How I Replaced a $17 AI Tool with a Free Terminal Setup

Introduction

I was using a paid AI terminal tool that cost me around $17/month.

It worked well.
But after using it for 6 months, my subscription ended — and I didn’t want to keep paying.

So I started looking for alternatives.

Discovering a Free Alternative

That’s when I came across an open-source tool called OpenCode.

It lets you run AI directly inside your terminal.

And the best part?

It supports multiple models:

• Claude
• Gemini
• OpenAI

Setup (Takes Just a Few Minutes)

The setup was surprisingly simple:

1. Install OpenCode
2. Connect your AI provider (I used ChatGPT)
3. Authenticate

That’s it.

No complicated configuration.

What I Use It For

Now I can do everything directly from my terminal:

• Generate code
• Debug issues
• Run commands
• Ask technical questions

All without switching tabs or using any paid tools.

Why This Works So Well

• No extra cost
• No context switching
• Works inside my existing workflow
• Supports multiple AI models

It’s simple — but very effective for daily development.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes, you don’t need more tools.

You just need better setup.

Switching to this open-source approach saved me money and actually improved my workflow.

If you're using paid AI tools just for convenience,
it’s worth exploring free alternatives like this.

Originally published on Medium