Our verdict: goose is a capable free agent for people who already have an AI provider: it runs on your PC, edits files, runs commands and connects to tools through MCP extensions. The app itself costs nothing, but you pay your model provider unless you run local models through Ollama. On Windows it comes as a ZIP file without an installer.
About goose
goose is a general-purpose AI agent for coding, research, writing, automation and data analysis. It was created by Block and is now part of the Agentic AI Foundation at the Linux Foundation. The project includes a desktop app, a CLI and an API, is written in Rust and is licensed under Apache 2.0. The desktop app and the CLI share the same provider, model and extension settings.
goose does not include its own model. You connect one of more than 15 providers, such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Azure, Bedrock, OpenRouter or a local Ollama server, using an API key, or sign in with an existing ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini subscription. More than 70 extensions connect it to other tools through the Model Context Protocol. With a cloud provider, your prompts and the files goose reads are sent to that provider.
What it does well
- Desktop app, CLI and API. Use the same agent in a window, in a terminal or embedded in other software.
- 15+ model providers. Works with Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Ollama, OpenRouter, Azure, Bedrock and others.
- Subscription sign-in. Can use an existing ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini subscription instead of an API key.
- MCP extensions. Connects to more than 70 extensions through the Model Context Protocol.
- Custom distributions. Organisations can build their own version with preset providers and extensions.
Who it is for
Good fit
Developers and power users who want an open-source agent and already pay for an AI provider.
Look elsewhere
Users who want a ready-to-use assistant without setting up a provider, or a classic installer.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and open source under Apache 2.0
- Works with many cloud providers and local Ollama models
- Desktop app and CLI share one configuration
Cons
- Needs your own AI provider, which usually costs money
- Windows version is a ZIP without an installer
- Agent actions on files and commands need careful review
How to install goose
The download button gets the 64-bit Windows ZIP from the official GitHub releases. Unzip it and run the goose executable; a separate CUDA build is listed on the releases page. On first launch choose a provider and enter an API key, or sign in with a supported subscription. If you configure a provider manually and see keyring errors, set the API key as an environment variable.
Questions about goose
Is goose free?
Yes. goose is open source under the Apache 2.0 license. You pay only for the AI provider you connect, unless you use local models through Ollama.
Does goose run AI models locally?
goose runs on your PC, but the model comes from the provider you choose. With a local Ollama server, prompts stay on your machine; with cloud providers they are sent to that provider.
Who develops goose?
goose was created by Block and is now part of the Agentic AI Foundation at the Linux Foundation, with contributions from the community.
