Devin vs Gemini CLI
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
AI tool · Paid
Cognition's autonomous software engineering agent that takes tasks from Slack or tickets and delivers pull requests.
AI tool · Open source
Google's open-source terminal agent that uses Gemini models to read code, edit files and run commands.
The short answer
Choose Devin if you need…
- Delegating backlog tickets
- Teams experimenting with agent engineers
Choose Gemini CLI if you need…
- Free terminal coding agent
- Large-context codebase questions
Side-by-side
| Devin | Gemini CLI | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Coding · Coding agents | Coding · Coding agents |
| Price | Paid | Open source |
| Platforms | Web | CLI, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Works with | Slack, GitHub, Jira | VS Code, GitHub |
| Hands-on tested by us | Not yet | Not yet |
| Last checked | 2026-10-29 | 2026-10-29 |
What each one is
Devin
Cognition's autonomous software engineering agent that takes tasks from Slack or tickets and delivers pull requests. Handles routine tickets well. Unclear tasks lead to wasted runs, so scope work tightly.
Gemini CLI
Google's open-source terminal agent that uses Gemini models to read code, edit files and run commands. Generous free usage. Behaviour can be less predictable than mature agents; review changes.
Best for
Devin
- Delegating backlog tickets
- Teams experimenting with agent engineers
Gemini CLI
- Free terminal coding agent
- Large-context codebase questions
Strengths
Devin
- Cloud workspace with browser and shell
- Slack and Jira task intake
- Pull requests
- Devin Desktop editor (formerly Windsurf)
Gemini CLI
- Terminal agent
- Large context window
- MCP support
- Free tier with a Google account
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Devin and Gemini CLI?
Devin: Cognition's autonomous software engineering agent that takes tasks from Slack or tickets and delivers pull requests. Gemini CLI: Google's open-source terminal agent that uses Gemini models to read code, edit files and run commands. Devin suits delegating backlog tickets, while Gemini CLI suits free terminal coding agent.
Are Devin and Gemini CLI free?
Devin: Paid. Gemini CLI: Open source.
What are other alternatives to Devin and Gemini CLI?
Other options people compare them with include Claude Code, Aider, OpenAI Codex, Amp, Cline.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.