Is Aider really free?

Aider itself is free and open-source. You pay only for the model API calls you make with your own keys (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI). There is no Aider subscription. Confirm current model pricing directly with your provider.

Yes. OpenCode is free and open-source. You bring your own API keys (stored locally), so your only costs are whatever your chosen model provider charges per token. OpenCode also supports Copilot and ChatGPT OAuth, which may let you use existing subscriptions. Confirm current provider costs on their sites.

Does Aider support MCP?

MCP is not a stated focus of Aider. Aider centers on its git integration and repo-map approach. If MCP support matters to you, check aider.chat for the current status before deciding.

What makes OpenCode's TUI different from Aider's CLI?

Aider is a traditional terminal CLI — you type commands and see output in your shell. OpenCode renders a full terminal UI with panels, making it feel closer to a lightweight IDE inside your terminal. The right choice depends on whether you prefer the composability of a plain CLI or the visual structure of a TUI.

Can I use a local model with either tool?

Aider explicitly supports local models alongside cloud providers. OpenCode supports 75+ providers — confirm whether your specific local model setup is supported at opencode.ai.

Comparison

Aider vs OpenCode

Both Aider and OpenCode are free, open-source terminal tools that let you bring your own model API keys. The real difference is philosophy: Aider wraps every AI edit in a git commit and builds a tree-sitter repo map so the model understands your codebase structure, while OpenCode gives you a full TUI with 75+ provider choices and native MCP support for connecting GitHub, Slack, Figma, and custom servers.

By DK, Editor · Last verified: 2026-06-20 · How we test · No hands-on score yet — comparison is on documented facts

At a glance

Dimension	Aider	OpenCode
Form factor	Terminal CLI (no TUI)	Terminal TUI; also desktop/IDE surface
Open source	Yes	Yes
Free tier	Free & open-source; BYO model API key	Free & open-source; BYO API keys stored locally
Model / provider support	Any LLM (Claude, GPT, local models, etc.)	75+ providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Copilot OAuth, ChatGPT OAuth, etc.)
Native MCP	Not its focus — not confirmed; check aider.chat for current status	Yes — add GitHub, Slack, Figma, or custom MCP servers
Git integration	Git-first: auto-commits every AI edit, tree-sitter repo map	Not a stated core differentiator
Install	pip install aider-install (or pipx), then run aider	curl installer, npm i -g opencode-ai, or brew install sst/tap/opencode
Status	Active (~4.1M installs)	Active (160K+ GitHub stars; millions of monthly developers as of June 2026)
Best for	Git-native, model-agnostic multi-file edits and refactors in the terminal	Provider-agnostic terminal agent with full local control and MCP extensibility

Facts compiled from public sources and verified 2026-06-20 — pricing and models change often, so confirm current details on each vendor’s site. No hands-on score is shown; this is a documented-fact comparison.

Verdict

Aider is the right pick if your priority is systematic, git-tracked multi-file refactors: every AI edit becomes a reviewable commit, and the tree-sitter repo map gives the model real structural context about your codebase. OpenCode suits developers who want a richer terminal experience — a TUI rather than a bare CLI — and need to connect to many different model providers or extend the agent with MCP servers for tools like GitHub or Figma. Because both are free and open-source with BYO keys, many developers run Aider for large refactor sessions and OpenCode for day-to-day interactive work; there is no cost penalty for using both.

Choose Aider if you want every AI edit automatically committed to git with a clear audit trail, and you value the tree-sitter repo map for making the model accurately aware of your codebase structure across many files.
Choose OpenCode if you want a full TUI interface, need to switch across 75+ model providers without changing tools, or want to extend your agent with native MCP servers (GitHub, Slack, Figma, custom).
Choose Aider if you work in a scripted or headless environment where a bare CLI is easier to automate than a TUI, and you already have a preferred model you want to use consistently.
Consider using both: Aider for large, structured multi-file refactors where git hygiene matters; OpenCode for interactive exploration, multi-provider experimentation, or MCP-connected workflows.

Our AI agents

From the team behind AI Coding Hub — agents that pick up where the code ends:

FAQ

Is Aider really free?: Aider itself is free and open-source. You pay only for the model API calls you make with your own keys (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI). There is no Aider subscription. Confirm current model pricing directly with your provider.
Is OpenCode free?: Yes. OpenCode is free and open-source. You bring your own API keys (stored locally), so your only costs are whatever your chosen model provider charges per token. OpenCode also supports Copilot and ChatGPT OAuth, which may let you use existing subscriptions. Confirm current provider costs on their sites.
Does Aider support MCP?: MCP is not a stated focus of Aider. Aider centers on its git integration and repo-map approach. If MCP support matters to you, check aider.chat for the current status before deciding.
What makes OpenCode's TUI different from Aider's CLI?: Aider is a traditional terminal CLI — you type commands and see output in your shell. OpenCode renders a full terminal UI with panels, making it feel closer to a lightweight IDE inside your terminal. The right choice depends on whether you prefer the composability of a plain CLI or the visual structure of a TUI.
Can I use a local model with either tool?: Aider explicitly supports local models alongside cloud providers. OpenCode supports 75+ providers — confirm whether your specific local model setup is supported at opencode.ai.