Is ZCode Free? Pricing, Free Plan and Limits (2026)

No, ZCode's site does not list a free plan or free trial. You can download the ZCode desktop app from the site, which shows no price for the download, but the coding plans it promotes (the GLM Coding Plan from Z.AI) start at a regular $18 a month, currently shown at a lower $12.6 a month. See our ZCode tool page for an overview.

By PowerfulAI.tools Editorial Team · Checked against the official site on 12 November 2026

ZCode is a desktop app for "vibe coding" that runs multiple AI agents on one goal and is billed on its site as the official app for the GLM-5.3 model. Below is what we could confirm about free access, what the plans cost, and which free tools do a similar job.

Is there any free option?

Not one the site spells out. The ZCode homepage offers installers to download and a "Log in" link, then a section headed "Code with GLM Coding Plan" with three paid plans. We found no free plan, no free trial and no free usage allowance on the page we read.

What we can say about the download itself:

• macOS: Apple Silicon and Intel installers (.dmg)
• Windows: 64-bit and ARM64 installers (.exe)
• Linux (marked Beta): x64 and ARM64 builds as .deb, .rpm and .AppImage

The version listed for every platform was v3.17.2. The site does not say whether the app does anything useful without a paid plan or another model subscription, so don't assume it does. If cost is the deciding factor, check the plan details on z.ai before you install.

ZCode pricing

These are the GLM Coding Plan prices as the ZCode homepage shows them. Each plan shows a lower figure next to a higher one, and the lower figure is 30% below the higher. The page does not say how long the lower price lasts or whether it applies only to a first billing period, so treat it as a limited-time price and the higher figure as the regular price.

The page adds: "Prices and plan benefits may change. Final details are shown on z.ai." It does not state the currency beyond the dollar sign, whether there is an annual option, or a cancellation policy, so confirm those on z.ai at checkout.

Is the paid plan worth it?

Going only by the plan differences on the page:

• Lite suits small projects. The site describes it as "built for lightweight iteration on small repo", and 10,000 credits a week is the baseline every other plan is measured against.
• Pro is for daily work on mid-sized codebases. You get six times the Lite allowance plus MCP tools and faster generation. At the regular prices it costs about 4.4 times Lite for 6 times the usage.
• Max is for heavy users on mid-to-large codebases. It gives 14 times Lite usage and dedicated resources at peak times, at roughly 9.3 times the Lite price.

One point in the plans' favour: Lite says it works with more than 20 agent tools, including Claude Code, so the plan is not limited to the ZCode app. If you only want to try agent-style coding before paying, the free tools below are a lower-risk start.

Free alternatives to ZCode

These code assistants from our directory have a free option. Pricing is as shown on each tool page on our site.

• GitHub Copilot: Copilot Free costs nothing and is limited to 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month. Pro costs 10 USD per month, Pro+ 39 USD and Max 100 USD.
• Codeium: Codeium is now part of Devin, which has a Free plan with limited usage; Pro is $20 per month and Max $200 per month.
• AskCodi: The free plan includes 1 million tokens a month, with a daily cap of 300,000. Individual is $29 per month.
• Amp: Hobby is free with pay-as-you-go hosted orbs, and Individual (Megawatt) costs $20/mo.

For more options, see our ZCode alternatives page.

How we checked

We read the official ZCode homepage (zcode.z.ai/en) on 12 November 2026, including its download list and the GLM Coding Plan section. ZCode has no separate pricing page that we could read, and the plan box points to z.ai for final details. Prices change, and the lower prices shown may be temporary, so check the official site before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Does ZCode have a free trial?

No free trial is listed on the ZCode homepage. The site shows only the three paid GLM Coding Plans.

Is $12.6 a month the normal price for ZCode's Lite plan?

The site shows $12.6 next to $18, so $12.6 looks like a reduced price. The page does not say how long it lasts. Budget for $18 a month if you plan to stay on Lite.

Can I use the GLM Coding Plan with tools other than ZCode?

Yes. The Lite plan says it supports 20+ agent tools, including ZCode and Claude Code, and higher plans include everything in Lite.

Which computers does ZCode run on?

The site offers installers for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows (64-bit and ARM64) and Linux (x64 and ARM64, marked Beta).