Modelpeers
vsClaude Code character

Gemini CLI vs Claude Code: Should you still use Gemini CLI, or Claude Code?

Facts checked Oct 22, 2026. Every number links to its source.

Summary

Derived from sourced facts, not from builder opinions
  • Gemini CLI stopped serving free users and Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers on June 18, 2026. Google moved them to Antigravity CLI, so for most individual developers the real choice is Antigravity or Claude Code, which the Antigravity vs Claude Code comparison covers.
  • Gemini CLI still works with a paid Gemini API key or a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license, and Google still ships releases.
  • Google says Gemini CLI is not optimized for its latest models, including Gemini 4 Argon, and points to Antigravity for them.
  • Claude Code with Opus 5.5 leads Terminal-Bench 4.0 at 64.85%. Gemini CLI has no entry on that board.

See also: Google Antigravity vs Claude Code

Choose Gemini CLI if

  • Your company already has a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license.
  • You pay per token with a Gemini API key and want an open-source agent you can modify.
  • You depend on Gemini CLI scripts or extensions that have not moved to Antigravity.
  • You want to work with Gemini models, which Claude Code does not include.

Choose Claude Code if

  • You want an agent with a published Terminal-Bench 4.0 result (64.85% with Opus 5.5).
  • You want a flat monthly plan rather than per-token billing.
  • You used Gemini CLI on a free or Google AI Pro plan, which it no longer serves. Compare Antigravity as well.
Gemini CLI
Claude Code

Follow both to get an email when either one changes its price, limits or behavior.

Plans

Gemini CLI plans

Claude Code plans

Pro
$20/month

Claude Code included · billed $17/month annually

Max
$100/month

From $100: 5x or 20x Pro usage

Team Standard seat
$25/month

Per seat, monthly · $20 billed annually

Team Premium seat
$125/month

5x a standard seat · $100 billed annually

Enterprise
$20/month

Per seat billed annually, 20-seat minimum, plus usage at API rates

Subscription agents are priced per seat with usage limits, so this compares plans rather than dividing a subscription by a guessed number of tasks.

Side by side

Gemini CLIClaude Code
MakerGoogle, open source
Anthropic
Who can use itNo longer serves free users or Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers since 2026-06-18, who were moved to Antigravity CLI
Not published
How to payA paid Gemini API key (per token) or a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license
Not published
ModelsGemini models only · not optimized for Gemini 4 Argon, which Google points to Antigravity for
Built for Claude models: aliases opus (Opus 5.5), sonnet (Sonnet 5.5), haiku (Haiku 5.5), fable (Fable 5.1, may bill usage credits) · third-party providers Bedrock, Google Cloud, Foundry
ReleasesStill released weekly, latest stable announcement v0.64.0 on 2026-10-13
Not published
ReplacementAntigravity CLI keeps Agent Skills, Hooks, Subagents and Extensions (as Antigravity plugins)
Not published
PlatformsNot publishedTerminal CLI, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux beta), web, iOS and Android app
PlansNot publishedNot in Free. Pro $20/month ($17 annual) · Max from $100 (5x or 20x Pro usage) · Team Standard $25/seat monthly ($20 annual), Premium $125 ($100 annual) · Enterprise $20/seat plus usage at API rates
Usage limitsNot publishedPer-seat 5-hour and weekly windows · weekly Claude Code limits 25% above pre-May 2026 levels since 2026-09-14 · no published per-plan numbers
Use with other toolsNot publishedSubscription OAuth may not be used to route requests for third-party products

Scores appear side by side only when both were published for the same test. Settings differ between sources, so small gaps can reverse under another harness.

Updates

Gemini CLI

No recorded changes in the last 120 days.

Claude Code

27 recorded incidents in the last 90 days.

Switching checklist

  1. Install Claude Code with curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash on macOS or Linux, or irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex in Windows PowerShell, then run claude in your project.
  2. Sign in with a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, or a Console account. The free Claude plan does not include Claude Code.
  3. Import GEMINI.md into a CLAUDE.md with a line such as @GEMINI.md, or run /init to write a new one.
  4. Copy the MCP servers declared in ~/.gemini/settings.json, which is where Gemini CLI keeps them.
  5. Add each one to Claude Code with claude mcp add-json, passing the object inside mcpServers.
  6. Pick a model with /model: opus (Opus 5.5) is the default on paid plans, with sonnet, haiku and fable also available.
  7. Run one real task in your own repository with both tools and compare the diffs before moving a team.

FAQ

Is Gemini CLI discontinued?

Not completely. Since June 18, 2026 it no longer serves free users or Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, who were moved to Antigravity CLI. It still works with paid Gemini API keys and Code Assist Standard or Enterprise licenses.

What replaced Gemini CLI?

Antigravity CLI. It shares its agent harness with the Antigravity desktop app and keeps Agent Skills, Hooks, Subagents and Extensions, now as Antigravity plugins.

Can I use Gemini 4 Argon in Gemini CLI?

Google says Gemini CLI has not been optimized for Gemini 4 Argon and points users to Antigravity for it.

Is Claude Code better than Gemini CLI?

There is no shared test. Claude Code with Opus 5.5 leads Terminal-Bench 4.0 at 64.85%, and Gemini CLI has no entry.

How do I pay for Gemini CLI now?

With a paid Gemini API key, billed per token, or a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise license.

Is Gemini CLI still updated?

Yes. It still ships weekly, with v0.64.0 announced on October 13, 2026.

Can Claude Code read GEMINI.md?

Not on its own. Import it from a CLAUDE.md with a line such as @GEMINI.md.

Related comparisons

OpenAI Codex vs Claude CodeCursor vs Claude CodeOpenClaw vs Claude CodeClaude Code vs GitHub CopilotClaude Code vs ChatGPTGoogle Antigravity vs Claude CodeGemini CLI pageClaude Code page

Sources and method

Prices, specs and limits come from each maker's own pages. Benchmark scores come from independent benchmark publishers and the makers' announcements, with the setting each was measured in. Changes come from changelogs, deprecation pages and status pages. The summary is written from these facts only.