Coding agents beyond Claude Code.

You don’t need to buy the wrong subscription just because someone on TikTok showed a terminal. If you already pay for ChatGPT or Gemini, check what you can use first.

Why this page exists

Claude Code is what I use daily and what I recommend most often. But I’m not here to sell you a subscription you don’t need.

If you’re already paying for ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT Pro, Google AI Pro, or Google AI Ultra, both OpenAI and Google now offer coding agents that work directly with real projects. They’re real tools, not toys, and depending on your workflow one of them might be the better fit.

This page gives you the honest breakdown so you can make the right call for your situation.

Google Antigravity and Gemini CLI

Google’s coding-agent story changed in May 2026. Gemini CLI still exists, but Google is moving individual users toward Antigravity CLI, which shares the same agent harness as the Antigravity 2.0 desktop app.

Who it’s for

• People who already pay for Google AI Pro or Ultra
• Teams building heavily inside Google Cloud, Firebase, Android Studio, or Google Workspace
• Users who want huge context windows and fast model responses

How to install

1. Install Node.js. Same as Claude Code — you need Node.js installed. If you followed the Claude Code guide, you already have it.
2. Install Gemini CLI while it still fits your account. Open your terminal and run:

   npx https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli

   Or install it globally:

   npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

   If you are an individual/free user, check Google’s Antigravity migration guidance before investing time in a new Gemini CLI setup.
3. Authenticate. Sign in with your Google account when prompted. Enterprise and API-key access can follow different rules.

Key strengths

• Massive context window. Gemini CLI documentation lists Gemini 2.5 Pro with a 1M-token context window.
• Google grounding. Built-in Google Search grounding, file operations, shell commands, and web fetching.
• Antigravity direction. Antigravity 2.0 is built for multi-agent work, scheduled tasks, and a shared desktop/CLI agent harness.
• Enterprise continuity. Google says enterprise Gemini CLI access remains available through paid Gemini Code Assist and Google Cloud paths.

Key trade-offs

• Transition risk. Google says individual/free Gemini CLI access will stop serving requests on June 18, 2026. Don’t build your whole workflow around the old CLI without checking your account type.
• Different model strengths. Gemini is strong on breadth, speed, and context. Claude tends to be stronger on nuance, careful reasoning, and following complex instructions.

Best for. Large-context work, Google-heavy teams, and people comfortable following Google’s Antigravity transition instead of betting on the old Gemini CLI path.

OpenAI Codex CLI

OpenAI’s coding agent. Codex now spans the CLI, IDE extension, web, desktop app, cloud tasks, and a mobile preview inside the ChatGPT app. The important part: it uses your ChatGPT login.

Who it’s for

• ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers
• ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu workspaces
• Free and Go users while OpenAI’s limited-time Codex rollout is active

How to install

1. Install Node.js. Same requirement as the other CLI tools. Install from nodejs.org if you haven’t already.
2. Install Codex CLI. Open your terminal and run:

   npm install -g @openai/codex

   Check OpenAI’s documentation for the latest install instructions.
3. Authenticate. Log in with your OpenAI/ChatGPT account. Codex usage is tied to eligible ChatGPT plans and agentic usage limits.

Key strengths

• Included with ChatGPT plans. OpenAI says Codex is included with Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu; usage limits vary by plan.
• Multiple surfaces. CLI, IDE, web, desktop app, cloud tasks, and mobile preview all connect through your ChatGPT account.
• Agent command center. The Codex app can manage multiple agents, review diffs, use worktrees, and run longer tasks while you supervise.
• More than code. Skills, hooks, automations, in-app browser, and computer-use features let Codex handle broader project work when configured correctly.

Key trade-offs

• Limits are real. Larger repos, long-running tasks, and agentic workflows can burn through plan limits quickly.
• Data controls matter. ChatGPT training controls apply to Codex for Plus and Pro users; Business and Enterprise defaults are different.

Best for. Existing ChatGPT subscribers who want coding-agent capabilities without paying for another subscription.

Honest comparison

Feature	Claude Code	Google agents	OpenAI Codex
Price	$20–200/mo (Claude sub)	Varies by Google AI / enterprise plan; Gemini CLI is transitioning for individual users	Included with eligible ChatGPT plans; usage limits vary
Top model	Claude Opus / Sonnet	Gemini 2.5 Pro in Gemini CLI; Antigravity is Google’s newer direction	Depends on Codex client/version and model settings
Context window	200K tokens	1M+ tokens	200K tokens
Maturity	Most mature	In transition to Antigravity	Fast-moving
Strengths	Complex reasoning, careful instruction-following	Huge context, Google grounding, Antigravity multi-agent direction	ChatGPT subscription access, app/CLI/IDE/cloud/mobile surfaces
Install	npm i -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code	npm i -g @google/gemini-cli or follow Antigravity docs	npm i -g @openai/codex
Open source	Yes	Yes	Yes

Robert’s take

I use Claude Code as my primary tool. It’s what powers most of what you see on this site and in my TikTok content. The quality of Claude’s reasoning and its ability to follow complex, multi-step instructions is ahead of the alternatives in my experience.

That said, I also use Gemini — especially when I need to process something with a massive context window or when I’m working within Google Workspace. The free tier makes it easy to reach for when I just need a quick task done.

My honest recommendation:

• Already paying for ChatGPT? Try Codex first. If it handles your needs, there’s no reason to pay for another subscription.
• Already paying for Gemini? Check Antigravity first. Gemini CLI may still work for you, but Google is moving individual users to Antigravity CLI.
• Starting fresh with no subscription? I’d go with Claude Code. The model quality and maturity of the tooling make it the strongest all-around option right now.
• Want to try before you pay? Check the current Antigravity/Gemini free path first. Google is changing the individual-user CLI route, so verify the setup page before you commit to it.

The right answer isn’t which tool is “best” — it’s which one fits your workflow and what you’re already paying for.

Ready to get started?

• Going with Claude Code? Follow the complete installation guide.
• Don’t want the terminal at all? Try Claude Co-Work — the visual interface for Claude’s agent capabilities.
• Comparing the AI platforms more broadly? Read the Claude vs ChatGPT vs Gemini comparison.