Free tool + BYOK | Git-native workflows | $0-30/mo (API costs) |
| 4 | Roo Code | Free VS Code extension | Multi-agent in VS Code | $0 |
| 5 | Kilo Code | Open source + BYOK | 500+ model flexibility | $0-30/mo (API costs) |
Best free AI coding agents: detailed reviews
1. Gemini CLI - Best truly free AI coding agent
Why we recommend it: Gemini CLI offers the most generous free tier of any AI coding agent: 60 requests/minute and 1000 requests/day—enough for a full day of active development at zero cost.
What's included free
- 1000 requests/day: Full day of active development without hitting limits
- 60 requests/minute: No throttling during intensive sessions
- 1M token context: Analyze entire repositories without truncation
- Gemini 3 Pro & Flash: Access to frontier models, not stripped-down versions
- Built-in tools: Google Search, file operations, shell commands, web fetch
- MCP support: Connect Figma, Stripe, GitHub, and 20+ external tools
Why it's the best free option
- 78% SWE-bench (Gemini 3 Flash)—competitive with paid tools
- 1M token context handles large projects without manual file selection
- Open-source under Apache 2.0—inspect and modify as needed
- Terminal-native works with any editor
- Google Search grounding provides real-time documentation access
Limitations
- Requires Google account (personal accounts work)
- Cloud-dependent—needs internet connection
- 1000/day limit may constrain very heavy users
Perfect for: Developers who want powerful AI assistance without any payment, side projects, learning, and anyone who prefers terminal-native workflows.
2. Goose - Best open-source local-first agent
Why we recommend it: Goose is Block's open-source AI agent that runs locally by default. Your code never leaves your machine unless you explicitly connect to a cloud API—making it ideal for privacy-sensitive work.
Completely free setup
- Open-source (Apache 2.0): Free forever, community-driven development
- Local-first: Run entirely on your machine with Ollama models
- Any LLM: Works with local models (free) or cloud APIs (paid)
- Hot-swap models: Switch providers mid-conversation
- MCP support: Extensible with external tools
Why choose Goose
- Validated at Block: 75% of engineers save 8-10+ hours/week
- Complete privacy—code stays local
- Works offline with local models
- Desktop app + CLI available
- Handles code migrations autonomously
Trade-offs
- Local models require decent hardware (16GB+ RAM recommended)
- Local model quality trails cloud models
- Setup more involved than cloud-first tools
Free setup: Install Goose + Ollama, download a coding model (CodeLlama, DeepSeek Coder), and run completely offline. Zero ongoing costs.
3. Aider - Best free git-native agent
Why we recommend it: Aider is a free, open-source CLI tool with git-native workflows. Every AI change becomes a reviewable commit, making rollbacks trivial.
What's free
- Tool is 100% free: Open-source Python CLI
- Works with any model: Local (Ollama), Gemini (free tier), or paid APIs
- Git-native: Each change is a reviewable commit
- Multi-file editing: Handles complex refactoring
Zero-cost setup: Use Aider with Ollama local models or Gemini's free API tier. For better quality, BYOK with GPT-4 or Claude costs ~$10-30/month.
4. Roo Code - Best free VS Code extension
Why we recommend it: Roo Code brings multi-agent workflows (Ask, Architect, Developer, Debugger modes) to VS Code with zero subscription fees.
What's free
- Extension is free: No subscription or license fees
- Multi-agent modes: Different agents for different tasks
- Works with free models: Connect to Gemini free tier for zero cost
- Slack/GitHub integration: Team features at no extra cost
Zero-cost setup: Install Roo Code extension + connect Gemini API (free tier). Full agentic capabilities without spending anything.
5. Kilo Code - Best free model-flexible agent
Why we recommend it: Kilo Code supports 500+ models with transparent pass-through pricing. Use free models for most work, switch to paid only when needed.
What's free
- Extension is free: Open-source under Apache 2.0
- 500+ model support: Use whichever is cheapest or free
- Memory Bank: Persistent context survives sessions
- Multi-mode: Architect, Coder, Debugger modes
Cost optimization: Use free Gemini API for simple tasks, switch to Claude/GPT only for complex work. Typical cost: $5-15/month with smart model selection.
How to choose the right free AI agent
By true cost tolerance
- Absolutely $0/month → Gemini CLI or Goose with Ollama
- $0-10/month acceptable → Aider or Kilo Code with smart model selection
- $10-30/month for quality → Any BYOK tool with Claude/GPT
By privacy requirements
- Code must stay local → Goose with Ollama
- Prefer local, cloud OK → Kilo Code (supports both)
- Cloud is fine → Gemini CLI
By workflow preference
- Terminal-first → Gemini CLI or Aider
- VS Code-based → Roo Code or Kilo Code
- Desktop app → Goose
By git workflow importance
- Git-native essential → Aider (commit-per-change)
- Git integration nice-to-have → Gemini CLI
- Don't care about git → Any tool
True cost comparison: free AI coding agents
Here's what you'll actually pay over a year with different setups:
| Setup | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Quality Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini CLI (free tier) | $0 | $0 | Excellent (78% SWE-bench) |
| Goose + Ollama | $0 | $0 | Good (depends on local model) |
| Roo Code + Gemini free | $0 | $0 | Excellent |
| Aider + Ollama | $0 | $0 | Good (local models) |
| Kilo Code + mixed models | $5-15 | $60-180 | Excellent (smart routing) |
| Aider + Claude/GPT | $10-30 | $120-360 | Excellent (frontier models) |
| Cursor Pro (comparison) | $20 | $240 | Excellent |
| GitHub Copilot (comparison) | $10 | $120 | Good |
Bottom line: You can get excellent AI coding agent capabilities for $0/year with Gemini CLI or Goose. Even BYOK setups with frontier models cost 50-70% less than paid subscriptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are free AI coding agents as good as paid ones?
Gemini CLI achieves 78% on SWE-bench—comparable to paid tools. The main trade-offs are usage limits (1000/day) and cloud dependency. For most developers, free options provide 80%+ of paid tool capabilities.
What's the best completely free setup?
Gemini CLI for cloud-based work (1M token context, 1000 requests/day). Goose with Ollama for local/offline work. Both setups cost exactly $0.
Can I run AI coding agents offline?
Yes. Goose with Ollama runs completely offline using local models. Kilo Code also supports local models via Ollama/LM Studio.
What hardware do I need for local models?
16GB RAM minimum, 32GB recommended. M1/M2/M3 Macs work excellently. NVIDIA GPUs (8GB+ VRAM) significantly improve speed. Even without GPU, CPU inference works—just slower.
Is BYOK actually cheaper than subscriptions?
Yes, for most usage patterns. Moderate daily use (20-30 requests) costs $10-30/month in API fees. That's cheaper than Cursor ($20/month) or comparable to GitHub Copilot ($10/month) while offering more flexibility.