kitio.aiOpenAI Codex vs mini-SWE-agent
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. mini-SWE-agent is completely free, while OpenAI Codex is freemium.
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
- Bash-only agent loop
- Works with any model via LiteLLM
- Docker and sandbox environments
- SWE-bench batch runner
- Trajectory inspector
- Python bindings
| Feature | OpenAI Codex | mini-SWE-agent |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | OpenAI's coding agent in the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app | Minimal open-source coding agent that works through bash alone |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting price | $8/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | OpenAI | SWE-agent team (Princeton and Stanford) |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
mini-SWE-agent is completely free, while OpenAI Codex is freemium.
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
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
mini-SWE-agent
- Small codebase that is easy to read and modify
- Model-agnostic through common LLM routers
- Strong SWE-bench results for its size
- No graphical interface
- You pay for your own model API usage
- Aimed more at research than everyday editing
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 mini-SWE-agent if you want:
- Small codebase that is easy to read and modify
- Model-agnostic through common LLM routers
- Strong SWE-bench results for its size
Watch out: no graphical interface.
OpenAI Codex vs mini-SWE-agent FAQ
What is the difference between OpenAI Codex and mini-SWE-agent?
OpenAI Codex: OpenAI's coding agent in the cloud, CLI, IDE and desktop app. mini-SWE-agent: Minimal open-source coding agent that works through bash alone. Both are coding tools.
Is OpenAI Codex or mini-SWE-agent cheaper?
mini-SWE-agent is completely free, while OpenAI Codex is freemium.
Do OpenAI Codex and mini-SWE-agent have free plans?
OpenAI Codex: Yes. mini-SWE-agent: Yes, fully free.
Who makes OpenAI Codex?
OpenAI Codex is made by OpenAI, based in United States.
Who makes mini-SWE-agent?
mini-SWE-agent is made by SWE-agent team (Princeton and Stanford), based in United States.
Which should I choose, OpenAI Codex or mini-SWE-agent?
Choose OpenAI Codex if you value included in chatgpt plans and runs many tasks in parallel. Choose mini-SWE-agent if you value small codebase that is easy to read and modify and model-agnostic through common llm routers.