OpenHands vs Poolside
Which Agents AI tool is better in 2026?
OpenHands
Open-source AI software agents that plan, write, and ship code across entire codebases.
Poolside
AI platform for software engineering
Side-by-side
Poolside is the more established option (raised $500M); pricing is comparable on both sides.
| Metric | OpenHands | Poolside |
|---|---|---|
| Taglinei | Open-source AI software agents that plan, write, and ship code across entire codebases. | AI platform for software engineering |
| Foundedi | 2024 | 2023🏆 |
| HQi | San Francisco, US | San Francisco, US |
| Employeesi | — | 100-200🏆 |
| Neuron scorei | 53 | 58🏆 |
| Total fundingi | $23.8M | $500M🏆 |
| Latest roundi | Series A · Nov 2025 | Growth · Oct 2025 |
| Valuationi | — | $12B🏆 |
| Cheapest paid plani | Pricing not disclosed | Pricing not disclosed |
| Free plani | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free triali | ✗ | ✗ |
| Top tier pricei | Pricing not disclosed | Pricing not disclosed |
| Pricing summaryi | Free | Enterprise · Contact sales |
| Categoriesi |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for OpenHands and Poolside.
| Capability | OpenHands | Poolside |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | 1 (python) | — |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✓ |
| Active deal | ✓ | ✗ |
🟢 Strengths of OpenHands
- Offers a free plan
- Newer company (2024)
🔵 Strengths of Poolside
- Has raised more capital ($500M vs $23.8M)
- Higher Neuron score (58 vs 53)
- More mature (2023)
- Verified profile
Which should you choose?
Choose Poolside if price matters most — it starts at Enterprise · Contact sales, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both AI Agents tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Poolside if you want the most established option — it has raised $500M, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
💸 Deals
OpenHands — free and open source
OpenHands (formerly OpenDevin) is fully open source under MIT — self-host the autonomous coding agent for free.
Terms: Self-hosted. BYO LLM API key.
Frequently asked questions
OpenHands vs Poolside — which is better?
It depends on your priority. OpenHands is the leaner option; Poolside has broader feature depth. See the side-by-side table above.
Is OpenHands cheaper than Poolside?
No — Poolside's cheapest paid plan is Enterprise · Contact sales, while OpenHands's is Free.
Do OpenHands and Poolside offer free plans?
OpenHands: Yes, has a free plan. Poolside: Paid only.
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