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It's a split decision.
Choose OpenCode if you want an agent that works with models from 200+ providers, supports MCP servers and can be driven through an SDK. Choose Visual Studio Code if you need a free standalone editor for Windows, macOS or Linux, with language support through extensions. They serve different roles: OpenCode’s Go plans cost $10 or $40 per month, while VS Code is listed as free. You can use OpenCode’s free models without an account.
01Side by side
| OpenCode | Visual Studio Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Go: $10/month; Go Plus: $40/month | Free editor; no paid VS Code plan listed |
| Free tier | Free models available without an account | Free download for Windows, macOS and Linux |
| Open source and license | Open source; homepage does not name the license | Pricing page does not identify its license |
| Self-hosting | Self-hostable; works on your machine | Described as a standalone editor |
| API and SDKs | SDK drives agents from scripts, CI jobs and tools | Pricing page describes an editor, not an SDK |
| CLI and docs | Terminal UI, installation options and documentation | VS Code CLI details aren't on its pricing page |
| Integrations | 200+ model providers, MCP servers and named services | Extensions support just about any programming language |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, terminal and iPhone | Windows, macOS and Linux |
OpenCode Choose OpenCode if
- Choose OpenCode if you need an agent connected to your preferred model providers.
- Choose OpenCode if you want MCP servers, plugins and custom agents.
- Choose OpenCode if scripts or CI jobs need to drive coding sessions.
Visual Studio Code Choose Visual Studio Code if
- Choose Visual Studio Code if you need a free standalone source code editor.
- Choose Visual Studio Code if language extensions fit your development workflow.
- Choose Visual Studio Code if Windows, macOS and Linux coverage is enough.
02Pricing at real usage
Visual Studio Code is listed as a free download for Windows, macOS and Linux. The pricing page says Visual Studio subscription prices apply to Visual Studio subscriptions, not VS Code. It lists no paid VS Code plan or usage-based charge.
OpenCode offers free models that can be used without an account, alongside paid subscriptions. The pricing page lists Go at $10 per month, with estimated allowances of 110 Kimi K3 requests or 1,050 DeepSeek V4 Pro requests per five hours. Go Plus costs $40 per month and lists 440 Kimi K3 or 4,200 DeepSeek V4 Pro requests per five hours. These are estimated request counts, not a fixed amount of compute. Extra Usage credit top-ups are available, but their price is not published; Go Teams starts with Extra Usage on. The page lists monthly prices and no annual billing.
03API, SDKs and integration
OpenCode is a coding agent you can use through a desktop app, terminal, phone or SDK. Its SDK is for driving sessions from scripts, CI jobs and tools. The SDK overview does not name supported programming languages, so check its documentation before choosing a language-specific integration. The terminal UI runs in a shell, editor or remote server; the docs give installation options including npm install -g @opencode/cli.
OpenCode connects to more than 200 model providers, including local models, and supports local and remote MCP servers. Its homepage names integrations including GitHub, Linear, Figma, Sentry, Notion, Slack, Supabase and Stripe. Plugins can hook into events, and custom agents can have their own prompts, models and tools.
Visual Studio Code is described as a standalone source code editor with extensions for just about any programming language. Its pricing page does not describe an agent API or SDK. It is the more direct fit when the integration need is editing code with language extensions, rather than orchestrating coding-agent sessions.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
OpenCode is open source and self-hostable, and it works on your machine. Its homepage does not name the project’s license, so check the repository’s license terms before redistributing or modifying it. Connecting to multiple model providers, including local models, gives teams options when changing inference providers; custom agents, plugins and MCP configuration can still create migration work.
Visual Studio Code is described as a standalone editor, but its pricing page does not identify its license or a self-hosting option. The sources do not specify a data-export format for either product. Keep source code, prompts, configuration and other important project state in formats your team controls, and verify how session data can be exported before relying on it. For both tools, assess extension or plugin dependencies and agent-specific settings before switching.
Questions people ask
Is OpenCode a replacement for Visual Studio Code?
Not directly. OpenCode is a coding agent that can run in a desktop app, terminal, phone or SDK. Visual Studio Code is a standalone source code editor with language extensions. Teams can choose one based on whether they need agent-driven work, an editor, or both.
Can I use OpenCode for free?
Yes. OpenCode says free models are available without an account. It also offers paid Go and Go Plus subscriptions at $10 and $40 per month. The pricing page lists estimated request allowances for named models; it does not publish the price of Extra Usage credit top-ups.
Does OpenCode work with local models?
Yes. OpenCode says it connects to more than 200 model providers, including local models. It also supports MCP servers and offers permissions for actions that need approval. Check the provider and model documentation for the specific configuration you plan to use.
Is Visual Studio Code free?
Yes. The pricing page lists Visual Studio Code as a free download for Windows, macOS and Linux. It also clarifies that prices shown for Visual Studio subscriptions apply to Visual Studio subscriptions, not to VS Code.