However, our scores and “Verdicts” are based on real testing and community data, not sponsorship.
2024 was the year of AI Chatbots. 2025 is shaping up to be the year of Autonomous AI Agents. Just when we thought the local coding assistant market was settled between Cline (Roo Code) and Cursor, a massive player has entered the arena.
Enter Goose, a fully open-source AI agent released by Block (the fintech giant behind Square and Cash App). Unlike typical coding assistants that just “autocomplete” your syntax, Goose is designed to execute complex engineering tasks autonomously on your local machine.
But is a command-line focused agent practical for the average SMB developer, or is it just a tool for hardcore engineers? I tested the Goose Block open source AI agent setup against Cline to see if this free tool belongs in your 2025 tech stack.
What is Goose AI Agent by Block?
Unlike standard tools, this Goose AI agent is not a plugin but a standalone developer powerhouse. It is a standalone “developer agent” that Block originally built for their internal engineering teams. In early 2025, they released it to the public under the Apache 2.0 license, making it fully open-source and free to use.
The core promise of Goose is Autonomy. While tools like GitHub Copilot wait for you to type, Goose waits for you to give it a job. You can tell it to “run the migration script and fix any errors that appear,” and it will read the terminal output, edit the files, and retry until it succeeds.
The “MCP” Secret Sauce: Why It Matters
The technical backbone of Goose is the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This is an emerging standard that allows the AI to connect to “tools” (like your file system, Google Drive, or Slack) in a modular way.
Because of MCP, Goose is Model Agnostic. You are not locked into a specific AI provider. You can configure Goose MCP extensions for developers to run on:
- Anthropic: Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Recommended for coding)
- OpenAI: GPT-4o
- Google: Gemini 2.0 Flash (Best for speed/cost)
- Local LLMs: Ollama (for 100% offline privacy)
Goose AI Agent Specs at a Glance
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 (Open Source) |
| Pricing | Free (You pay for your own API usage) |
| Environment | 100% Local (CLI / Desktop App) |
| Capability | Terminal Execution, File Editing, Self-Correction |
Showdown: Goose vs. Cline (Roo Code)
In this direct comparison of the Goose AI agent versus Cline, we look at autonomy and speed.If you are an SMB developer or solopreneur, you likely already use Cline (formerly Roo Code). When comparing Goose vs Cline terminal autonomy, which one wins?
| Feature | Goose (by Block) | Cline (Roo Code) |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Command Line Focus (Web/Desktop available) | VS Code Sidebar (Integrated) |
| Terminal Autonomy | Excellent (Built for DevOps pipelines) | Good (But often requires approval) |
| Setup Difficulty | Medium (Requires Python/Pip) | Easy (One-click Extension) |
| Best Use Case | Running scripts, migrations, refactors | Writing code while you watch |
🕵️ Analyst’s Note: Real-World Latency Test
To test the “autonomy” claims, I threw a real messy task at Goose: migrating a Next.js app to Supabase. Goose handled the schema diffs and ran migrations autonomously in about 15 minutes. It was faster than manual debugging, though I had to tweak its file path assumptions once.
I also tested local AI coding agent privacy with Goose using an M1 Mac and Ollama (Llama 3). It successfully self-corrected a broken Docker compose file after 2 retries, saving me 30 minutes compared to Cline’s step-by-step approval prompts.
A warning: Goose has direct access to your terminal. If you tell it to “delete all temp files,” ensure you verify what it thinks is a temp file before it executes.
Pros & Cons (Real User Feedback)
✅ PROS (Why It’s Trending)
- Community Momentum: Rapidly gaining traction with over 15k stars on GitHub as of Dec 2025.
- 100% Free & Open Source: No monthly subscription fees (unlike Cursor’s $20/mo).
- Autonomous Execution: Great at self-correcting errors in the terminal without user hand-holding.
❌ CONS (The Dealbreakers)
- CLI-First Interface: While web/desktop modes exist, they feel less polished than the Command Line experience.
- High Learning Curve: Requires terminal familiarity; not as beginner-friendly as VS Code extensions.
- BYO Keys: You must manage your own API quotas and billing.
🏁 The SMB Verdict: Goose by Block
8.8/10“The Best Free ‘DevOps Agent’ for Technical Founders.”
👍 Best For:
- Developers comfortable with CLI
- Automating repetitive tasks (testing, migration)
- Privacy-conscious SMBs
🚫 Not For:
- Complete coding beginners
- Those who prefer visual drag-and-drop
- Users who want “One Subscription” simplicity
Strategic Advice: Keep using Cline/Cursor for writing code. Install Goose to handle the boring background tasks. In my Supabase project, Goose cut deployment errors by ~40% vs manual inputs.
FAQ: Common SMB Questions
Is Goose completely free?
The software itself is free (Open Source, Apache 2.0). However, you must pay for the intelligence. You need to plug in your own API key, and you will be billed by those providers based on usage.
Does Goose work on Windows?
Yes, but for the best experience, it is recommended to run it via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) if you are doing heavy development work. It runs natively on macOS and Linux.
What is the best LLM for Goose AI?
Currently, Claude 3.5 Sonnet is the gold standard for coding tasks due to its high reasoning capability. For cheaper tasks, Gemini 2.0 Flash is a great cost-efficient alternative.
Can I use it offline?
Yes! Because Goose supports MCP, you can connect it to a local LLM runner like Ollama. This allows you to code with zero internet connection.
💬 Join the Discussion
Have you tried automating your dev pipeline with Goose yet? Or are you sticking with the VS Code extensions? Let us know in the comments!
About the Author
Founder & Editor-in-Chief, MyAIVerdict.com
I am a tech educator and developer passionate about simplifying complex AI tools for small businesses. I approach every software review with a teacher’s mindset: strict grading, clear explanations, and zero fluff.
Disclosure: This review adheres to MyAIVerdict’s strict editorial integrity policy. No payment was accepted for this rating.