Side-by-side comparison · Coding & Dev Tools

OpenCode vs Zed

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

OpenCode

3.8

From Pay as you go

Details Visit

Best overall

Zed

4.3

From $10/mo

Details Visit

Comparing 2 tools. Add one more if you like.

At a glance

OpenCode3.8

Pick it if: Developers and tinkerers who want a capable coding agent without a big subscription, or who want to choose their own models.

Zed4.3

Best overallEasiest to use

Pick it if: Developers who want a fast editor and already pay for Claude or another AI provider.

Overview

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
In one line	A free, open-source coding agent that works with almost any AI model, including free ones.	A fast, free, open-source code editor that runs Claude Code and other AI agents inside it.
Pricing model	Open source	Open source
Starting price	Pay as you go	$10/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Works with Claude Code	Yes	Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
Overall rating	3.8	4.3Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.	3.0	3.5
FeaturesHow completely it covers the job it's built for, and how well the pieces fit together.	4.5	4.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.	3.5	4.0
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.	5.0	5.0
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.	3.0	5.0

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
Access & platform
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Mobile app	No	No
Desktop app	Yes	Yes
Browser extension	No	No
API access	Yes	–
Teams & business
Team workspace	No	Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO	Yes	No
Connects to other apps	Yes	Yes
Open source or self-hosted	Yes	Yes
AI abilities
Works with your files	Yes	Yes
Understands images	Yes	Yes
Makes images	No	No
Makes video	No	No
Writes code	Yes	Yes
Runs agents or automations	Yes	Yes
Learns your brand or style	–	Yes
Works in many languages	Yes	Yes
Capabilities score	11/ 17	11/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
Plans	OpenCode Free Anyone with their own model access, or happy with the free models.	PersonalOur pick Free Almost everyone.
	Zen Pay as you go, from a $20 top-up People who want top models without a subscription.	Pro $10/mo People who want Zed's hosted AI without managing keys.
	GoOur pick $10/mo Most people who want to code daily on a budget.	Business $30/seat/mo Teams that need spending and access controls.
	Go Plus $40/mo Heavy users who hit the Go limits.
	Enterprise Custom Companies rolling it out to a team.
Which plan to pick	Start free. If the free models feel thin, OpenCode Go at $10 a month is the best-value upgrade in this category. Only add Zen or a Claude or OpenAI API key when you need a frontier model for a hard job, and set a spending cap when you do.	Personal. If you have Claude Pro, run Claude Code inside Zed and you are done. Pro only makes sense if you want Zed's built-in assistant and edit predictions without setting up API keys.

Key features

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
Standout features	Any model Free models included Terminal, desktop and editor Background agents Go and Zen model plans Plugins and SDK	Built for speed External agents inside the editor Bring your own keys Edit predictions Real-time collaboration Open source

Pros and cons

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
Pros	Free and open source, with free models to start Works with almost any model, including local ones OpenCode Go at $10 a month is very cheap for real daily use Polished terminal and desktop app that many prefer to Claude Code's Fast-moving project with a huge community	Noticeably faster than VS Code and Cursor Free, open source, and no charge for running your own agents Clean agent panel that shows exactly what changed Built-in real-time collaboration
Cons	October 2026 Console breach exposed some saved API keys, and users reported surprise provider charges Version 2.0 briefly stopped asking permission before file edits, and broke older plugins Claude Pro and Max subscriptions can't be used, so Claude needs a paid API key Free models get blocked on some networks for abuse, and limits shift with promotions Terminal-first, so less friendly for non-developers	Smaller extension library than VS Code or Cursor Less hand-holding for beginners; it assumes you know your way around an editor Business plan has no SSO yet, which rules it out for some companies Its own hosted AI is basic compared with the agents you can bring

Who each one is for

Attribute	OpenCode	Zed
Best for	Coding with free or low-cost models Using any AI provider, including local models A Claude Code-style agent without a subscription Developers who like to customise their tools	Running Claude Code inside an editor Speed on big projects Using your own AI subscription Pairing with teammates in real time
You'll find it used by	Developers Open-source fans Students Budget-conscious founders	Developers Claude Code users Open source fans Small teams

Questions people ask

Which is better, OpenCode or Zed?

Zed scores highest overall in our ratings (OpenCode 3.8/5 and Zed 4.3/5). OpenCode is best for coding with free or low-cost models and using any AI provider, including local models. Zed is best for Running Claude Code inside an editor and speed on big projects.

Which is cheaper, OpenCode or Zed?

OpenCode: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at Pay as you go. Zed: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $10/mo.

Which is easier to use, OpenCode or Zed?

Zed rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Developers who want a fast editor and already pay for Claude or another AI provider.

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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