The Open Interpreter Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Open Interpreter 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.
Open Interpreter
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source coding agent and desktop agent using your own model keys
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from Open Interpreter’s own pages.
Made by Open Interpreter · checked Nov 13, 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 Open Interpreter’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Open Interpreter’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 160 of the 178 other AI agents we grade
Open Interpreter is a terminal coding agent released under the Apache-2.0 license, built as a fork of OpenAI's Codex and tuned to work with lower-cost and open models. A separate desktop app, called Interpreter, drives local apps, files and browser tabs for office-style work. Both connect to whichever model provider the user configures, including local models.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Open Interpreter, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The terminal agent runs from a command line and needs model keys set up.
- 1
Best for a free terminal coding agent
The terminal agent is free; the desktop app's price is not stated.
- 2
It is free
Open Interpreter has no paid plan at all. The terminal agent is open source under Apache-2.0 and free to install; model usage is billed by whichever provider you connect.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Harness emulation
The /harness command switches between agent harnesses such as native, claude-code, kimi-code, qwen-code and swe-agent, aimed at getting better results from low-cost models.
- 5
Provider and model switching
The /model command picks a provider and model from the terminal. The docs cover Kimi, DeepSeek, Z.AI and Google AI Studio, and any OpenAI-compatible provider can be used through Chat Completions.
- 6
Sandboxed command execution
Commands run inside native sandboxing on macOS, Linux and Windows, with permissions and approval settings.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 160 of 178
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Open Interpreter is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Open Interpreter at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Open Interpreter
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a free terminal coding agent
Open Interpreter is an Apache-2.0 terminal coding agent that works with whichever model you connect, including local ones, plus a separate desktop app. The terminal agent is free; the desktop app's price is not stated.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The terminal agent is free under Apache-2.0. You pay your model provider, or nothing with a local model. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Install it and run it with no plan, no cap and no account, apart from model costs. The desktop app's price is not stated. |
| Features | B | A terminal agent with sandboxed commands, model switching, editor compatibility and local models, plus a desktop app for files and browser tabs. No gap shows in the core job. |
| Ease of use | D | No rating on record. The terminal agent runs from a command line and needs model keys set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Runs on Mac, Windows and Linux only. No phone, web or hosted version. |
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 Open Interpreter is for
- Fits if you work in a terminal and want to pick your own model
- Works for people who want a coding agent that can run on a local model
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a phone or web app, as it runs on computers only
- Not for you if you avoid the command line, since the terminal agent lives there
- Tight if you need a stated price for the desktop app, because the pages read give none
- Watch out: hosted models receive your instructions and file excerpts, and only a local profile keeps everything on the machine
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who want a terminal coding agent they can point at cheaper or open models
- People who prefer open-source software and their own API keys
- Knowledge workers trying a desktop agent that can keep data on a local model
Worth knowing
- Model costs are paid to whichever provider is connected; the vendor's pages list no hosted plan.
- No price for the desktop app is stated on the pages read, so only the open-source terminal agent is recorded as free.
- Neither the terminal agent nor the desktop app is listed for iOS or Android, and neither runs as a hosted web app.
- Hosted models receive the instructions and the file excerpts the agent needs; only a local profile keeps everything on the machine.
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
Open Interpreter is free to use.
You pay your model provider, or nothing with a local model.
Open source terminal agent
$0
Apache-2.0 licensed and installed locally; you pay your chosen model provider separately.
The free plan
The terminal agent is open source under Apache-2.0 and free to install; model usage is billed by whichever provider you connect.
Read from github.com on Nov 13, 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 coding agent and desktop agent using your own model keys. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, public API, AI features, AI agents.
- Harness emulation
- The /harness command switches between agent harnesses such as native, claude-code, kimi-code, qwen-code and swe-agent, aimed at getting better results from low-cost models.
- Provider and model switching
- The /model command picks a provider and model from the terminal. The docs cover Kimi, DeepSeek, Z.AI and Google AI Studio, and any OpenAI-compatible provider can be used through Chat Completions.
- Sandboxed command execution
- Commands run inside native sandboxing on macOS, Linux and Windows, with permissions and approval settings.
