Qwen Code
Qwen Code is Alibaba's open-source terminal coding agent. The CLI itself is $0. Model access is billed through Alibaba ModelStudio (Coding Plan with a weekly quota, Token Plan for teams, or a standard API key), third-party providers, or a local/custom endpoint. Qwen OAuth's free tier ended 2026-04-15 and is no longer a selectable /auth entry.
Compare Claude Code if you wanted Anthropic's CLI, Cline if you wanted another $0 individual agent, and Qoder if you wanted Alibaba's IDE seats (Lite $10 / Pro $20 / Pro+ $60 / Ultra $200).
Key Features
- Open CLI, paid models: README still lists Auto-Memory, Auto-Skills, SubAgents, Agent Teams, and MCP. That is not a free ModelStudio quota forever.
- Auth after OAuth: Authentication docs recommend ModelStudio first, then third-party keys (DeepSeek, MiniMax, Z.AI, ModelScope, OpenRouter, Requesty) or a custom/local provider (Ollama / vLLM).
- More than a TUI: Interactive
qwen, headlessqwen -p, VS Code / Zed / JetBrains plugins, Desktop app, experimentalqwen serve, and IM bots. npm needs Node 22+. - Parity claim, not a census: The repo still says it pushed toward Claude Code feature parity. Confirm the installed binary; do not treat that as audited one-to-one coverage.
Use Cases
- People who will stay on BYOK or local models and treat the CLI as Apache-2.0 tooling.
- People who will buy a ModelStudio Coding Plan or Token Plan after OAuth died, and will recheck the live Alibaba quota instead of a leftover free tier.
- People comparing Qwen Code vs Qoder: one is an open CLI, the other is Alibaba's priced IDE.
Limitation: We did not open a logged-in ModelStudio checkout, so there is no public dollar table on this page. Quality still depends on the model you attach.
Pricing
CLI is free. Model access on 2026-08-17.
| Path | Price | Notes from first-party pages |
|---|---|---|
| Qwen Code CLI | $0 | Apache-2.0. 27,102 stars on the check date. |
| ModelStudio Coding Plan | Subscription | Individual path. Weekly quota. Confirm the live Alibaba page. |
| ModelStudio Token Plan | Usage | Team/company path with a dedicated endpoint. |
| ModelStudio API key | Usage | Standard key against an existing ModelStudio account. |
| Third-party / local | Provider or $0 local | DeepSeek, MiniMax, Z.AI, OpenRouter, Ollama, vLLM, and others listed in /auth. |
| Qwen OAuth | Discontinued | Free tier ended 2026-04-15. Not a dialog entry. |
If a leftover blog still says Qwen OAuth is the default free login, treat this table as the source.
Getting Started
- Install with
curl -fsSL https://qwen-code-assets.oss-cn-hangzhou.aliyuncs.com/installation/install-qwen-standalone.sh | bash, ornpm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest, orbrew install qwen-code. - Run
qwen, then/auth. Pick ModelStudio, a third-party provider, or a custom/local endpoint. - Use
/initforQWEN.mdif you want project instructions. - Do not send users through Qwen OAuth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CLI still free?
Yes. The Apache-2.0 CLI is $0. Models are billed by the provider you attach.
Can I still use Qwen OAuth?
Not as a supported login. The free tier ended 2026-04-15. Use ModelStudio, OpenRouter, or another /auth option.
Same as Claude Code or Qoder?
No. Claude Code is Anthropic's agent. Qoder is Alibaba's IDE with public $10 / $20 / $60 / $200 seats. This page is the open CLI.
Alternatives
- Claude Code: Anthropic CLI / IDE / desktop agent.
- Cline: $0 individual VS Code/CLI agent plus BYOK.
- Qoder: Alibaba IDE seats, not this CLI.
Tips
- Quote 27,102 stars and Apache-2.0 from the GitHub check.
- Confirm
/authbefore you assume OAuth still works.
Conclusion
Qwen Code is an Apache-2.0 terminal agent with 27,102 stars, not a leftover free OAuth login. Start at github.com/QwenLM/qwen-code, attach a live provider, then decide whether Claude Code or Qoder already covers the seat you need.
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