Goose
Block's open-source local AI agent that runs on your machine with any model.
why this verdict
Keep it for the workflow, not the AI
OpenCode and Aider cover the headline feature free, and the workflow around it is why you would still open this.
- A named launch, not a vibe named, unlinked
- Claude Code and Codex CLI absorbing the open-source terminal agent audience. Anthropic, June 25, 2025 — no announcement link recorded yet.
- How much of the job it covers headline only editorial call
- The headline feature, but not the workflow, data or integrations around it.
- Is there a free way to do it? yes
- 2 of 3 listed replacements have a usable free tier: OpenCode and Aider.
- What the call is worth nothing to cancel
- No paid entry tier tracked, so there is no subscription to cancel.
- Threatened by
- Anthropic
- Since
- June 25, 2025
- List price
- free
- Per year
- —
The backstory
Goose, from Block, was one of the earliest open-source local agents that could actually execute code, install dependencies and drive tools through MCP rather than only suggest edits. Its extension model was ahead of its time. The difficulty is that the well-funded terminal agents shipped the same capabilities with better model integration and enormous distribution, and an open-source agent sponsored by a payments company struggles to keep pace with tools whose vendors also make the models.
Escape hatches
Far more polished agentic loop and tooling
claude.com open_in_newActively developed open-source alternative
opencode.ai open_in_newMature git-native pair programming in the terminal
aider.chat open_in_new2 of 3 replacements have a usable free tier.
