goose report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 9, 2026
Best for a free agent that runs on your own machine
goose is a free, open-source agent that lives on your own computer, as a desktop app, a command-line tool or an API. It plugs into more than 70 extensions, and it can ride on a Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscription you already pay for, or run a local model with no key at all. There's no hosted version and no phone app, and we think it suits people who are at home in a terminal.
Who goose is for
- Great if you're a developer who wants a local agent for coding and terminal work
- Handy when you already pay for Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini and want to reuse that subscription
- Good for teams that share repeatable workflows as recipes
Who goose is not for
- Skip it if you want something hosted, as it only runs on your own machine
- Not for you if you want an agent on your phone, since it comes as desktop apps and a CLI only
- Not for you if setting up a model provider sounds like a chore, because that's step one
Why goose gets a 3.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyIt costs nothing. goose is open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no paid plan at all. What you may pay for is the model, billed by the provider you connect, unless you run a local one or reuse a subscription you already have.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole thing is free: the desktop app, the CLI and the API, with nothing held back. The desktop app can even download a model and run it on your own machine, with no API key.
- AFeaturesThe same agent as a desktop app, in a terminal and as an API. More than 70 extensions connect it to databases, browsers, GitHub and Google Drive. Workflows save as recipes you can share, subagents take on parallel tasks, and there's a sandbox mode with permission controls.
- CEase of useIt's an app you install, but it does nothing until you've connected a model provider, signed in with a subscription or downloaded a local model. Recipes are YAML files, and the docs say it works best with Claude 4 models. No rating is on record either.
- BPlatforms and integrationsMac, Windows and Linux, as a desktop app and a CLI. More than 70 MCP extensions, and an API for building it into other things. There's no phone app and no hosted cloud version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from goose's own pages on 9 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/goose#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/goose.svg" alt="goose: 3.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>What is goose?
goose is an open-source, general-purpose AI agent that runs on your own machine as a desktop app, a command-line tool or an API. It connects to more than 70 extensions through the Model Context Protocol, works with over 15 model providers or an existing Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscription, and can run local models with built-in inference. Block donated the project to the Agentic AI Foundation at the Linux Foundation in 2026; it is Apache 2.0 licensed and free.
goose is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Developers who want a local agent for coding and terminal work
- People who want to reuse a Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscription they already pay for
- Teams that share repeatable workflows as recipes
Worth knowing
- goose is free, but hosted models are billed by the provider you connect, and the docs note that not every provider has a free tier.
- It runs on your own machine: there are desktop apps for macOS, Linux and Windows and a CLI, and the site lists no hosted cloud version.
- The docs say goose relies heavily on tool calling and currently works best with Claude 4 models.
- The project left Block for the Agentic AI Foundation in April 2026; its repository moved from block/goose to aaif-goose/goose.
Key features
- Desktop app, CLI and API
- The same agent runs in a native desktop app, a terminal CLI and an API for embedding. The desktop app and CLI share provider, model and extension settings.
- MCP extensions
- More than 70 documented extensions connect goose to databases, APIs, browsers, GitHub, Google Drive and other tools through the Model Context Protocol, and you can build your own.
- Providers and existing subscriptions
- Works with 15+ providers, including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Ollama, OpenRouter, Azure and Bedrock, or with a Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscription you already have, through ACP.
- Built-in local inference
- The desktop app can download a GGUF model from Hugging Face and run it in-process with llama.cpp, with no API key and no separate model server.
- Recipes
- Workflows are saved as portable YAML recipes holding instructions, extensions, parameters and subrecipes, then shared with a team or run in CI.
- Subagents and safety controls
- Subagents handle parallel tasks outside the main conversation. Safeguards include prompt injection detection, tool permission controls, a sandbox mode and an adversary reviewer.
goose pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Goose is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no paid plan. Model usage is billed by the provider you connect, unless you run a local model or use a provider's free tier.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| goose (Apache 2.0) | Free | The full desktop app, CLI and API. You bring a model provider, an existing AI subscription or a local model. |
Read from goose-docs.ai on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with goose before you buy.
Works with
goose alternatives
- goose vs Hermes Agent
Free plan · from $20/mo
- goose vs Eigent
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
Common questions
Is goose free?
Yes. goose is free to use. Goose is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no paid plan. Model usage is billed by the provider you connect, unless you run a local model or use a provider's free tier.
How much does goose cost?
goose lists one plan. goose (Apache 2.0): Free. Prices were read from goose-docs.ai on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does goose work on?
goose is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does goose have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. goose is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does goose have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. goose is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is goose open source?
Yes. goose is open source, according to its own site.
Does goose have an API?
Yes. goose offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does goose integrate with?
goose's listing names Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, Ollama, OpenRouter, GitHub, Google Drive and VS Code. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes goose?
goose is made by Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF).
What are the alternatives to goose?
The closest alternatives to goose in our directory are OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, Agent Zero, Eigent and NanoClaw. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with goose.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.