Last updated: May 2026
Plandex is an open-source terminal-based AI coding agent designed specifically for large, multi-file tasks. Its defining feature is a draft sandbox: every change the AI proposes goes into a review buffer before being applied to your actual files. You see exactly what will change, approve or modify it, then apply. This makes Plandex suitable for long-running tasks across many files where you want full control before anything is committed.
Yes. Plandex is free and open source (MIT license). You bring your own API keys from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or any OpenAI-compatible provider, and pay the model provider directly. Plandex takes no markup. There is also a self-host option — run the Plandex server on your own infrastructure for complete control.
A cloud tier with hosted API and team features is available, but the CLI with your own API keys is entirely free.
When you give Plandex a task, it builds a plan and proposes file changes — but does not apply them immediately. All proposed changes accumulate in a draft buffer that you can review in full before applying anything. This is different from Aider (which applies changes interactively as it goes) or Claude Code (which applies changes and relies on git to revert).
The benefit: for large refactors touching 20+ files, you can review the entire changeset at once, reject individual file changes, and apply only what you approve. Version control-style tracking means you can roll back any applied change.
Both are open-source CLI coding agents with BYOK pricing. The key differences:
| Plandex | Aider | |
|---|---|---|
| Change application | Draft sandbox → review → apply | Interactive, applied as generated |
| Task scope | Long-running multi-file plans | Interactive session-based |
| Best for | Large refactors, planned changes | Iterative coding sessions |
| Git integration | Version-controlled changes | Auto-commits each change |
| Self-host | ✓ Full server | Server not applicable (local tool) |
Plandex is better for batch multi-file changes where you want to review the full diff before anything is applied. Aider is better for interactive back-and-forth coding sessions. Many developers use both: Plandex for planned large-scope work, Aider for quick iterative fixes.
Any OpenAI-compatible API: Anthropic Claude (Sonnet, Opus, Haiku), OpenAI (GPT-4o, o3), Google Gemini, DeepSeek, Mistral, and local models via Ollama. You can configure different models for planning, implementation, and verification steps — using a cheaper fast model for low-stakes parts of a plan and a more capable model for the critical implementation steps.
Yes. Plandex runs from the terminal inside any directory. It reads your project files, understands the structure, and generates changes that fit your existing patterns. There is no project setup beyond running plandex new — no config files required, though you can add them to customize behaviour.
Via the cloud tier and self-hosted server. The server maintains shared plan history, enables team members to collaborate on the same plan, and provides centralized audit logs. For solo developers, the local CLI is sufficient.
Backend engineers and DevOps developers who prefer terminal-native workflows. Developers working on large codebases where a single feature touches many files. Anyone who wants AI-generated changes reviewed holistically before application — rather than interactively applied change by change. See the Plandex listing for a full feature and technical overview.