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Comparing OpenHands and RooCode: A Detailed Analysis

Alex Hrymashevych Author by:
Alex Hrymashevych
Last update:
25 Jan 2026
Reading time:
~ 2 mins

OpenHands Overview

OpenHands is a cloud-based tool designed to cater to developers working across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Developed by OpenHands, this tool supports a range of advanced large language models such as GPT-5, Claude 4.5, and Gemini 3.0, among others. It offers a substantial context window of 200k tokens, allowing for extensive data processing and analysis. A notable feature of OpenHands is its agentic editing capability, which supports multi-file editing, and terminal access, providing full control over the environment. Despite its advanced features, OpenHands does not offer a free tier, requiring potential users to contact sales for pricing details.

Pros

  • Supports multiple operating systems.
  • Full terminal access for enhanced control.
  • Advanced multi-file agentic editing features.

Cons

  • No free tier available.
  • Requires setup for migration.

RooCode Overview

RooCode is a versatile plugin developed by Roo, compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. It integrates seamlessly with various large language models, including GPT-5 and Gemini 3.0, and supports a custom model known as The Coder. RooCode provides a large context window of 200k tokens and offers local inference capabilities. A key advantage is its seamless migration process and the availability of a free tier, making it accessible to a broader range of users. Although it lacks predictive edits, its strong privacy policies and certifications make it a reliable choice for developers.

Pros

  • Offers a free tier.
  • Seamless migration process.
  • Supports a custom model alongside popular LLMs.

Cons

  • Lacks predictive edits.
  • Plugin architecture may not suit all use cases.

Comparison Table

Feature OpenHands RooCode
Architecture Type cloud plugin
Supported Os Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Developer OpenHands Roo
Supported Llms GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Qwen3-Coder-30B, Gemini 3.0 GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3.0, Bedrock-Titan, Ollama-local
Custom Model The Coder
Context Window 200k tokens 200k tokens
Agentic Editing Yes, multi-file Yes, multi-file
Terminal Access Full Full
Privacy Mode Standard Privacy Policy Standard Privacy Policy
Certifications SOC2 Type II (Enterprise) SOC2 Type II (Enterprise)
About Price Contact Sales Free/Pro
Config File .openhandsrc .roorc
Migration Requires setup Seamless

Conclusion

Both OpenHands and RooCode offer robust features for developers, with OpenHands excelling in terminal access and predictive edits, while RooCode stands out with its free tier and seamless migration. The choice between the two depends largely on the specific needs and budget constraints of the user.