Roo Code
Freemium Last verified: September 2026Open-source VS Code AI coding agent with multi-mode system, Architect, Code, Debug, and Ask (formerly Roo Cline). Now sold under the Roomote brand at roomote.dev.
Note: roocode.com now redirects to Roomote, the brand the product is sold under today at roomote.dev.
Status update, August 2, 2026: the Roo Code extension was shut down, and the vendor sells under the Roomote brand today
Roo Code, Inc. shut the VS Code extension down on May 15, 2026 and archived the GitHub repository, which is now read-only. Roo Code's own documentation carries the notice "The Roo Code Extension was shut down on May 15th" and points users to two migration paths: ZooCode, a fork started by the Roo Code community, and Cline, the project Roo Code originated from. The final build (v3.54.0) is still listed on the VS Code Marketplace and still installs, but it receives no bug fixes, security patches, or new model support. The roocode.com domain now redirects to Roomote. Checked again since: roomote.dev, the vendor URL on our record, shows an active, actively sold product with no shutdown notice anywhere on the page, headlined The cloud coding agent you actually own, with a live Cloud price list (up to 10 users $49/mo, 11-50 users $249/mo, 51-100 users $499/mo, 100+ users talk to us), a Self-hosted list (up to 10 users free, 11-50 users $249/mo, 51-100 users $499/mo), and a free 7-day trial on Cloud plans with no credit card required. Roomote may be a successor or rebrand of the Roo Code extension rather than the same SKU, but as our listed vendor URL it directly contradicts the shutdown and no-cloud-product claims we previously published. Billing questions go to billing@roocode.com. The extension history below is kept as a record.
What is Roo Code?
Roo Code (formerly Roo Cline) was a free, open-source AI coding agent that lived in VS Code as an extension until it was shut down on May 15, 2026. It started as a fork of Cline and inherits its powerful capabilities, browser automation via headless Chromium, shell access, MCP (Model Context Protocol) support, and BYO API key, while adding its own twist: a multi-mode system with four specialized modes (Architect, Code, Debug, Ask) that each have different tool permissions and can be assigned their own LLM. Architect mode is read-only and helps you plan changes without touching files. Code mode has full edit, terminal, and MCP access. Debug mode uses a structured mathematical approach to narrow down bugs. Ask mode answers questions about your codebase without making changes. You can assign Claude Opus for deep Architect planning and cheap DeepSeek V3 for high-volume Code execution, letting you optimize cost vs quality per task. Roo Code is permission-based by default, with granular auto-approve settings that let you safely run long autonomous tasks while keeping risky operations (file deletes, shell commands) under manual review. The extension is Apache 2.0 licensed and carried no subscription fee; you paid only for LLM API tokens, or ran entirely on free local models via Ollama. An optional Roo Cloud layer added team features like remote agent control and task sharing. The product is sold today under the Roomote brand at roomote.dev, where Cloud plans run $49/mo for up to 10 users, $249/mo for 11-50 users and $499/mo for 51-100 users, and self-hosted is free for up to 10 users. Because the project is Apache 2.0 and the archived source remains public, the community fork ZooCode picked up development; Roo Code's own documentation lists it, alongside Cline, as a migration path.
Roo Code demo video
Watch Roo Code's official demo to see Roo Code in action before reading our full review.
Official video by Roo Code via YouTube, embedded for reference. ToolChase does not host or claim this video.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Sold today at roomote.dev under the Roomote brand. The VS Code extension was shut down on May 15, 2026.
ZooCode (community fork) or Cline, the two paths named in Roo Code's own docs
Self-hosted free up to 10 users · Cloud from $49/mo for up to 10 users
Yes, self-hosted is free for up to 10 users; Cloud adds a free 7-day trial, no credit card
Multi-mode system with per-mode LLM assignment and granular permissions
The VS Code extension was shut down in 2026; what is sold today is the Roomote cloud coding agent
Bottom line: Roo Code scored 4.3/5 as the most customizable open-source coding agent for VS Code. The extension itself was shut down on May 15, 2026, but the vendor sells an active product under the Roomote brand at roomote.dev: self-hosted free for up to 10 users, Cloud from $49/mo with a free 7-day trial. The score reflects the extension as last reviewed.
Pricing
Sold today under the Roomote brand at roomote.dev, where the page carries no shutdown notice and lists live plans.
Self-hosted: Up to 10 users free. 11-50 users $249/mo. 51-100 users $499/mo.
Cloud: Up to 10 users $49/mo. 11-50 users $249/mo. 51-100 users $499/mo. 100+ users, talk to us. Cloud plans include a free 7-day trial with no credit card required, and the site invites you to start free in 2 min with no card.
Extension, Free (historical): The Roo Code VS Code extension was fully open-source under Apache 2.0 and installed from the VS Code Marketplace, with no subscription, no usage limits, and no telemetry by default. It was shut down on May 15, 2026 and its repository archived; the final build remains downloadable.
API costs (BYO key): You paid your chosen LLM provider directly. The original review estimated Claude Sonnet at $30-60/mo for moderate use, Claude Opus at $60-150/mo for heavy use, and DeepSeek V3 at under $15/mo for most workloads. These were ToolChase estimates of third-party API spend, not Roo Code prices, and have not been re-checked. Local models via Ollama were free.
