OpenCode vs Claude Code

Short answer: pick OpenCode if you want an open source agent that works with any model provider and you're fine paying per token or signing in with ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot. Pick Claude Code if Claude is the model you want and you'd rather pay a flat Claude subscription: OpenCode can't use a Claude Pro or Max login, so Claude in OpenCode means an API key.

What changed in 2026

Older comparisons often describe OpenCode as the way to use your Claude subscription in an open source tool. That stopped working. Anthropic blocks third-party tools from using Claude Pro or Max logins (January 2026, tightened in April) (The Register). OpenCode now supports Claude through an API key only (OpenCode providers).

Two other things are newer than most posts: the repo moved from sst/opencode to anomalyco/opencode, and Claude Code now reads AGENTS.md when a project has no CLAUDE.md (Claude Code docs).

Side by side

	Claude Code	OpenCode
Maker	Anthropic	anomalyco (formerly sst)
Open source	No	Yes, MIT, about 226k GitHub stars
Surfaces	Terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop app, web, mobile, Slack, GitHub Actions	Terminal UI; desktop app in beta (Mac, Windows, Linux)
Models	Claude only (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku)	Any provider via models.dev; GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT Plus/Pro sign-in; Claude by API key
Price for individuals	Pro $20, Max $100, Ultra $200 a month	Free with your own keys; optional Go $10 or Go Plus $40 a month
Team plan	Team $25 a seat ($20 annual), premium seat $125 ($100 annual)	Go Teams $20 a member a month
Parallel agents	Subagents, claude --worktree, background agents, cloud sessions, experimental agent teams	Build and plan agents, plus a @general subagent
Instruction file	CLAUDE.md (AGENTS.md only if no CLAUDE.md)	AGENTS.md first, CLAUDE.md as fallback

Sources: Claude Code overview, Claude pricing, subagents, OpenCode Go, OpenCode rules.

Where OpenCode wins

• Open source. MIT licensed, so you can read, fork and self-patch it. Claude Code's repo is "All rights reserved".
• Any model. Switch between providers per task, or use whatever your company already pays for.
• Your other subscriptions work. Sign in with ChatGPT Plus or Pro, or GitHub Copilot.
• No tool fee. It's free with your own keys. Go plans are optional.
• Reads both instruction files. AGENTS.md first, and it falls back to CLAUDE.md, so a Claude Code repo works without changes.

Where Claude Code wins

• Claude on a flat plan. If you want Claude, a $20 Pro plan covers it. In OpenCode you pay Claude API rates.
• More places to run it. IDE extensions, a desktop app, web sessions, mobile, Slack and GitHub Actions.
• More ways to run in parallel. Built-in worktrees, background agents and cloud sessions on the web (subagents).
• Team controls. Shared skills, plugins, hooks, MCP and a managed org CLAUDE.md on Team and Enterprise.
• Strong on big changes. Reviewers rate it highly for multi-file work it carries out alone, though it uses a lot of tokens (Morph).

Your team doesn't have to pick one

If one developer lives in OpenCode and another in Claude Code, let them. Keep shared rules in one AGENTS.md: OpenCode reads it first, and Claude Code reads it through a one-line CLAUDE.md that says @AGENTS.md. The AGENTS.md guide has the setup.

Coagy's team workspace shows Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI and Cursor sessions from every developer in one place, each running on its owner's computer with their own subscription. For one person who wants several agents side by side, Coagy Local is free, needs no account, and runs OpenCode, Claude Code, Codex and Cursor next to each other, each task in its own worktree if you like. More on mixed teams: Claude Code, Codex and Cursor on one team.

Questions

Is OpenCode better than Claude Code?

OpenCode is better if you want open source and any model provider. Claude Code is better if you want Claude on a flat subscription, more surfaces like IDEs, web and Slack, and built-in ways to run agents in parallel.

Can I use my Claude Pro or Max subscription in OpenCode?

No. Anthropic blocks third-party tools from using Claude subscription logins, so OpenCode supports Claude through an API key only. You can sign in to OpenCode with ChatGPT Plus or Pro, or GitHub Copilot.

Is OpenCode free?

Yes, OpenCode is free and MIT licensed. You pay your model provider for usage. Optional OpenCode Go plans cost $10 or $40 a month, and Go Teams costs $20 a member a month.

Does OpenCode read CLAUDE.md?

Yes. OpenCode reads AGENTS.md first and falls back to CLAUDE.md, so a repository set up for Claude Code works in OpenCode.