Comparing OpenCode Go and Zen by Billing Path
Comparing OpenCode Go and Zen only as monthly versus usage-based billing is incomplete.
Check which models each path includes, what happens at a limit, and how both differ from BYOK.
Go provides a monthly path to a defined allowance.
Zen deducts model usage from a balance.
Prices, limits, and model lists change, so this is a summary of official pages checked in August 2026.
Verify Go’s official information
The current OpenCode Go guide presents an individual subscription at $5 for the first month and $10 per month afterward.
The same page should be checked for the one-member-per-workspace condition before subscribing.
Usage limits are expressed as dollar-equivalent amounts across models.
| Period | Approximate limit |
|---|---|
| Five hours | $12 equivalent |
| One week | $30 equivalent |
| One month | $60 equivalent |
These are allowance units, not an additional bill for overage.
Consumption per request varies with model, input length, output length, and reasoning settings.
Do not estimate a fixed number of requests from the limits.
After a limit, Go can fall back to free models depending on configuration.
A fallback that uses a Zen balance may also be available, so define in advance what stops work and what triggers extra billing.
Verify the Zen path
OpenCode Zen provides provider and model combinations validated by OpenCode and charges usage against a prepaid balance.
The Zen guide treats the available models and prices as a current list that must be checked.
Zen is useful when you:
- Have large month-to-month usage variation
- Reserve expensive models for difficult tasks
- Want models outside Go’s scope
- Need to continue after a Go limit
- Want less per-provider API-key management
Because usage reduces the balance, long contexts and high reasoning effort make the budget harder to predict.
If automatic balance top-ups are enabled, verify their limits and notification conditions as well.
Store categories rather than a fixed model list
The Go and Zen model lists can change.
Instead of copying a list into a permanent article, categorize candidates as everyday implementation, difficult design, high-volume lightweight processing, or specialized use.
Record the following for each candidate:
- Provider and model ID
- Context window
- Reasoning settings
- Input and output prices
- Current snapshot
- Whether the path is Go, Zen, or BYOK
OpenCode Providers documents paths for multiple providers, Zen, Go, and BYOK.
Do not assume that matching model names imply matching provider conditions.
Compare Go and Zen over one week
| Aspect | Go | Zen |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Monthly subscription | Usage from balance |
| Budget | Easier to predict within limits | Varies with use |
| Models | Limited to Go’s scope | Choose from the current list |
| Limit | Five-hour, weekly, and monthly windows | Available balance |
| Best for | Consistent daily work | Variable use, comparisons, and hard problems |
Start with free models or a small Zen balance and run representative tasks for one week.
Record input length, output, reasoning effort, consumption, and whether work stopped for each task.
Move to Go if monthly usage fits its allowance and its models are sufficient.
You can also keep only particular difficult tasks on Zen and use Go for daily work.
BYOK is a separate billing path
OpenCode also supports configuring provider API keys directly through BYOK.
With BYOK, manage billing, rate limits, model availability, and terms per provider.
Do not combine BYOK usage with Go or Zen pricing.
When authentication is configured through /connect, check the storage location and permissions documented in the current provider guide.
Do not blindly include authentication files in dotfiles, backups, or public repositories.
Checklist before subscribing
- Current monthly price and introductory price
- Five-hour, weekly, and monthly limits
- Whether required model IDs are included in Go
- Fallback behavior at a limit
- Zen balance and automatic top-ups
- Provider prices and terms for BYOK
- Measured consumption per representative task
The important decision is not simply the cheapest path.
Define the boundary where work stops and the boundary where additional cost begins.
Those records make it possible to revisit a Go, Zen, and BYOK mix based on budget and workload.