About Open-Agent
Open-Agent is an open-source agentic AI project presented as an alternative to the Claude Agent SDK, ChatGPT Agents and Manus. The idea is that agentic systems can do meaningful work by operating computers, browsers and phones like a person, and that opening them up lets others modify and extend them. You chat with leading models while a multi-agent system works on your tasks, and you can use the project as the foundation for your own dedicated agent.
The key features are a customizable agent setup that integrates OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and open-source models, spec and context engineering that helps agents plan, score and surface options while you keep the final decision, and multi-agent collaboration in which several frontier models work together on a task. The project is open source and free to modify.
Deployment uses Docker Compose: you copy the example configuration and compose file into a folder, add your API keys to the configuration and start the stack. The code is TypeScript and licensed under Apache-2.0. The project welcomes contributions and has a Discord community, and the website open-agent.io provides more details.
Key features
- Multi-agent collaboration across several AI models
- Integrates OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and open models
- Spec and context engineering for planning
- Docker Compose deployment
- Configurable through a JSON file
- Open source and customizable
Good fit for
- →Running a self-hosted autonomous agent for research tasks
- →Using it as a base for a custom agent product
- Built with
- TypeScript
- Tags
- ai-agents
- multi-agent
- llm
- agentic-ai
- self-hosted
- docker
- openai
- claude
Open-Agent: questions and answers
- What is Open-Agent used for?
- Open-Agent is a self-hostable multi-agent AI system that coordinates OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and open-source models to complete tasks, as an open alternative to Manus. It is a good fit for running a self-hosted autonomous agent for research tasks and using it as a base for a custom agent product.
- Is Open-Agent open source?
- Yes. Open-Agent is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at AFK-surf/open-agent and is written mainly in TypeScript.
- Is Open-Agent free?
- Yes. Open-Agent is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
- Can I self-host Open-Agent?
- Yes. Open-Agent can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
- What is Open-Agent an alternative to?
- Open-Agent is an open-source alternative to ChatGPT, Claude and Manus. Other open-source alternatives to ChatGPT include Suna, Open WebUI and Hugging Face Chat UI.
- Is Open-Agent actively maintained?
- The most recent commit to Open-Agent was on 10 October 2025. The project has 1k stars on GitHub.
Open-source alternatives to Open-Agent
See all
Suna
AI Tools
The open-source AI Management System
OSSvs Manus★ 20k
Open WebUI
AI Tools
Run AI on your own terms. Connect any model, extend with code, and protect what matters wi
OSSvs ChatGPT★ 154k
Hugging Face Chat UI
AI Tools
The open source codebase powering HuggingChat
Apache-2.0vs ChatGPT★ 11k
LemonAI
AI Tools
Lemon AI is the first Full-stack Open-source Self-Evolving General AI Agent, offering a fu
OSSvs ChatGPT★ 1.6k
Zola Chat
AI Tools
Open chat interface for all your models.
Apache-2.0vs ChatGPT★ 1.5k
OpenClaw
AI Tools
The AI that really does things. Any OS. Any Platform. The lobster way. 🦞
OSSvs ChatGPT★ 391k
SaaS alternatives to Open-Agent
See all
ChatGPT
AI Tools
ChatGPT is OpenAI's conversational AI assistant for answering questions, writing, coding and analysis through web and mobile apps.
SaaS
Claude
AI Tools
AI assistant from Anthropic for writing, analysis, coding and document work
SaaS
Manus
AI Tools
General-purpose AI agent that carries out research, coding and web tasks autonomously
SaaS
Genspark
AI Tools
AI agent workspace for research, slides and task automation
SaaS
Aymo AI
AI Tools
Team workspace with access to GPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Grok and other AI models
SaaS
Claude Cowork
AI Tools
Agent mode in Claude Desktop for working across files and multi-step tasks
SaaS

