Goose
Block's open-source, local-first AI agent that runs tasks on your machine.
Visit Goose Free (open source; BYO model)
Quick verdict
- Best for
- Developers automating tasks beyond code
- Pricing
- Free (open source; BYO model)
- Not ideal if
- General-purpose rather than editor-integrated — less polished for pure coding than Cursor
What is Goose?
Goose, from Block (the company behind Square and Cash App), is an open-source agent that runs on your own computer, uses any LLM you configure, and extends through MCP servers to automate coding, data, and everyday developer tasks from the terminal or a desktop app.
Key features
- Runs locally with full access to your files and tools
- Extensible through MCP servers
- Desktop app and CLI
- Works with hosted or local models
- Session recipes for repeatable tasks
Pros
- Open source from a large company that uses it internally
- MCP-first design means any tool with an MCP server plugs in
- No vendor lock-in
Cons
- General-purpose rather than editor-integrated — less polished for pure coding than Cursor
- Local agents with broad permissions need careful sandboxing
- Smaller community than Cline or Roo
Best for
Developers automating tasks beyond codeTeams building on MCPPrivacy-focused users running local models
Alternatives to Goose
OpenHands
The open-source software-engineering agent formerly known as OpenDevin.
FreemiumFree open source; cloud with free starter credits then pay-as-you-go
Released March 2024
Cline
4.5
The open-source autonomous coding agent that lives inside VS Code.
FreeFree (BYO API key)
Released July 2024
Gemini CLI
Google's free, open-source AI agent for your terminal.
FreeFree with a Google account (rate limits); API key for higher limits
Released June 2025