Plandex

What is Plandex?

Plandex is a terminal-based, open-source AI coding engine built for complex tasks across many files. It combines several agents that keep working until a task is judged complete, and it stages the model's proposed changes in a version-controlled sandbox separate from your git repo, so you can review diffs across files, branch or rewind a plan, and reject bad edits before they reach your project. Developers control exactly what sits in the model's context, through tree-sitter project maps for large codebases and an effective context window of 2M tokens. It mixes models from Anthropic, OpenAI and Google by default, supports other providers through OpenRouter and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and can run local models through Ollama. It runs as a single binary on Mac, Linux, FreeBSD and Windows with a self-hostable server. The founder announced in October 2025 that Plandex Cloud was winding down and shut down on November 7, 2025, while the open-source project stays on GitHub.

Use cases

• Build features across many files
• Refactor large codebases
• Fix bugs with an agent loop
• Write tests
• Ask questions about code
• Create new projects from scratch
• Review AI diffs before applying
• Work with unfamiliar technologies

Who it's for

• Software developers
• Terminal-first engineers
• Teams self-hosting AI tools
• Open-source contributors

Why use Plandex

• The sandbox keeps AI edits apart from your working tree until you accept them.
• Explicit context control makes costs and results easier to predict than tools that load files in the background.
• You can mix models per role and avoid lock-in to a single provider.
• Self-hosting the open-source server keeps the setup under your own control.
• A single binary with no dependencies makes installation simple on common operating systems.

Plandex features

• Terminal CLI and REPL
• Version-controlled diff review sandbox
• Branch and rewind a plan
• Configurable autonomy from full auto to step-by-step
• 2M token effective context window
• Tree-sitter project maps
• Manual control of what is in context
• Model packs mixing Anthropic, OpenAI and Google models
• Custom models and providers via JSON config
• Local models through Ollama
• Self-hostable open-source server

Plandex integrations

• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Google Gemini
• OpenRouter
• Together.ai
• Ollama
• Mixtral
• Llama

How to get started with Plandex

1. Install the Plandex CLI and set up the open-source server using the local mode quickstart.
2. Add the files or directories you want in context from the terminal.
3. Describe the task and let Plandex plan and write changes across files in its sandbox.
4. Review the staged diffs, reject incorrect changes, and branch or rewind the plan if needed.
5. Apply the accepted changes to your project and run your own commands and tests.

Plandex limitations

• Plandex Cloud shut down on November 7, 2025; new sign-ups and subscriptions were disabled
• You supply your own provider API keys or local models when self-hosting
• Its prompts were mainly authored and tested with the built-in models and model packs
• The docs say it does not yet do automatic code execution or automatic context selection by default
• Output quality depends on the underlying model and how well the language is represented in its training data

Plandex pricing

Plandex is open source, so you can use and self-host it for free.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Plandex alternatives

The main Plandex alternatives listed on Debuly are Claude Code, Aider, Cline, OpenCode, Gemini CLI and Cursor. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. Ai

   Aider

   Open-source AI pair programming tool that runs in your terminal and edits code in your local git repository using the LLM you choose.

   CodingDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit Aider (official site)
2. 

   Claude Code

   Anthropic's coding agent that fixes bugs, writes tests and runs migrations from your terminal, IDE, desktop app, web or Slack.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   PaidVisit Claude Code (official site)
3. 

   Cline

   Open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, the terminal and desktop that edits files and runs commands with your approval.

   CodingDeveloper platformsAutomation and agents
   Open sourceVisit Cline (official site)
4. 

   Cursor

   AI code editor and coding agent with cloud agents, Bugbot code review and multi-provider models, sold with Grok and X plans.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   FreemiumVisit Cursor (official site)
5. 

   Gemini CLI

   Open-source command-line agent from Google that runs Gemini models in your terminal to read, edit and automate work in local projects.

   CodingAutomation and agentsDeveloper platforms
   Open sourceVisit Gemini CLI (official site)
6. 

   OpenCode

   Open-source AI coding agent for terminal, desktop and IDE, with optional low-cost Go model subscriptions and a team Console

   CodingDeveloper platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit OpenCode (official site)

Plandex FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

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