Codex CLI vs Droid CLI: OpenAI's Agent vs Terminal-Bench Champion
A comprehensive comparison between OpenAI's Codex CLI and Factory AI's Droid CLI, the #1 ranked agent on Terminal-Bench. Discover how these powerful coding agents compare.
Codex CLI vs Droid CLI: OpenAI's Agent vs Terminal-Bench Champion
OpenAI's official coding agent faces off against the benchmark leader: Codex CLI, built in Rust with GPT-5-Codex optimization, versus Droid CLI from Factory AI, which achieved the #1 position on Terminal-Bench with a 58.75% score. This comparison explores how the AI giant's tool compares to the enterprise-focused challenger.
Overview
Codex CLI
Codex CLI is OpenAI's open-source coding agent that runs locally from your terminal. Built in Rust for speed and efficiency, it features GPT-5-Codex optimization, cloud task integration, and is included with ChatGPT subscriptions.
Key Highlights:
- Open source (built in Rust)
- GPT-5-Codex optimized for software engineering
- Full-screen terminal UI with real-time collaboration
- Cloud integration for remote task execution
- Agent Skills system with SKILL.md files
- Built-in code review before commits
- Included with ChatGPT Plus/Pro/Business/Enterprise
Droid CLI
Droid CLI is Factory AI's enterprise-grade software development agent, ranking #1 on Terminal-Bench with a 58.75% score. It offers multi-model support, specialized subagents, and deep enterprise integration across IDE, Web, CLI, Slack, and project management tools.
Key Highlights:
- #1 on Terminal-Bench (58.75% score)
- Multi-model (Anthropic + OpenAI in one subscription)
- Specialized droids (Code, Knowledge, Reliability, Product)
- Tiered autonomy levels for CI/CD
- 40+ pre-configured MCP servers
- Multi-interface (CLI, IDE, Web, Slack, Linear)
Terminal-Bench Performance
The benchmark scores reveal a significant performance gap:
| Agent | Model | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Droid | Opus 4.1 | 58.8% |
| Droid | GPT-5 (medium) | 52.5% |
| Droid | Sonnet 4 | 50.5% |
| Codex CLI | GPT-5 | 42.8% |
Key Insight: Droid CLI with GPT-5 (52.5%) significantly outperforms Codex CLI with GPT-5 (42.8%), demonstrating that Factory AI's agent architecture extracts more capability from the same underlying model.
Technical Architecture
| Aspect | Codex CLI | Droid CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | OpenAI | Factory AI |
| Language | Rust (open source) | Not disclosed |
| Architecture | Local + cloud | SaaS with cloud sync |
| Runtime | Native binary | Native binary |
| Platform | macOS, Linux, Windows | macOS, Linux, Windows |
| License | Open Source | Proprietary (subscription) |
| Source Code | Available (GitHub) | Closed |
Analysis: Codex CLI is open source with inspectable Rust code. Droid CLI is proprietary but achieves superior benchmark performance through optimized agent architecture.
AI Model Support
| Feature | Codex CLI | Droid CLI |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Models | Yes (GPT-5-Codex, GPT-5) | Yes (GPT-5, included) |
| Claude Models | No | Yes (Opus, Sonnet, included) |
| Gemini Models | No | Yes (included) |
| Model Switching | Yes (/model) | Yes (/model) |
| Reasoning Levels | Adjustable | Configurable (off/low/medium/high) |
| BYOK Support | Via ChatGPT subscription | Optional |
| Factory Models | No | Yes (droid-core) |
Analysis: Droid CLI's multi-model subscription is a major differentiator—access both OpenAI and Anthropic models in one plan. Codex CLI is locked to the OpenAI ecosystem.
Pricing and Access
Codex CLI
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus | $20/month, includes Codex |
| ChatGPT Pro | Higher limits |
| ChatGPT Business | Team features |
| ChatGPT Enterprise | Custom plans |
Droid CLI
| Tier | Details |
|---|---|
| Free Trial | 1 month with premium model access |
| Professional | Subscription-based |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing with security |
Analysis: Droid CLI's free trial includes premium models from both Anthropic and OpenAI, allowing direct comparison before committing. Codex CLI requires an existing ChatGPT subscription.
Terminal User Interface
| Feature | Codex CLI | Droid CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Framework | Custom (Rust) | Custom TUI |
| UI Style | Full-screen collaborative | Full TUI |
| Diff View | Standard | GitHub or Unified (configurable) |
| Sound Notifications | No | Yes (customizable) |
| Plan Preview | Shows plan before changes | Specification Mode |
| Screenshot Input | Yes | Not documented |
| Todo Display | Standard | Pinned or inline |
Analysis: Droid CLI offers more customization with configurable diff views, sound notifications, and flexible todo positioning. Codex CLI emphasizes real-time plan preview.
