Claude Code vs Gemini CLI: free access moved to Antigravity CLI

Claude Code vs Gemini CLI is no longer a fair fight between two free terminal agents. As of November 3, 2026, Google's Gemini CLI README says the tool is for Gemini Code Assist Standard and Enterprise customers, and that free individual access moved to a different tool, Antigravity CLI, on June 18, 2026. Claude Code, from Anthropic, needs a paid Claude plan or an API account.

So the real choice for most developers is Claude Code against Antigravity CLI. This comparison is based on the products' docs and published results, not on hands-on testing.

What changed with Gemini CLI

Google announced on May 19, 2026 that Antigravity CLI is available to everyone. On June 18, 2026, Gemini CLI stopped serving Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers and people on the free Gemini Code Assist for individuals plan. Enterprise customers on Code Assist Standard or Enterprise keep access, and Gemini CLI still works with paid API keys.

The Gemini CLI README adds that the tool is not tuned for the Gemini 4 series, and tells readers not to use it to benchmark Gemini models. It lists three tools: Antigravity CLI (agy), a stateless Gemini API CLI, and Gemini CLI (gemini) for enterprise Code Assist.

Antigravity CLI is built in Go and runs background subagents in concurrent sessions. Google says it will not have "1:1 feature parity" with Gemini CLI at launch, and the post does not say which features are missing. The migration page says GEMINI.md and AGENTS.md rule files carry over. MCP servers must move to a new mcp_config.json file.

Claude Code vs Gemini CLI vs Antigravity CLI

Prices are as of November 3, 2026. For Google Cloud customers, Antigravity's Business plan starts at $30 per seat per month for Standard and Plus, with a pay-as-you-go option that has no seat fee. The Antigravity pricing page does not say whether the free, Pro or Ultra plans include the CLI. Only the Business plan lists CLI access explicitly.

What Claude Code costs

Claude Code is not on the free Claude plan. According to the Claude pricing page, it is included in Pro ($20 a month, or $17 billed annually), Max ($100 a month), Ultra ($200 a month), Team and Enterprise. Max is described as 5x Pro usage, and limits reset every five hours and every week.

Developers can also pay per token through the Claude Console. Anthropic's cost guide says enterprise deployments average about $13 per developer per active day, or $150 to $250 a month, with 90% of users below $30 a day. Our earlier piece on Claude Code pricing and API cost goes through the plans in more detail.

Features compared

Both tools read your repository, edit files, run commands and connect to outside tools through MCP, the open Model Context Protocol. Both load a project instruction file at the start of a session and support subagents, which are helper agents that work on part of a task.

Claude Code has more surfaces, according to its overview. It runs in the terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, a desktop app and the browser. It also has cloud scheduled tasks, GitHub Actions and Slack integration. Antigravity CLI shares its agent harness with the Antigravity 2.0 desktop app, per Google, and keeps skills, hooks, subagents and plugins.

Neither vendor publishes a head-to-head benchmark between the two tools. The Gemini CLI README warns that its own harness gives unrepresentative scores for Gemini 4 models, so scores quoted for "Gemini CLI" since June deserve caution.

Which to pick

If you want a free terminal agent, Claude Code is not an option and Antigravity CLI is the Google route. If you already pay for Claude, Claude Code is included and has the wider set of surfaces. If your company has Code Assist Enterprise, Gemini CLI still works for you. Because Antigravity's free-tier limits and model list are not spelled out on the pages we read, check them in the app before you commit a team to it.

FAQ

Is Gemini CLI still free?

No. The Gemini CLI README says there is no free tier or Google AI plan access. Free individual access moved to Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026.

Is Claude Code free?

No. The Free Claude plan does not include it. Pro starts at $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually, as of November 3, 2026.

Is Gemini CLI open source?

Gemini CLI is licensed under Apache 2.0. Claude Code's repository says all rights are reserved, with use subject to Anthropic's commercial terms. Antigravity CLI's license is not stated on the pages we read.

Can I keep my GEMINI.md files when I switch to Antigravity CLI?

Yes. Google's migration page says workspace and global GEMINI.md and AGENTS.md files are read without changes. Workspace skills and MCP settings need to be moved by hand.