Devin Desktop vs Codex CLI

Comprehensive side-by-side comparison — features, pricing, performance, and more.

Data last refreshed August 2026

Devin Desktop

Cognition

Devin Desktop — command center for coding agents (formerly Windsurf)

Freemium

77% verification coverage

Codex CLI

OpenAI

Lightweight coding agent that runs in your terminal

Open Source

85% verification coverage

Trust & Reliability

Devin Desktop

Users:1M-10M

Customers (per vendor):Ramp, Harvey, NVIDIA +2

GDPR

SOC 2

Codex CLI

Uptime:99.95%Status page

Users:1M-10M

Customers (per vendor):NVIDIA, HeyGen, Cisco +7

GDPR

SOC 2

Too Close to Call

Devin Desktop (6.5) vs Codex CLI (6.2) — difference of 0.3 points

Scores are AI-estimated from publicly available data — not an independent test or a verified user rating. How we rank →

AI Comparison Summary

Devin Desktop

6.5

avg score

Codex CLI

6.2

avg score

Both tools score very similarly overall — the best choice depends on your specific priorities.

Based on 6 dimensions

Scores are AI-estimated from publicly available data — not an independent test or a verified user rating. How we rank →

Too close to call — it's a tie

Devin Desktop

Best For

Engineers managing multiple coding agents

Development teams needing shared context and Git worktrees

Developers seeking an AI-powered IDE for code generation and review

Enterprise teams requiring SSO, SCIM, and RBAC for agent management

Codex CLI

Best For

Developers who want an AI coding agent that runs locally in their terminal

Teams already on a ChatGPT Business or Enterprise plan wanting agentic coding included

Developers working in VS Code, Cursor or Windsurf who want the same agent in their IDE

* Verdict is based on our algorithmic scoring of publicly available data. Learn about our methodology

Devin Desktop is best for

✍️Writing & Content9.0💬Chat & Conversation9.0🔍Research8.0

Codex CLI is best for

✍️Writing & Content9.0💬Chat & Conversation9.0🔍Research8.0

Filter by your use case:

Limitations

Devin Desktop

Cons

Pricing for Enterprise plan requires contacting sales
Specific details on data retention policy are not explicitly stated

Codex CLI

Cons

Requires a paid ChatGPT plan (Plus, Pro, Business, Edu or Enterprise) or an API key to use
Usage limits are governed by the underlying ChatGPT plan, not by the CLI itself
Support is via the open-source GitHub repository and the OpenAI help centre

Weighted Score — Adjust What Matters to You

Pick a profile or drag sliders — scores and radar update instantly on the right.

Quick profiles:

Ease of Use5

Customization5

Support5

Integration5

Compliance & Data Protection5

Performance5

Planning Quality5

Dimension Comparison

Devin Desktop

6.5

/ 10

Your pick

Codex CLI

6.2

/ 10

Dimension Breakdown

Ease of Use

How intuitive is onboarding, UI navigation, and day-to-day usage for the target audience?

Devin Desktop

3.0

Codex CLI

3.0

Customization

Calculated

How much can users tailor workflows, settings, prompts, or outputs to their needs?

Devin Desktop

7.0

Codex CLI

8.0▲ +1.0

Support

How strong is the documentation, customer support, community, and learning resources?

Devin Desktop

8.0▲ +1.0

Codex CLI

7.0

Integration

Calculated

How well does it connect with other tools, APIs, and workflows?

Devin Desktop

7.0▲ +2.0

Codex CLI

5.0

Compliance & Data Protection

Calculated

Compliance certifications and data-protection posture, counted from ten verified signals: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR compliance, HIPAA, WCAG AA/AAA, PII redaction, licensed-only training, a published sub-processor list, a downloadable DPA, not training on user data, and a documented deletion path

Devin Desktop

6.0

Codex CLI

6.0

Performance

Calculated

Latency + throughput speed

Devin Desktop

8.0

Codex CLI

8.0

Planning Quality

Calculated

Multi-step planning depth + replanning capability

Devin Desktop

—

Codex CLI

—

Calculated = derived from structured signals (integration count, API/open-source config, compliance certs, response-time). AI = LLM-assessed from public website content. Methodology

Task Performance

Devin Desktop

Task

Codex CLI

9.0

Code Completion

5.0

6.0

Bug Detection

8.0

Code Explanation

8.0

Refactoring

8.0

7.0

Test Generation

8.0

9.0

Multi Language Support

8.0

9.0

Context Understanding

9.0

7.0

Documentation Generation

6.0

Performance Optimization

6.0

4.0

Security Scanning

7.0

4.0

Api Management

3.0

5.0

Ci Cd Integration

8.0

* Task scores (1–10) are algorithmically generated from publicly available data.

Data is sourced from public information and vendor websites. It may not always be up-to-date — verify pricing and features directly with the vendor before purchasing.Report inaccuracy

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main differences between Devin Desktop and Codex CLI?

Devin Desktop — "Devin Desktop — command center for coding agents (formerly Windsurf)". Codex CLI — "Lightweight coding agent that runs in your terminal". The Features section on this page compares them side by side.

Who is Devin Desktop best for compared with Codex CLI?

Devin Desktop is best for Engineers managing multiple coding agents; and for Development teams needing shared context and Git worktrees. Codex CLI is best for Developers who want an AI coding agent that runs locally in their terminal; and for Teams already on a ChatGPT Business or Enterprise plan wanting agentic coding included.

How does the pricing of Devin Desktop compare with Codex CLI?

Devin Desktop is freemium, includes a free plan, paid plans start at $20/month. Codex CLI is open source, includes a free plan, paid plans start at $8/month. Always verify current pricing with the vendor.

Does Devin Desktop or Codex CLI have a free plan?

Devin Desktop has a free plan. Codex CLI is open source. Always verify current pricing with the vendor.

Do Devin Desktop and Codex CLI offer an API?

Devin Desktop offers API access on its enterprise plans. Codex CLI offers a public API.

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