---
title: "ChatGPT Desktop vs Codex CLI"
description: "ChatGPT Desktop is a desktop app, Codex CLI is a terminal agent. ChatGPT Desktop runs Codex CLI on the login you already have for it."
canonical_url: "https://whichcoding.tools/compare/chatgpt-desktop-vs-codex-cli"
---
# ChatGPT Desktop vs Codex CLI

> ChatGPT Desktop is a desktop app by OpenAI. Codex CLI is a terminal agent by OpenAI. Every cell below is read from the directory data and points back to a vendor page.

## General

|  | ChatGPT Desktop | Codex CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Layer | Desktop app | Terminal agent, Editor extension, Cloud agent |
| Vendor | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Website | [chatgpt.com/download](https://chatgpt.com/download) | [learn.chatgpt.com/docs/codex/cli](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/codex/cli) |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Linux, Windows |
| License | Proprietary (Proprietary) | Apache-2.0 (Open source) |
| Status | active | active |

## Pricing

|  | ChatGPT Desktop | Codex CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | Free | Free |
| Top individual plan | $100/mo | $100/mo |
| Team plan | $25/user/mo | $25/user/mo |
| Included usage | — | — |
| Beyond the plan | Rate limited, API list price | Rate limited, API list price |
| Part of a plan | ChatGPT | ChatGPT |

## Models

|  | ChatGPT Desktop | Codex CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Providers | OpenAI | OpenAI |
| Bring your own key | Partial BYOK | BYOK |
| Local models | No | No |

## Features

|  | ChatGPT Desktop | Codex CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Git worktrees | Yes | Yes |
| Parallel agents | Yes | No |
| Subagents | Yes | Yes |
| MCP client | Yes | Yes |
| ACP agent | No | Yes |
| Browser automation | Yes | No |
| Sandboxing | Yes | Yes |
| Remote execution | No | Yes |
| Mobile companion | Yes | No |
| Scheduled tasks | Yes | No |
| Diff review | Yes | Yes |
| Checkpoints | No | Yes |
| Plugins | Yes | Yes |
| Hooks | Yes | Yes |

## Works with

|  | ChatGPT Desktop | Codex CLI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Runs | Codex CLI | — |
| Runs inside | — | agent-manager, ChatGPT Desktop, Claude Squad, cmux, Conductor, Devin Desktop, dmux, Emdash, goose, Herdr, JetBrains AI, Multica, Nimbalyst, OpenHands, Orca, Paseo, Superset, T3 Code, Vibe Kanban, Visual Studio Code, Warp, Xcode, YYLO, Zed |
| Pricing verified | 2026-09-08 | 2026-10-06 |

## Related

[Add more tools](https://whichcoding.tools/compare?tools=chatgpt-desktop,codex-cli), up to four at a time.

Data: CC BY 4.0. Credit whichcoding.tools and link to https://whichcoding.tools. Full terms in [LICENSE-DATA](https://github.com/benjamincanac/whichcodingtools/blob/main/LICENSE-DATA).

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