Roo Cloud: The optional team layer (Roomote Control for remote agent management, plus task sharing) is sold today as the Roomote Cloud plans listed above. Outstanding billing questions go to billing@roocode.com.
Key Features
- Multi-mode system: Architect, Code, Debug, Ask with different tool permissions
- Assign different LLMs to each mode (Opus for planning, DeepSeek for execution)
- Browser automation via headless Chromium (inherited from Cline)
- Shell command execution and file editing
- MCP (Model Context Protocol) server support for extensibility
- Granular auto-approve settings for safe autonomous operation
- Supports Claude, GPT, DeepSeek, Gemini, and local Ollama models
- Permission-based control flow, you approve every action by default
- Optional Roo Cloud for team features (remote control, task sharing)
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Apache 2.0 open source with no usage limits
- Multi-mode system enables cost-optimized per-task model selection
- Granular permissions keep risky actions under manual review
- Browser automation and shell access for end-to-end tasks
- MCP support for deep customization and integration
Cons
- More configuration required than plug-and-play tools
- Setup learning curve higher than Cline's simpler UI
- Quality depends heavily on which LLM you choose
FAQ
Is Roo Code free?
Yes, in part. On roomote.dev, the vendor URL on our record, self-hosted is free for up to 10 users and Cloud plans include a free 7-day trial with no credit card required; paid Cloud starts at $49/mo for up to 10 users. The Roo Code VS Code extension was itself free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, but Roo Code, Inc. shut it down on May 15, 2026 and archived the GitHub repository. The final build remains on the VS Code Marketplace and still carries no subscription fee. Roo Code's own documentation points users to ZooCode, a fork started by the Roo Code community, or to Cline, the project Roo Code originated from.
What is Roo Code's multi-mode system?
Roo Code has four built-in modes with different permissions and tools. Architect mode is read-only and helps you plan changes without editing. Code mode has full access to edit files, run terminal commands, and use MCP servers. Debug mode uses a mathematical approach to narrow down bug possibilities step by step. Ask mode answers questions about your codebase without making changes. You can assign a different LLM to each mode, for example Claude Opus for Architect and DeepSeek V3 for Code.
How is Roo Code different from Cline?
Roo Code started as a fork of Cline (originally called Roo Cline) and shares much of its DNA, browser automation, shell access, BYO API key, MCP support. The main differences are Roo Code's multi-mode system (Architect, Code, Debug, Ask), its more granular auto-approve settings, and its permission-based control flow. Cline is simpler and faster to get started with; Roo Code is more powerful and customizable for advanced workflows.
Does Roo Code support local models?
Yes. Roo Code integrates with Ollama, LM Studio, LocalAI, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, so you can run Qwen 2.5 Coder, DeepSeek Coder V2, Llama 3.3, or any other local model entirely on your machine. None of your code leaves your laptop. Performance is noticeably below Claude Sonnet but is adequate for most small-to-medium tasks and is a strong choice for privacy-sensitive work.
What LLMs work best with Roo Code?
Roo Code works well with Claude Opus and Sonnet (best overall quality), GPT-5.4 and o1 (strong reasoning), DeepSeek V3 and R1 (cheapest high-quality option), and Gemini 2.5 (long context). For Architect mode, Claude Opus or o1 shine because planning benefits from deep reasoning. For Code mode, DeepSeek V3 is the sweet spot on cost vs quality. You can assign different models per mode for optimal cost-performance.
Is Roo Code safe to let run autonomously?
Roo Code is permission-based by default, meaning every file change or terminal command requires your approval before it runs. Advanced users can enable auto-approve settings for specific actions (like auto-approving file reads but requiring approval for deletes or shell commands). This granular control lets you safely run longer autonomous tasks while keeping risky operations under manual review.
What is Roo Cloud?
Roo Cloud was an optional hosted layer for teams that added Roomote Control for managing agents remotely across devices, plus task sharing so teammates could see and continue AI sessions. It is sold today as Roomote: after the May 15, 2026 extension shutdown, roocode.com redirects to Roomote, and roomote.dev lists Cloud at $49/mo for up to 10 users, $249/mo for 11-50 users, $499/mo for 51-100 users, and talk to us above 100, with a free 7-day trial and no credit card required. Self-hosted is free for up to 10 users, $249/mo for 11-50 and $499/mo for 51-100. Roo Code, Inc. directs outstanding billing questions to billing@roocode.com.
Can Roo Code browse the web like Cline?
Yes. Roo Code inherits Cline's browser automation capability, which lets the agent open a headless Chromium browser, navigate to pages, click elements, fill forms, and read page content. This is useful for tasks like scraping documentation, verifying that a web app works end to end, or researching APIs. Combined with shell access and file editing, it makes Roo Code a capable end-to-end coding agent for tasks that span code and the web.
📋 Good to know
Start free at roomote.dev: self-hosted is free for up to 10 users and Cloud plans include a free 7-day trial with no credit card required. The archived extension's final build still installs from the VS Code Marketplace.
Your code only goes to the LLM provider you configure. Local Ollama mode keeps everything on your machine.
Self-hosted is free for up to 10 users. Move to Cloud at $49/mo for up to 10 users when you want the hosted agent; both Cloud and self-hosted step up to $249/mo for 11-50 users and $499/mo for 51-100 users.
Moderate. Multi-mode system and permissions take an hour to grok. Faster if you're already using Cline.