Compare
OB-1 vs Gemini CLI
Gemini CLI launched in June 2025 with a generous free tier — 1,000 requests a day at no charge. In March 2026 the free tier was cut to Flash-only models, and on June 18, 2026 Google shut it off entirely, pointing users to the closed-source Antigravity CLI. OB-1's free path is a router built into the CLI; new free models reach free users after 30 days and paid users immediately.
Choose OB-1 when you want a free path that no single vendor can revoke, plus provider-neutral routing and inspectable memory.
Choose Gemini CLI's successor (Antigravity CLI) when you are committed to Google's models and comfortable with a closed-source client and Google-managed access.
| Question | OB-1 | Gemini CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Default route | Built-in free-model router, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint | Google sign-in to Gemini / Antigravity models |
| Free tier durability | Free users get new free models after 30 days; hosted plans get them immediately | Free tier shut off Jun 18, 2026; replaced by the closed-source Antigravity CLI |
| License posture | Apache-2.0 CLI | Gemini CLI was Apache-2.0; the Antigravity CLI successor is closed source |
| Provider choice | Built-in free router, OpenRouter, Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp, vLLM, Groq, Gemini, custom | Google's Gemini models only |
| Local models | Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp, vLLM, custom | Not supported |
| Sandboxing | Seatbelt/bubblewrap modes plus permission controls | Docker/Podman or macOS seatbelt sandbox — a genuine strength |
| Memory | Inspectable local memory graph | GEMINI.md context files |
| Hosted dependency | Optional paid convenience tier; the CLI works without it | Access depends on Google's service and its terms |
Practical read
- Gemini CLI's free tier was real and generous at launch (1,000 requests a day). The problem was durability: Google narrowed it to Flash-only in March 2026 and ended it in June 2026.
- OB-1's free path uses a local router, so one vendor's policy change can't remove it — the free tier is not a hosted allowance someone else controls.
- Gemini CLI's sandboxing and Google-model quality were genuinely good; the honest comparison is about who controls the free path, not whether Gemini was capable.