If you are searching for Gemini CLI, the honest answer is that it is no longer a consumer product: it now works only with paid API keys or enterprise licenses and isn't tuned for Google's newest model. Claude Code is the more capable tool; for Google's current agent, compare Claude Code vs Google Antigravity.
Pick Claude Code if
- You want an actively developed agent on current models
- You want cloud sessions and a mobile app
- You want a flat monthly plan instead of per-token billing
- You lost Gemini CLI access on a free or Google AI plan
Pick Gemini CLI if
- You need open source (Apache-2.0) and can fork it
- Your company has a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license
- You already pay for Gemini API usage and want a plain CLI
- Your CI already runs the run-gemini-cli GitHub Action
At a glance
Claude Code
Anthropic- What it is
- Agentic coding tool that reads your repo, edits files and runs commands
- Where it runs
- Terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop app, web (cloud sessions), iOS and Android
- Models
- Claude: Opus 5.5 (default on paid plans), Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5, Fable 5.1
- Starts at
- Pro $20/mo ($17/mo billed yearly). The Free plan does not include Claude Code
- Best for
- Hard multi-file work, long autonomous runs, heavy customization with hooks, skills and subagents
Gemini CLI
Google- What it is
- Open-source terminal agent, now for enterprise licenses and paid API keys only
- Where it runs
- Terminal, VS Code companion, ACP mode for other editors
- Models
- Gemini. Docs still list Gemini 3 models; not optimized for Gemini 4 Argon
- Starts at
- Paid Gemini API key (per token) or Code Assist license
- Best for
- Enterprise Gemini shops and people who need an Apache-2.0 CLI
Feature by feature
Basics
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Shipping new versions most days (2.1.306 on Oct 21) | Stopped serving free and Google AI Pro/Ultra users June 18 2026. Repo still ships |
| What it is | Terminal agent, plus VS Code, JetBrains, desktop, web and mobile | Open-source terminal agent. Google's consumer successor is Antigravity CLI (agy) |
| Open source | No. The GitHub repo holds docs and plugins; the code is all rights reserved | Yes, Apache-2.0. 107K stars, 6,000 merged PRs |
| Install | curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash, Homebrew, WinGet, apt/dnf | npm @google/gemini-cli |
Models & context
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Models | Claude: Opus 5.5 default, Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5, Fable 5.1 | Gemini. Docs list Gemini 3 and 3.1 Pro preview; "not optimized" for Gemini 4 Argon |
| Who can sign in | Claude Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise, Anthropic API key, Bedrock, Google Cloud, Foundry | Code Assist Standard/Enterprise, paid Gemini API keys, Vertex/Agent Platform keys |
| Context window | 1M tokens by default on current models, 200K opt-out | Depends on the Gemini model; not stated for the CLI |
Agent features
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Agent features | Subagents, dynamic workflows, hooks, skills, plugins, MCP | Plan mode, skills, hooks, worktrees, model routing, extensions, MCP |
| Memory file | CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md (since Sept 2026), auto memory | GEMINI.md, auto-memory |
| Undo | /rewind checkpoints track every file edit | Checkpointing and rewind |
| Sandbox | Sandboxed Bash, permission modes, auto mode | Sandbox and trusted folders |
| Cloud agents | Cloud sessions on Anthropic VMs keep running after you disconnect (Pro and up) | None. Jules is a separate Google product |
Workflow & integrations
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| IDE | VS Code extension (also installs in Cursor), JetBrains plugin | VS Code companion, ACP mode for other editors |
| CI | -p headless mode, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Agent SDK (Python, TS) | Headless -p with JSON; google-github-actions/run-gemini-cli |
| Mobile | iOS and Android app: start cloud sessions, Remote Control local ones | None |
Pricing & limits
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer plans | Pro $20, Max 5x $100, Max 20x $200 | None since June 18 2026. Google AI plans now go to Antigravity |
| Pay per token | Opus 5.5 $4/$20 per 1M | Gemini 3.1 Pro preview $2/$12; 3.8 Flash $0.75/$3.75 per 1M |
| Business | Team $25/seat, Enterprise $20/seat + API usage | Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license |
Privacy & licensing
| Claude Code | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Training on your data | Consumer plans: you choose. 5-year retention if training is on, 30 days if off. Team/API: no training by default | Paid Gemini API: not used to improve products |
Pricing
Claude Code
Gemini CLI
Anyone still on Gemini CLI uses a paid API key or an enterprise license, so it bills per token. Claude Code can bill either way: flat plan or Anthropic API.
Building with Claude? Get paid for it.
