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Comparing OpenHands and SWE-agent: A Detailed Analysis

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

OpenHands

OpenHands is a versatile cloud-based tool compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Developed by OpenHands, this platform supports advanced language models such as GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Qwen3-Coder-30B, and Gemini 3.0. With a robust context window of 200k tokens, it allows for extensive data handling and analysis. OpenHands stands out with its agentic editing capabilities, enabling multi-file edits, and provides full terminal access for comprehensive project management. It also supports local inference, enhancing its usability in diverse environments. The tool adheres to a standard privacy policy and is certified with SOC2 Type II for enterprise-level security. Pricing details are available upon contact with sales, and the setup involves configuring the .openhandsrc file.

Pros

  • Supports a wide range of operating systems.
  • Local inference capabilities.
  • Full terminal access and multi-file agentic editing.
  • Supports multiple advanced language models.

Cons

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

SWE-agent

SWE-agent, developed by SWE, is a cloud-based tool designed for Ubuntu operating systems, specifically versions 24.04 and 24.10. It boasts support for several cutting-edge language models, including Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 4, GPT-4o, GPT-5, and Gemini 1.0. With a similar context window of 200k tokens, SWE-agent facilitates expansive data processing. While it mirrors OpenHands in providing multi-file agentic editing and full terminal access, it does not offer local inference or predictive edits. The tool’s privacy measures adhere to standard policies and it holds the SOC2 Type II certification for enterprises. Users must contact sales for pricing details and configure the .sweagentrc file during the setup process.

Pros

  • Supports advanced language models.
  • Full terminal access and multi-file agentic editing.
  • Enterprise-level SOC2 Type II certification.

Cons

  • Limited to Ubuntu operating systems.
  • No local inference capabilities.
  • No predictive edits feature.

Comparison Table

Feature OpenHands SWE-agent
Architecture Type cloud cloud
Supported Os Windows, macOS, Linux Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 24.10
Developer OpenHands SWE
Supported Llms GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Qwen3-Coder-30B, Gemini 3.0 Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 4, GPT-4o, GPT-5, Gemini 1.0
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 Contact Sales
Config File .openhandsrc .sweagentrc
Migration Requires setup Requires setup

Conclusion

Both OpenHands and SWE-agent offer robust cloud-based solutions with full terminal access and multi-file agentic editing capabilities. OpenHands is more versatile in terms of operating system support and offers local inference, while SWE-agent focuses on specific Ubuntu versions with a strong suite of language models. The choice between the two would depend on the specific operating system requirements and the need for local inference functionalities.