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Goose

Block's Apache-2.0 agent, MCP-native from the start, as both a CLI and a desktop app.

block.github.io/gooseblock.github.io/goose/docsgithub.com/block/goose
Overall in coding agents
5of 17 · score 75.9
Data coverage
92%
24 of 26 fields sourced

Best for

  • •Organisations with an existing fleet of internal MCP servers
  • •Recipes: parameterised, shareable tasks run non-interactively
  • •Teams wanting an Apache-2.0 agent with a desktop app for non-terminal users

Strong on

  • +Permissions allowlist + OS sandbox 1/17
  • +Model breadth any provider / router 1/17
  • +Subagents Yes 1/16

Weak on

  • −Checkpoint & undo No 14/16
    Better: Claude Code: Yes
  • −GitHub stars 20,000 9/11
    Better: Claude Code: 155,000
  • −Opens PRs No 10/16
    Better: Claude Code: Yes

vs GitHub Copilot (Agent HQ)

  • •Ahead on Licence: Apache-2.0 vs proprietary
  • •Ahead on BYOK: Yes vs Partial
  • •Behind on Opens PRs: No vs Yes
  • •Behind on Repo indexing: agentic grep vs hybrid index + agentic

How Goose scores among 17 coding agents24 of 26 fields known

Features8

Surface
CLI, standalone editor
7/17
Leader: GitHub Copilot (Agent HQ) · GitHub-native, IDE extension, CLI, web, cloud delegate
block.github.io · 2026-01-15
Default model
None, you configure a provider on first run
· 2026-01-15
Model breadth1st
any provider / router
1/17
block.github.io · 2026-01-15
Repo indexing
agentic grep
9/16
Leader: Devin · hybrid index + agentic
Plan mode1st
Yes
1/17
Checkpoint & undo
No
14/16
Leader: Claude Code · Yes
Headless / CI1st
Yes
1/17
· 2026-01-15
Local models1st
Yes
1/17
· 2026-01-15

Agentic7

Where it stops
3
7/15
Leader: Claude Code · 4
MCP1st
Yes
1/17
· 2026-01-15
Subagents1st
Yes
1/16
Hooks
Partial
8/14
Leader: Claude Code · Yes
Skills / commands1st
Yes
1/17
· 2026-01-15
Background agents
Partial
6/16
Leader: Claude Code · Yes
Opens PRs
No
10/16
Leader: Claude Code · Yes

Governance & control3

Permissions1st
allowlist + OS sandbox
1/17
BYOK1st
Yes
1/17
· 2026-01-15
Licence1st
Apache-2.0
1/16
github.com · 2026-01-15

Pricing3

Pricing model1st
BYOK tokens only
1/16
· 2026-01-15
Entry price1st
$0/seat/mo
1/16
· 2026-01-15
Token markup
No
5/16
Leader: Windsurf · Yes
· 2026-01-15

Traction3

GitHub stars
20,000
9/11
Leader: Claude Code · 155,000
Terminal-Bench
—
Bench model
—

Positioning1

Positioning
An open-source, extensible AI agent that goes beyond code suggestions.
block.github.io

Timeline1

First release
2025-01-28

Alternatives8

Compare

Sources4