Forward Deployed Engineers ship AI agents inside real customer systems. Open roles at Anthropic, OpenAI, Cognizant and more.
The same job in both
How a typical task plays out in each tool. This is where the difference in approach shows.
Not open source. Runs on a Claude plan, an Anthropic API key, or Bedrock, Google Cloud and Foundry.
Apache-2.0, so you can fork and audit it. Runs on a paid Gemini API key or a Vertex key.
Plan mode, then /batch worktree subagents on Opus 5.5 with /rewind.
Plan mode and git worktrees on Gemini 3.x models. Google says the CLI is not tuned for Gemini 4 Argon.
Official GitHub Action, or claude -p in the pipeline.
run-gemini-cli GitHub Action with a Gemini API key (last updated Aug 2026), or -p headless mode.
Cloud sessions keep going after you disconnect; the Claude app checks on them.
Not supported. Google's Antigravity has Remote Control for that.
What developers say
Claude Code
- Opus 5.5 talks "an order of magnitude" better than Opus 5 (Reddit)
- Strong multi-agent orchestration (HN)
- Holds the top two Terminal-Bench 4.0 spots
- Closed source, Anthropic models only
- Weekly caps drain fast on heavy Opus use
- Large system prompt: about 33K tokens in one test
Gemini CLI
- Open source with 6,000 merged community PRs
- Metered usage through API keys you control (HN)
- Over 100K GitHub stars
- Consumers cut off with about a month's notice (HN)
- "The worst experience out of any harness" (HN)
- Successor is closed source and "not at feature parity" (HN)
Switching, or using both
Moving from Gemini CLI to Claude Code
- 1.Install: curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash, then log in with Pro or Max.
- 2.Copy GEMINI.md into CLAUDE.md, or move shared rules into AGENTS.md, which Claude Code reads.
- 3.Move skills from .gemini/skills/ to .claude/skills/.
- 4.Move MCP servers from ~/.gemini/settings.json into Claude Code's MCP config.
- 5.Swap the run-gemini-cli Action for anthropics/claude-code-action.
Running both side by side
You can keep Gemini CLI on a paid key for Gemini work and use Claude Code for the rest; Claude Code reads AGENTS.md if you keep shared rules there. If you want Google's current agent instead, Antigravity CLI imports Gemini CLI extensions with agy plugin import gemini and reads GEMINI.md unchanged. Our Claude Code vs Google Antigravity page compares that one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gemini CLI still available?
Only for some users. Since June 18 2026 it no longer serves free users or Google AI Pro/Ultra subscribers. It still works with Gemini Code Assist Standard/Enterprise licenses and paid Gemini API or Vertex keys, and the Apache-2.0 repo still ships releases.
What replaced Gemini CLI?
Antigravity CLI (agy), part of Google Antigravity. It is closed source. GEMINI.md and AGENTS.md carry over, and extensions import with agy plugin import gemini. See our Claude Code vs Google Antigravity comparison.
Is Claude Code better than Gemini CLI?
For most people today, yes: Claude Code runs current Claude models, has cloud sessions and mobile, and ships updates almost daily. Gemini CLI's docs still list Gemini 3 models and Google says it is not optimized for Gemini 4 Argon. Gemini CLI's advantage is that it is open source.
Claude Code vs Gemini CLI pricing
Gemini CLI now bills per token on a paid Gemini API key (for example 3.1 Pro preview at $2/$12 per 1M tokens) or runs under an enterprise license. Claude Code is $20 to $200/mo on Claude plans, or per token on the Anthropic API.
Is there a free alternative now that Gemini CLI closed?
Google Antigravity has a free tier with Gemini 3.8 Flash, and OpenCode is free and open source with some free models. Claude Code has no free plan.
Can I still use Gemini CLI with an API key?
Yes, a paid Gemini API key or a Vertex / Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform key still works. Free-tier keys and Google One accounts do not.
Can I use Gemini CLI and Claude Code together?
Yes. Keep shared instructions in AGENTS.md, which Claude Code reads, and model-specific notes in GEMINI.md and CLAUDE.md.
- Claude Code overview
- Claude pricing
- Claude Code model config
- Claude Code data usage
- Claude Code license
- Claude Opus 5.5 announcement
- Transitioning Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI
- google-gemini/gemini-cli on GitHub
- Gemini CLI model docs
- Antigravity CLI migration guide
- Gemini API pricing
- run-gemini-cli GitHub Action
Prices and features change often. Everything here was checked against official pages on 2026-10-21. Spotted something out of date? Tell us on GitHub.
