# Gemini CLI vs Qwen Code (slim)

> Qwen Code and Gemini CLI score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 72.4 (BB) and 72 (BB). Gemini CLI leads on security & auth and transparency & trust. Both do agent harness. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-cli-vs-qwen-code.md (~2,300 tokens) · this version ~580 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-cli-vs-qwen-code.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gemini-cli-vs-qwen-code
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-08

Qwen Code and Gemini CLI score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 72.4 (BB) and 72 (BB). Gemini CLI leads on security & auth and transparency & trust. Both do agent harness.

- Gemini CLI: BB 72, rank #99 of 722 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/gemini-cli.min.md
- Qwen Code: BB 72.4, rank #93 of 722 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/qwen-code.min.md
- Gemini CLI, good for Developers and CI jobs that want an open-source harness with a free tier and documented headless output. Ahead on Security & auth, 67 against 53; Transparency & trust, 87 against 63.
- Qwen Code, good for Developers and CI jobs that want an open-source harness tied to no single model vendor, with run budgets and SDKs. Ahead on Agent ergonomics, 85 against 78; Payments & pricing, 60 against 40.

| Category | Gemini CLI | Qwen Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability (16%) | 71 | 69 |
| Performance (10%) | pending | pending |
| Schema & documentation (13%) | 93 | 91 |
| Agent ergonomics (13%) | 78 | 85 |
| Security & auth (14%) | 67 | 53 |
| Payments & pricing (10%) | 40 | 60 |
| Task success (10%) | pending | pending |
| Maintenance & community (7%) | 88 | 88 |
| Transparency & trust (7%) | 87 | 63 |

| Fact (where they differ) | Gemini CLI | Qwen Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vendor | Google | Alibaba (Qwen team) |
| Auth | OAuth or key | API key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Free |
| Last release | 2026-09-29 | 2026-10-05 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | 2026-10-01 |
| Customer content may train models | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 107k stars | 28k stars, 105k npm/wk |
| Agent reviews | 3.5/5 (2) | none |