Operating Modes
Codex CLI Approval Modes
| Mode | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Read-only | Explicit approvals for all actions |
| Auto | Full workspace access, approvals outside |
| Full Access | Read anywhere, run with network |
Droid CLI Autonomy Levels
| Level | Capabilities | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Default | Read-only reconnaissance | Safe exploration |
--auto low | Safe edits (files, formatters) | Code modifications |
--auto medium | Development work (tests, builds) | Active development |
--auto high | CI/CD operations (git push, deploys) | Automation |
Analysis: Droid CLI's four-tier autonomy system provides finer granularity for CI/CD integration. Both provide clear security boundaries with configurable approval levels.
Skills and Subagents
Codex CLI Agent Skills
SKILL.md System:
name: api-generator
description: Generates REST API endpoints
tools:
- shell
- file_write
- Markdown-based skill definitions
- Asset bundling (scripts, resources)
- Shared across CLI and IDE
Droid CLI Specialized Droids
| Droid | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Code Droid | Core development tasks |
| Knowledge Droid | Research, documentation, Q&A |
| Reliability Droid | On-call, RCA, incident response |
| Product Droid | Backlog, tickets, specs |
Tool Categories:
| Category | Tools | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
read-only | Read, LS, Grep, Glob | Safe analysis |
edit | Create, Edit, ApplyPatch | Code changes |
execute | Execute | Shell commands |
web | WebSearch, FetchUrl | Research |
mcp | Dynamic | MCP tools |
Claude Code Import: Droid CLI can import existing Claude Code agents.
Analysis: Droid CLI's pre-built specialized droids with tool categories provide enterprise-ready capabilities out of the box. Codex CLI's SKILL.md is more flexible but requires custom development.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) Support
| Feature | Codex CLI | Droid CLI |
|---|---|---|
| MCP Support | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-configured Registry | Community | 40+ servers |
| Transport: Stdio | Yes | Yes |
| Transport: HTTP | Yes (streaming) | Yes |
| OAuth Support | Manual | Yes (browser flow) |
| Token Storage | Manual | System keyring |
| Run as MCP Server | Yes | No |
| Interactive Manager | codex mcp | /mcp (full UI) |
Popular Droid MCP Integrations:
- Linear, Sentry, Notion, Supabase
- Stripe, Vercel, Figma
- Airtable, ClickUp, HubSpot
Analysis: Droid CLI's MCP ecosystem is significantly more mature with 40+ pre-configured servers and automatic OAuth flows. Codex CLI can uniquely run as an MCP server.
Cloud and Remote Features
Codex CLI Cloud
# Submit cloud task
codex cloud exec "Refactor module"
# Apply cloud diff
codex cloud apply
- Remote task execution on OpenAI infrastructure
- Diff application from cloud
- Session synchronization
Droid CLI Cloud
- Cloud-synced sessions across devices
- Same context across CLI, IDE, Web, Slack
- Enterprise data residency options
- No compute offloading (runs locally)
Analysis: Codex CLI's cloud focuses on compute offloading. Droid CLI's cloud focuses on session continuity across interfaces—different approaches to remote capabilities.
Multi-Interface Access
| Interface | Codex CLI | Droid CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal CLI | Yes | Yes |
| VS Code | Extension | Native extension |
| JetBrains | Extension | Native extension |
| Web Browser | Via ChatGPT | Yes (full interface) |
| Slack | No | Yes |
| Linear | No | Yes |
| Jira | No | Yes (context import) |
| Notion | No | Yes (context import) |
Analysis: Droid CLI's multi-interface approach is a major differentiator. The same context follows you across terminal, IDE, browser, and productivity tools. Codex CLI focuses primarily on CLI and IDE.
CI/CD Integration
Codex CLI
# Non-interactive execution
codex exec "Fix failing tests"
# Short form
codex e "Run linting"
execmode for CI pipelines- Structured output support
- Single-task execution
Droid CLI
# Headless execution
droid exec "Fix failing tests"
# With autonomy level
droid exec --auto medium "Run tests and fix"
# From file
droid exec -f migration-plan.md
# JSON output
droid exec -o json "Analyze vulnerabilities"
- Tiered autonomy for CI
- Massively parallel execution (hundreds of agents)
- Self-healing builds
- Structured JSON output
Analysis: Droid CLI is architected for enterprise CI/CD with parallel execution and tiered autonomy. Codex CLI provides basic CI support with exec mode.
Code Review
Codex CLI
Built-in code review:
codex review
- Dedicated review command
- Pre-commit integration
- Separate agent reviews code
Droid CLI
- Review via custom droids
- Can configure review-focused droids
- No dedicated built-in command
Analysis: Codex CLI has first-class code review built-in. Droid CLI requires configuring custom droids for review workflows.