- Editor and SDK compatibility
- Runs as an Agent Client Protocol agent for compatible editors, and speaks the Codex exec protocol so the Codex SDK can point at it.
- Desktop app for cross-app work
- The Interpreter desktop app opens apps, reads files in a chosen workspace, runs web tasks and takes voice instructions, pausing for review before it submits, sends, deletes or overwrites.
- Local models and MCP
- Profiles can point at Ollama or LM Studio for local-only use, and MCP servers and skills extend what the agent can reach.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- OpenAI
- OpenRouter
- Ollama
- LM Studio
- NVIDIA
- Google AI Studio
- DeepSeek
- Kimi
Open Interpreter is made by Open Interpreter.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
160/178
Other AI agents it is graded above
Open Interpreter's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 160 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 167 of 178) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Open Interpreter 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 179 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. Open Interpreter’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 161 of 178
- AFree plan and trialAbove 167 of 178
- BFeaturesAbove 133 of 178
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 178
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 178
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 109 AI agents. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Open Interpreter 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
Open Interpreter 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 160 of the 178 other AI agents we grade.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, OpenAI, OpenRouter and Ollama among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Open Interpreter’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
OpenHands, goose, Devin, Factory and Jules
The 5 tools Open Interpreter is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
OpenHands
Free plan · from $500/mo
Open-source platform for AI coding agents and automations.
- Only Open Interpreter lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only OpenHands lists a web app.
- OpenHands is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
goose
Free
Open-source AI agent with a desktop app, CLI and API.
- goose also covers workflow automation.
- 2.4GPA
Devin
Free plan · from $20/mo
Autonomous software engineer that runs in the cloud or locally.
- Only Devin lists a web app.
- Open Interpreter is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Factory
Free plan · from $20/mo
Coding agents called Droids for desktop, terminal and web.
- Only Factory lists a web app.
- Open Interpreter is open source, according to its own site.
- Factory also covers workflow automation.
- 2.6GPA
Jules
Free plan
Google's asynchronous coding agent that opens pull requests.
- Only Open Interpreter lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Jules lists a web app.
- Open Interpreter is open source, according to its own site.
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 Open Interpreter free?
Yes. Open Interpreter is free to use.
How much does Open Interpreter cost?
Open Interpreter lists one plan. Open source terminal agent: $0.
What platforms does Open Interpreter work on?
Open Interpreter is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Open Interpreter have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Open Interpreter is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Open Interpreter have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Open Interpreter is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Open Interpreter open source?
Yes. Open Interpreter is open source, according to its own site.
Does Open Interpreter have an API?
Yes. Open Interpreter offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Open Interpreter integrate with?
Open Interpreter's listing names OpenAI, OpenRouter, Ollama, LM Studio, NVIDIA, Google AI Studio, DeepSeek and Kimi.
Who makes Open Interpreter?
Open Interpreter is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Open Interpreter?
The closest alternatives to Open Interpreter in our directory are OpenHands, goose, Devin, Factory and Jules.
How does Open Interpreter compare with other AI agents?
Open Interpreter's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 160 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 10.
Is Open Interpreter good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Open Interpreter A for value for money. Open Interpreter has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Open Interpreter?
Open Interpreter 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 Open Interpreter’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Open Interpreter's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Open Interpreter. Prices change, so check openinterpreter.com before you buy.
- openinterpreter.com
- github.com/openinterpreter/openinterpreter
- raw.githubusercontent.com/openinterpreter/openinterpreter/main/README.md
- openinterpreter.com/docs/terminal/providers
- openinterpreter.com/docs/desktop
- openinterpreter.com/docs/desktop/install
- openinterpreter.com/docs/desktop/faq
- openinterpreter.com/docs/desktop/privacy
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Open Interpreter, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/open-interpreter
- 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, "Open Interpreter: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/open-interpreter
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/open-interpreter/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after Open Interpreter, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Agents Insider's GuideEvery one of the 179 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 Open Interpreter’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. Open Interpreter is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Open Interpreter. Prices and plans change: check openinterpreter.com before you buy.