Skip to content

Catalogcoding

Qwen Code

situationalBlueshift — gaining momentum

Open-source terminal coding agent from Alibaba, forked from Gemini CLI.

Visit github.com →Add to kitOpen in Noemium

ledger entry · observed by @whysanesanders

The CLI is free and open source, so it costs nothing to try with your own keys. The hosted free tier is basically gone, and the paid coding plan is mid-priced. Best for teams that already use Qwen or want a Gemini-CLI-like workflow.

Strengths

  • CLI is free and open source — costs nothing to try with your own keys.
  • Gemini-CLI-shaped workflow if that is already how you work.
  • Strongest on Qwen models; BYOK keeps the hosted plan optional.

Known limitations

  • Free hosted inference was cut to roughly 100 requests/day in April 2026.
  • Less mature agent ecosystem than Claude Code or Kimi Code.
  • Configuration surface is larger than single-vendor tools.
  • Strongest when paired with Qwen models; other providers are supported but less optimized.

Use it when

  • Teams already on Qwen who want a terminal agent, not another IDE.
  • Self-hosted / BYOK coding where a $50 plan is the fallback, not the start.

Skip it when

  • You expected a generous hosted free tier — that was cut in April 2026.
  • You need the mature agent ecosystem around Claude Code or Kimi Code.
  • You do not want to operate a larger config surface.

Buy-check

  • ·Price — freemium, CLI is free/open source; hosted free tier restricted to ~100 requests/day as of April 2026; Coding Plan Pro ~$50/month (~90K requests/month); BYOK available as of 2026-08-24. Open the pricing page, not a screenshot.
  • ·Free tier — Free tier exists — burn it first.
  • ·Cancel fallout — What happens to your data/projects on cancel — check the ToS, not the FAQ.
  • ·Seat math — Per-seat pricing multiplies quietly. Count seats before the annual plan.
  • ·Who skips it — Also skipped when: You expected a generous hosted free tier — that was cut in April 2026.; You need the mature agent ecosystem around Claude Code or Kimi Code..

Price trailchangelog →

No price move in this repo yet.

Facts

pricing
freemium1
price note
CLI is free/open source; hosted free tier restricted to ~100 requests/day as of April 2026; Coding Plan Pro ~$50/month (~90K requests/month); BYOK available
free tier
yes
open source
yes
api
yes
self-host
yes
category
coding
evidence
source-verified
Models
BYOK

Data: trains on inputs unknown · local processing yes

Sources

  1. 1github.com/QwenLM/qwen-code[snapshot]
  2. 2aicoolies.com/reviews/qwen-code-review[snapshot]
  3. 3aiidelist.com/ide/qwen-code[snapshot]
  4. 4inventivehq.com/blog/qwen-code-still-free-2026-shutdown[snapshot]

No source, no number.

Edit this page on GitHub

Similar joball alternatives →

toolverdictpriceossself-host
Qwen Codesituationalfreemiumyesyes
Claude Codeshippaidnono
Cursorshipfreemiumnono
Aidershipfreeyesyes

Facts from the catalog files — not scores you can buy. Quality and speed stay in the briefing, not in a fake 1–5 grid.

Claude Code
codingship

Claude Codeanchor

Anthropic's terminal agent that edits, runs and tests code in your repo.

API

paidincluded in Claude Pro $20/mo ($17/mo yearly) and Max 5x $100 / Max 20x $200; shares the plan usage pool; extra usage at API rates

Blueshift — gaining momentum
Cursor
codingship

Cursoranchor

AI-first code editor (VS Code fork) with agent mode and inline edits.

FREE TIER

freemiumHobby free; Pro $20/mo; Pro+ $60/mo (3× Agent limits); Ultra $200/mo (20×); Teams from $40/user/mo

Blueshift — gaining momentum
Aider
codingship

Aider

Open-source pair programming in the terminal — git-native, works with any model.

OSSAPIFREE TIER

freefree, open source; bring your own API key

Steady momentum