# Claude Code vs Gemini CLI for terminal coding

> Source: https://theagentsindex.com/compare/claude-code-vs-gemini-cli (structured, researched, re-verified)
> Updated: 28 October 2026

Claude Code costs $20 a month on Anthropic's Pro plan billed monthly, or $17 a month billed annually. Max starts at $100 a month. The $0 Free Claude plan does not include it. Gemini CLI has a free tier that starts with no sales call. You install it and sign in with a Google account, or use a free-tier Gemini API key. For paid use, see current pricing.

Each is tied to one lab's models. Claude Code runs only Claude models, and Gemini CLI's model picker lists only Gemini options. Neither offers GPT or open models. Gemini CLI's source is public on GitHub under Apache 2.0, and the project invites contributions and community extensions. Claude Code's repository carries an all-rights-reserved licence. It holds plugins and docs, not the CLI source.

Claude Code goes further without a person watching. Its auto mode has a classifier approve tool calls, and routines and background sessions run unattended, including in the cloud. It runs in GitHub Actions and GitLab CI/CD pipelines. Gemini CLI asks before any write or shell call by default. A yolo mode approves every tool, and headless mode gives scripts a JSON interface with documented exit codes. In non-interactive runs, confirmation prompts become denials, so unattended CI needs explicit policy rules.

Claude Code publishes SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 artefacts at its Trust Center, with HIPAA-ready and zero data retention options on Enterprise. Gemini CLI names no certificate on its own pages. Enterprise security and compliance is claimed for the Vertex AI route under Google Cloud terms. Commercial Claude plans are no-training by default, and Pro and Max users switch training off in privacy settings. On Gemini CLI, what happens to prompts depends on the service you sign in with, and AI Studio's free tier says data may be used to improve products.

| Fact | Claude Code | Gemini CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Agentic coding tool from Anthropic that edits your codebase, runs commands, and opens pull requests. | Open-source Apache-2.0 terminal agent that runs Google's Gemini models against your local codebase. |
| Pricing | from $20 a month | free |
| Writes tests | Yes | - |
| Reviews code | Yes | - |
| Runs autonomously | Yes | Partly |
| Claude | Yes | No |
| Gemini | - | Yes |
| In your pipeline | Yes | Partly |
| In a browser | Yes | - |
| Self-hosted | Partly (Team and Enterprise (self-hosted environments, public beta)) | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Licence | - | Yes |
| Open-source runtime | - | Partly |
| Runs in your cloud | - | Partly (Vertex AI) |
| Tracing and evals | - | Yes |
| Cost of one job | - | Partly |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | - |
| Seat model | Partly (Team / Enterprise plan and up) | Partly |
| Pooled budget | No | Partly |
| Audit log | Partly (Enterprise plan and up) | - |
| Single sign-on | Partly (Team and Enterprise plan and up) | - |
| Opt out of training | Yes | Partly |
| Data residency | Partly | Partly (Vertex AI) |
| Getting out | Yes | - |
| Certifications | Yes | Partly (Vertex AI) |
| Tags | API · Autonomous · Claude · Multi-agent | — |
| Best for | Developers and teams who want a terminal-native, scriptable agent that composes with CI and real engineering workflows. | developers who want an open-source terminal agent on their own Gemini key |
| Watch for | Terminal-first. There is no full graphical editor for those who prefer point-and-click. | — |
| Full facts | https://theagentsindex.com/claude-code.md | https://theagentsindex.com/gemini-cli.md |

## Verdict: Claude Code or Gemini CLI?

Pick Claude Code if your team wants an agent that runs unattended in GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD and needs published SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 artefacts. It fits buyers who will work only with Claude models and pay for a plan from the start. Commercial Claude plans are no-training by default. Pick Gemini CLI if you want open source you can read and change, or a free start with a Google account or your own Gemini key. It also fits a team that wants project-level shared quota through the pay-as-you-go Vertex route. Neither product lets you switch to GPT or open models.