Enterprise Features
| Feature | Codex CLI | Droid CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-interface | CLI, IDE | CLI, IDE, Web, Slack, Linear |
| Security Audits | Basic | Automatic vulnerability flagging |
| Ticket Integration | No | Jira, Linear, Notion |
| Team Sharing | Via ChatGPT | Project-level configs |
| Audit Logging | Basic | Full traceability |
| IP Protection | Via Enterprise | Enterprise-grade |
| Parallel Execution | No | Hundreds of agents |
| Claude Code Import | No | Yes |
Analysis: Droid CLI is architected for enterprise with ticket integration, compliance features, and massively parallel execution. Codex CLI relies on ChatGPT Enterprise for team features.
Unique Features
Codex CLI Exclusive
- Open Source - Full Rust source on GitHub
- GPT-5-Codex - OpenAI's coding-optimized model
- Cloud Tasks - Remote execution on OpenAI infrastructure
- SKILL.md System - Asset-bundled skill definitions
- Built-in Code Review - Dedicated review command
- Run as MCP Server - Other agents can consume Codex
- Screenshot Input - Direct screenshot analysis
- ChatGPT Ecosystem - Native integration
Droid CLI Exclusive
- #1 Terminal-Bench - 58.75% state-of-the-art score
- Multi-Model - Anthropic + OpenAI in one subscription
- Specialized Droids - Code, Knowledge, Reliability, Product
- 40+ MCP Registry - Pre-configured integrations
- Massively Parallel - Hundreds of agents simultaneously
- Tiered Autonomy - Granular CI/CD control
- Multi-Interface - CLI, IDE, Web, Slack, Linear
- Ticket Integration - Jira, Linear, Notion native
- Claude Code Import - Migrate existing agents
- Enterprise Security - Audits, compliance, traceability
Use Case Recommendations
Choose Codex CLI If You:
- Want open-source transparency (Rust codebase)
- Are already a ChatGPT subscriber
- Need GPT-5-Codex optimization
- Want cloud task offloading to OpenAI
- Need built-in code review before commits
- Want to run the agent as an MCP server
- Prefer screenshot input in workflows
- Value inspectable source code
Choose Droid CLI If You:
- Need the highest benchmark performance (#1 Terminal-Bench)
- Want multi-model access (Anthropic + OpenAI)
- Require specialized droids for different tasks
- Need 40+ pre-configured MCP integrations
- Require enterprise ticket integration (Jira, Linear)
- Need massively parallel execution for migrations
- Want multi-interface (CLI, IDE, Web, Slack)
- Require tiered autonomy for CI/CD
- Have existing Claude Code agents to import
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Category | Winner | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark Performance | Droid | 58.75% vs 42.8% |
| Open Source | Codex | Full source available |
| Model Variety | Droid | Anthropic + OpenAI combined |
| MCP Ecosystem | Droid | 40+ pre-configured servers |
| Code Review | Codex | Built-in review command |
| Specialized Agents | Droid | Code, Knowledge, Reliability droids |
| CI/CD Integration | Droid | Tiered autonomy, parallel execution |
| Multi-Interface | Droid | CLI, IDE, Web, Slack, Linear |
| Cloud Compute | Codex | Task offloading to OpenAI |
| Enterprise Features | Droid | Ticket integration, compliance |
| MCP Server Mode | Codex | Can run as MCP server |
| Extensibility | Tie | Different approaches, both strong |
Migration Considerations
From Codex CLI to Droid CLI
- Create Factory account (free trial available)
- Skills need conversion to Droid format
- Cloud tasks replaced with local execution
- Benefit: +16% benchmark improvement
- Benefit: Multi-model access
- Benefit: Specialized droids
- Benefit: Enterprise integrations
From Droid CLI to Codex CLI
- Requires ChatGPT subscription
- Custom droids need conversion to SKILL.md
- Only OpenAI models available
- Note: Lower benchmark scores
- Note: Multi-interface unavailable
- Benefit: Open source transparency
- Benefit: Cloud task offloading
- Benefit: Built-in code review
Conclusion
Codex CLI and Droid CLI represent different priorities in AI coding agents:
Codex CLI excels in transparency and OpenAI integration. Its open-source Rust codebase, GPT-5-Codex optimization, and cloud task offloading make it ideal for developers who value code transparency and are invested in the OpenAI ecosystem. The built-in code review and MCP server capability provide unique workflow options.
Droid CLI excels in benchmark performance and enterprise integration. Its #1 Terminal-Bench score (58.75% vs 42.8%) demonstrates superior agent architecture. Multi-model support, specialized droids, 40+ MCP integrations, and enterprise ticket system integration make it the clear choice for teams and enterprises.
The benchmark gap is significant: Droid CLI with GPT-5 outperforms Codex CLI with GPT-5 by nearly 10 percentage points, showing that agent architecture matters as much as the underlying model.
For developers prioritizing open source and OpenAI ecosystem integration, Codex CLI delivers with full source transparency. For teams and enterprises needing maximum performance, multi-model flexibility, and deep enterprise integration, Droid CLI's benchmark leadership and feature set are hard to match.
Looking for more options? Discover NovaKit CLI - combining semantic code search, full LSP integration, and flexible multi-provider support in one powerful tool.