The goose Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about goose in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
goose
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source AI agent with a desktop app, CLI and API
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from goose’s own pages.
Made by Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from goose’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on goose’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 40 of the 51 other AI agents we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about goose, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for a free agent that runs on your own machine
There's no hosted version, no phone app and no scheduled runs on record, so look elsewhere unless you're at home in a terminal.
- 2
It is free
goose has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 40 of 51
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
goose is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
goose at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF)
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a free agent that runs on your own machine
goose is a free, open-source agent that runs on your own computer as a desktop app, a command-line tool or an API, with more than 70 extensions and any of 15-plus model providers. Free stops at the agent, though: hosted models are billed by whoever you connect, and the docs recommend Claude 4 models, since it leans heavily on tool calling. There's no hosted version, no phone app and no scheduled runs on record, so look elsewhere unless you're at home in a terminal.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It costs nothing: Apache 2.0, no paid plan, no hosted tier. What you may pay for is the model, billed by whichever provider you connect, unless you run a local one or reuse a Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini subscription you already have. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole thing is free with nothing held back: the desktop app, the CLI and the API. It can even download a model from Hugging Face and run it in-process, so you can use it without an API key at all. |
| Features | C | It does the local-agent job fully, and built-in local inference is something rivals don't have: 70-plus MCP extensions, recipes shared as YAML, subagents, a sandbox mode, prompt injection detection. It's a smaller job than this category's, with no hosted version and no scheduled or triggered runs on record. |
| Ease of use | C | It's an app you install, and then it does nothing until you've connected a provider, signed in with a subscription or downloaded a local model. Recipes are YAML, there's a CLI alongside, and the docs recommend Claude 4 models, since it leans on tool calling. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Mac, Windows and Linux, as a desktop app and a CLI, with no web version and no phone app. Beyond that, it has the 70-plus MCP extensions and an API to build it into other things. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who goose is for
- Fits if you're a developer who wants a local agent for coding and terminal work
- Works for people who already pay for Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini and want to reuse that subscription
Who it 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
- Watch out: hosted models are billed by your provider, not every provider has a free tier, and the docs recommend Claude 4
- Too light for jobs that must run on a schedule or a trigger, as none are on record
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
goose is free to use.
The whole thing is free with nothing held back: the desktop app, the CLI and the API.
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.
The 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.
Read from goose-docs.ai on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source AI agent with a desktop app, CLI and API. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, public API, workflow automation, AI agents.
It's a smaller job than this category's, with no hosted version and no scheduled or triggered runs on record.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Anthropic
- OpenAI
- Google Gemini
- Ollama
- OpenRouter
- GitHub
- Google Drive
- VS Code
goose is made by Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
40/51
Other AI agents it is graded above
goose's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 40 of the 51 other AI agents we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 46 of 51) and worst on features (C, above 0).
goose has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. goose’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 45 of 51
- AFree plan and trialAbove 46 of 51
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 51
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 51
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 49 AI agents. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. goose is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
goose is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 40 of the 51 other AI agents we grade.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. goose’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
OpenClaw, Hermes Agent, Agent Zero, Eigent and NanoClaw
The 5 tools goose is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
OpenClaw
Free
Open-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat.
- Only OpenClaw lists a web app.
- Only OpenClaw lists iOS and Android apps.
- OpenClaw is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Hermes Agent
Free plan · from $20/mo
Open-source AI agent with persistent memory and a messaging gateway.
- Only Hermes Agent lists a web app.
- Hermes Agent is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Hermes Agent also covers chat assistant.
- 2.8GPA
Agent Zero
Free
Open-source agent framework that works in its own Linux computer.
- Only Agent Zero lists a web app.
- Agent Zero is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- goose also covers workflow automation.
- 2.4GPA
Eigent
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
Open-source desktop app for working alongside AI agents.
- Eigent is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
NanoClaw
Free
Open-source personal AI agent that runs in containers you host.
- NanoClaw is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- NanoClaw also covers chat assistant and templates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
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.
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.
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.
How does goose compare with other AI agents?
goose's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 40 of the 51 other AI agents we grade, and level with 6.
Is goose good value for money?
ToolGPA grades goose A for value for money. goose has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of goose?
goose is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from goose’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from goose's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-04.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF). Prices change, so check goose-docs.ai before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- goose, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/goose
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "goose: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/goose
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/goose/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after goose, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Agents Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 AI agents we grade, compared
- Genspark Insider's GuideAI workspace with an agent for research, slides, sheets and docs3.2 GPA
- Manus Insider's GuideGeneral AI agent for research, slides, websites and browser tasks3.2 GPA
- OpenClaw Insider's GuideOpen-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what goose’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. goose is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF). Prices and plans change: check goose-docs.ai before you buy.