kitio.aiOpenAI Codex vs Factory
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. OpenAI Codex has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $20 for Factory.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Cloud coding tasks
- Codex CLI
- IDE extension
- Desktop app
- Automatic PR review
- Droid agents
- Missions for long tasks
- Model routing
- Custom subagents
- Slack integration
| Feature | OpenAI Codex | Factory |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | OpenAI's coding agent in the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app | Droid coding agents for terminal, IDE, Slack and the browser |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $8/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | OpenAI | Factory |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
OpenAI Codex has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $20 for Factory.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
6 plans
Free
Free
- Limited Codex usage
- Via ChatGPT account
Go
$8/mo
- ChatGPT Go plan
- More Codex usage than Free
Plus
$20/mo
- ChatGPT Plus plan
- Codex in CLI, IDE and cloud
Pro
$100/mo
- Starting price; $200 and $500 tiers
- Highest Codex limits
Business
$25/mo
- Per user
- Shared workspace and admin controls
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Enterprise security
- Flexible usage
6 plans
Pro
$20/mo
- Desktop, CLI and SDK
- Cloud and local background agents
- Usage and billing stats
Teams
$60/mo
- Per team, plus $40/mo per seat
- Up to 10 seats
- Centralized billing
Plus
$100/mo
- ~5x the usage of Pro
- Factory-managed cloud computers
Max
$200/mo
- ~10x the usage of Pro
- Early access to new features
Business
Contact sales
- Zero data retention
- Audit logging
- Basic admin controls
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Unlimited team members
- Dedicated compute
- Priority support with SLAs
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
OpenAI Codex
- Included in ChatGPT plans
- Runs many tasks in parallel
- Open-source CLI
- Token-based limits are hard to predict
- Free tier usage is small
Factory
- Works across many surfaces
- Handles long multi-day tasks
- Strong benchmark results
- Rolling limits can interrupt work
- Advanced features need setup
Which one should you choose?
Choose OpenAI Codex if you want:
- Included in ChatGPT plans
- Runs many tasks in parallel
- Open-source CLI
Watch out: token-based limits are hard to predict.
Choose Factory if you want:
- Works across many surfaces
- Handles long multi-day tasks
- Strong benchmark results
Watch out: rolling limits can interrupt work.
OpenAI Codex vs Factory FAQ
What is the difference between OpenAI Codex and Factory?
OpenAI Codex: OpenAI's coding agent in the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app. Factory: Droid coding agents for terminal, IDE, Slack and the browser. Both are coding tools.
Is OpenAI Codex or Factory cheaper?
OpenAI Codex has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $20 for Factory.
Do OpenAI Codex and Factory have free plans?
OpenAI Codex: Yes. Factory: Yes.
Who makes OpenAI Codex?
OpenAI Codex is made by OpenAI, based in United States.
Who makes Factory?
Factory is made by Factory, based in United States.
Which should I choose, OpenAI Codex or Factory?
Choose OpenAI Codex if you value included in chatgpt plans and runs many tasks in parallel. Choose Factory if you value works across many surfaces and handles long multi-day tasks.