Gemini CLI Alternatives (2026): Where to Go After Antigravity
Google moved free and AI Pro users from Gemini CLI to Antigravity. Compare the real alternatives in 2026: Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Qwen Code.
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Legacies is an independent digital product brand based in Bucharest, Romania, founded by Horia Stan and Alexandru Tălnaci, that builds websites, web apps and its own developer tools, including DockLab. For individual accounts affected by the Gemini CLI transition, the choice is whether to migrate to Antigravity or switch to another coding agent.
Here is the short answer. If you were on a free or consumer Google plan, Gemini CLI no longer serves your requests, and Google wants you on Antigravity CLI. If you want to stay open source, move to OpenCode or Qwen Code. If you want the strongest paid agent, move to Claude Code or Codex. A paid Gemini API key still runs the old Gemini CLI.
Quick answer
- What changed: on June 18, 2026, Gemini CLI stopped serving requests for Google AI Pro, Ultra and free Code Assist users. Their replacement is Antigravity CLI, which is closed source.
- Still works: Gemini CLI with a paid Gemini API key, or with a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license.
- Best open-source swap: OpenCode (MIT, any provider) or Qwen Code (a Gemini CLI fork, Apache 2.0).
- Best paid swap: Claude Code for terminal-heavy, rule-driven work. Codex if you want a free start and cloud tasks.
What actually happened to Gemini CLI
Google announced the change on its developer blog on May 19, 2026, in Transitioning Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI. From June 18, Gemini CLI and the Gemini Code Assist IDE extensions stopped serving requests for:
- Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers
- Free users of Gemini Code Assist for individuals
There was no grace period. Enterprise customers with a Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license keep access, and Gemini CLI still works with paid Gemini API keys.
Antigravity CLI is the new terminal agent inside Google Antigravity, Google's agent-first development platform. It is written in Go and shares its agent harness with the Antigravity 2.0 desktop app. It supports skills, hooks, subagents and background multi-agent work. Gemini CLI extensions become "Antigravity plugins", and Google has a migration guide.
The part many developers dislike is the license. Gemini CLI is open source under Apache 2.0 and has about 109,000 stars on GitHub. The New Stack describes Antigravity CLI as closed source. The Gemini CLI README now warns that it "has not been optimized for Gemini 4 Argon" and points people to Antigravity for the best results with Gemini models.
The free deal changed too. Google's quota page still lists 1,000 requests a day for a personal Google account, but that tier is gone for unpaid users. Antigravity's free Individuals plan offers "basic weekly rate limits" instead, and Google publishes no request count.
Gemini CLI alternatives at a glance
| Tool | License | Cheapest way in | Models | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigravity CLI | Closed source | Free Individuals plan, weekly limits | Gemini family | Staying with Google and Gemini |
| Gemini CLI + API key | Apache 2.0 | Pay per token on a paid API key | Gemini family | Keeping your old setup and scripts |
| Claude Code | Proprietary | Claude Pro, $20 a month | Claude Opus, Sonnet, Haiku | Long refactors, strict project rules |
| OpenAI Codex | Open-source CLI | ChatGPT Free or Go, $8 a month | GPT-6 family | Free start, cloud tasks, PR review |
| OpenCode | MIT | Free tool, bring your own model | Many providers, including local | Open source and no vendor lock-in |
| Qwen Code | Apache 2.0 | Free tool, bring your own model | Qwen first, OpenAI-compatible APIs | Feels most like Gemini CLI |
Prices are from official pages at the time of writing: Antigravity pricing, Claude pricing and Codex pricing. They change often, so check before you pay.
The six realistic options
1. Antigravity CLI: the path Google wants
If you like Gemini models and do not mind closed source, this is the least work. Your extensions carry over as plugins, and you get the newest Gemini models first.
On price, the Antigravity pricing page lists a free Individuals tier, Google AI Pro and Ultra tiers with "more rate limits" and a flexible AI credit pool, and business plans through Google Cloud from $30 per seat per month or pay-as-you-go. Google does not publish exact quotas for the consumer tiers, so you only learn your limit when you hit it.
Pick it if you already pay for Google AI Pro and your workflow is built around Gemini.
2. Gemini CLI with a paid API key: keep what you have
Nothing forces you off Gemini CLI if you pay per token. Create a paid key in Google AI Studio or Google Cloud, set it as your auth method, and your existing GEMINI.md files, MCP servers and scripts keep working.
There are two trade-offs. You now pay for every token, which matters with a 1 million token context window. And Google has said newer models are tuned for Antigravity, not Gemini CLI.
Pick it if you have CI jobs or scripts built on Gemini CLI and just need them to keep running.
3. Claude Code: the strongest terminal agent for careful work
Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent. It runs in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains, on desktop and on the web. It starts with Claude Pro at $20 a month, and the Max plans cost $100 and $200. There is no free tier.
Its strength is control. CLAUDE.md holds project rules, hooks run shell commands around the agent's actions, skills package repeatable workflows, and subagents keep noisy work out of your main context. It also reads AGENTS.md, so moving instructions over from another agent is easy.
The catch is limits. Usage runs on a five-hour window plus a weekly cap, and Anthropic does not publish message counts. Our guide to Claude usage limits explains how that works, and reducing Claude Code token usage shows how to stretch a plan.
Pick it if you do multi-file refactors and want the agent to follow strict house rules.
