Zerg Client

Last tested:

Zerg Client is zerg Terminal Client (ZTC): a CLI and macOS desktop AI coding agent that plans changes, edits code and runs tests in your project. Use a ZergAI login with Zerg Router billing, or bring your own provider API keys and switch models mid-session with /model. Headless on macOS, Linux and Windows; native terminal and desktop app currently Apple Silicon macOS (category: Coding Agents (CLI & Cloud)). VibeToolRank agent test score: 9.1/10 (tested 2026-11-11, 3 runs, Headless CLI, BYOK), T-6 of 15 tested Coding Agents (CLI & Cloud) tools. Pricing: Free to evaluate under the Zerg Source Available License; commercial use needs a paid license. Model usage is billed separately (Zerg Router or your own provider keys). No Zerg account required if you use local API keys. Free tier: Yes: free evaluation of the CLI/desktop under the source-available license; bring your own model keys or use Zerg Router billing. Commercial use requires a license (official product page, verified 2026-11-06).

Key facts

Verdict: Zerg Client fixed our seeded cart discount bug in 3 of 3 headless runs (17–33s each) with a free OpenRouter model, ran the tests itself, and never touched the test file.

VibeToolRank score
9.1/10
Rank
T-6 of 15 tested Coding Agents (CLI & Cloud)
Category
Coding Agents (CLI & Cloud)
Last tested
2026-11-11
Runs
3 runs
Outcome score
10/10
Edition tested
ZTC 0.18.0-beta.1 headless CLI with OpenRouter free model cohere/north-mini-code:free (BYOK via openai_compatible, no Zerg account, $0)
Free plan
Yes: free evaluation of the CLI/desktop under the source-available license; bring your own model keys or use Zerg Router billing. Commercial use requires a license (official product page, verified 2026-11-06)
Price
Free to evaluate under the Zerg Source Available License; commercial use needs a paid license. Model usage is billed separately (Zerg Router or your own provider keys). No Zerg account required if you use local API keys
Pricing checked
2026-11-06
Sources
zergai.com/ztc · npmjs.com/package/@zergai/ztc · news.ycombinator.com/item · test log in our repo

Visit Zerg Client

Pricing and free tier

Current official pricing (checked ): Free to evaluate under the Zerg Source Available License; commercial use needs a paid license. Model usage is billed separately (Zerg Router or your own provider keys). No Zerg account required if you use local API keys

Is Zerg Client free? Yes: free evaluation of the CLI/desktop under the source-available license; bring your own model keys or use Zerg Router billing. Commercial use requires a license (official product page, verified 2026-11-06)

verified-official official source · full-page-read. Official plan limits can change; re-check the vendor page before paying. Figures from our tests are recorded observations, not a current-capacity promise.

Agent test verdict

Edition tested ZTC 0.18.0-beta.1 headless CLI with OpenRouter free model cohere/north-mini-code:free (BYOK via openai_compatible, no Zerg account, $0). Results may differ for the hosted product.

Tested 2026-11-11 · 3 runs · rubric v0.1 (provisional thresholds). Zerg Client fixed our seeded cart discount bug in 3 of 3 headless runs (17–33s each) with a free OpenRouter model, ran the tests itself, and never touched the test file. Cost $0. Overall 9.1 (outcome 10, speed 9, cost 9, DX 6, reliability 10). DX lost points because the Linux npm install needed --ignore-scripts, the built-in Gemini provider failed with a free key, and headless output is noisy. Cost is 9 because the licence is free for evaluation only; commercial use needs a paid licence. We tested the headless CLI only, not the macOS desktop app or Zerg Router models.

DimensionScore /10
Outcome (40%)10
Speed (15%)9
Cost (15%)9
Developer experience (15%)6
Reliability (15%)10
Overall9.1

Pros, cons and who it's for

Pros

  • Fixed the seeded bug in 3/3 headless runs with a free model
  • Ran node --test itself and exited cleanly (exit 0) every run
  • BYOK with no Zerg account: three environment variables and --auth-mode direct
  • Did not modify the test file in any run

Cons

  • Linux npm install failed until we used --ignore-scripts (node-pty build needs make)
  • Native Gemini provider returned 400 schema errors with a free key in our test
  • Headless output repeats long checkpoint blocks; interactive TUI and desktop app are Apple Silicon only
  • Free for evaluation only; commercial use needs a signed licence

Who it's for: Developers who want a terminal (and optional macOS desktop) coding agent with BYOK or Zerg Router billing, including headless runs on Linux/Windows.

FAQ

Is Zerg Client free?

Yes: free evaluation of the CLI/desktop under the source-available license; bring your own model keys or use Zerg Router billing. Commercial use requires a license (official product page, verified 2026-11-06).

How did Zerg Client score in VibeToolRank's test?

9.1/10 overall (outcome 10, speed 9, cost 9, developer experience 6, reliability 10), 3 runs on 2026-11-11. Zerg Client fixed our seeded cart discount bug in 3 of 3 headless runs (17–33s each) with a free OpenRouter model, ran the tests itself, and never touched the test file.

How much does Zerg Client cost?

Free to evaluate under the Zerg Source Available License; commercial use needs a paid license. Model usage is billed separately (Zerg Router or your own provider keys). No Zerg account required if you use local API keys (from the official pricing page, checked 2026-11-06).

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Sources

Scores come from our own tests and are never for sale; sponsored placements are always labelled. Some links are affiliate links (currently Railway). Disclosure