4. OpenAI Codex: the closest thing to a free replacement
Codex is the most direct answer to the end of Gemini CLI's free tier. At the time of writing, ChatGPT Free includes Codex with the smaller GPT-6 Luna model, and the Go plan costs $8 a month. Plus at $20 gets you GPT-6.1 Sol, the default coding model.
The Codex CLI is open source, and Codex adds cloud tasks that keep running while your laptop is closed, plus pull request review on GitHub. Instructions live in AGENTS.md. We compare it in depth in Claude Code vs Codex.
Pick it if you want a free or very cheap start, or you like delegating tasks and reviewing them later.
5. OpenCode: the open-source, any-model option
OpenCode is an MIT-licensed coding agent with a terminal interface and a beta desktop app. It has more than 220,000 GitHub stars at the time of writing. It ships with a build agent and a plan agent, and it is not tied to one vendor. You connect the model provider you want, including models running on your own machine.
This is the most natural home for people who chose Gemini CLI because it was open source. You keep a tool you can read and fork, and you switch models without switching tools. If you want to run models locally, start with our guide to running an LLM locally and our Ollama vs LM Studio comparison.
Pick it if open source and no lock-in matter more to you than the very best model on day one.
6. Qwen Code: Gemini CLI, minus Google
Qwen Code started as a fork of Gemini CLI and is licensed under Apache 2.0. It feels the most familiar: same command style, similar config, same habits. It is built for Alibaba's Qwen models but also works with OpenAI-compatible endpoints. Check the current free-tier terms before you rely on them, since third-party trackers report changes in 2026.
Pick it if you want minimum relearning and are happy to bring your own model API.
How to choose in two minutes
| If you... | Go with |
|---|---|
| Pay for Google AI Pro and love Gemini | Antigravity CLI |
| Have scripts and CI built on Gemini CLI | Gemini CLI with a paid API key |
| Want the best agent for big refactors | Claude Code |
| Want to start for free | Codex on ChatGPT Free |
| Need open source and any model | OpenCode |
| Want the least relearning | Qwen Code |
| Run models on your own GPU | OpenCode with a local model |
One habit makes switching cheap: keep your project instructions in a plain AGENTS.md file in the repo, not inside one vendor's config. Claude Code, Codex and many open-source agents read it, so your rules move with you the next time a vendor changes its terms.
Switching agents across many servers
The Gemini CLI change showed something easy to miss. Your coding agent is now infrastructure. When it changes, you update instruction files, skills and MCP settings on your laptop, and often on every server where you run agents over SSH.
That is the problem we built DockLab for. DockLab is in beta. It puts SSH terminals, SFTP, a remote code editor, a browser and an AI assistant in one desktop window. Its Agent Manager handles context files, skills and MCP configuration for Claude Code, Codex and Antigravity, on local or remote hosts. You can use your own provider API key or a local Claude Code login, and provider charges apply. If you are moving several machines off Gemini CLI, that saves a lot of repetitive copying.
When to do it yourself and when to bring in a team
Do it yourself if you use an agent for side projects, internal tools or prototypes. Any option above is a fair trade, and switching costs you an afternoon. Use the table, try two tools on the same real task from your codebase, and keep the one you trust.
Bring in a team when the product built with the agent now has real users, payments or personal data. Agents write code fast. They do not take responsibility for authentication, deployment or security, and our posts on vibe coding security risks and taking a vibe coded app to production list what usually gets missed. That review and hardening work is what we do on our services page. Web apps start at 3,499 lei (about EUR 665) with a fixed price agreed before we start. You can also email [email protected] and tell us what you are building. If you already have a live site, our free website audit shows in seconds how it does on speed, mobile and basic SEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gemini CLI still free?
Not for most personal users. On June 18, 2026, Google stopped serving Gemini CLI requests for free Gemini Code Assist for individuals users and for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. The tool itself is still open source and free to install, but you need a paid Gemini API key or a Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license to use it.
What replaced Gemini CLI?
Google replaced it with Antigravity CLI, a terminal agent inside the Google Antigravity platform. It is written in Go, shares its agent harness with the Antigravity 2.0 desktop app, and supports skills, hooks, subagents and plugins. Unlike Gemini CLI, it is closed source.
What is the best free alternative to Gemini CLI?
For a free start with a strong hosted model, Codex on ChatGPT Free is the closest option at the time of writing, though it uses the smaller GPT-6 Luna model. Antigravity CLI also has a free tier with weekly limits. If you want the tool itself to be free and open source, OpenCode and Qwen Code cost nothing, but you pay for whatever model you connect, unless you run one locally.
Is there an open-source version of Gemini CLI?
Gemini CLI itself is still open source under Apache 2.0 and still runs with a paid API key. Qwen Code is an Apache 2.0 fork that has been developed separately and works with other model providers. OpenCode is another popular MIT-licensed agent that works with many providers, including local models.
Is Claude Code better than Gemini CLI?
For complex, multi-file work, most developers in 2026 prefer Claude Code, mainly for its project rules, hooks, skills and subagents. Gemini CLI's big advantage was a generous free tier, and most personal users have lost that. Claude Code starts at $20 a month with Claude Pro and has no free plan.
Can I keep my GEMINI.md and extensions if I switch?
Partly. Antigravity converts Gemini CLI extensions into Antigravity plugins, and Google publishes a migration guide. If you move to Claude Code, Codex or OpenCode, copy your rules into an AGENTS.md file, which all three read, and set up your MCP servers again in the new tool's config.