AgentdexBlog · · Agentdex Editorial
OpenDevin Is Now OpenHands (2026): What It Is, How to Run It, vs Devin
If you are searching for OpenDevin, you are looking for OpenHands (Agentdex profile). OpenDevin began in 2024 as an open-source answer to Cognition's Devin (Agentdex profile), and the project was renamed OpenHands in August 2024. Today it is one of the most popular open-source AI software agent projects, with a self-hosted app called Agent Canvas, an SDK and a hosted cloud version. This guide covers what OpenHands does, how to run it, what it costs and how it compares with Devin. Facts were checked against the OpenHands GitHub repository and website on October 24, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- OpenDevin is the old name. The project became OpenHands in August 2024; the repository now lives at OpenHands/OpenHands.
- It is open source under the MIT license, with about 91,700 GitHub stars. Version 1.33.0 was released on October 23, 2026.
- Agent Canvas is the main app: a self-hosted control center that runs OpenHands and other agents locally, on a server or in OpenHands Cloud, plus an SDK for building your own.
- Self-hosting is free; you pay for the AI models you connect. A Teams plan costs $499/month for up to 10 users.
- Devin is the commercial option from Cognition. It is proprietary and hosted, while OpenHands gives you the code and the choice of models.
From OpenDevin to OpenHands
When Cognition announced Devin as an "AI software engineer" in 2024, an open-source community project called OpenDevin formed to build something similar in the open. As the project grew beyond a Devin clone, it was renamed OpenHands in August 2024. Older tutorials that mention OpenDevin refer to early versions of the same project, so their setup steps are out of date.
What OpenHands does
OpenHands is an AI agent that works like a developer. Given a task, it can read and edit code, run commands in a sandboxed environment, browse the web, and work through errors until the task is done or it needs your input. Typical uses include fixing bugs, adding features, writing tests, upgrading dependencies and resolving GitHub issues.
It is model-agnostic. You connect the language model you want, from hosted providers or your own infrastructure, and the quality of results depends heavily on that choice. Stronger models produce better results but cost more per task.
Ways to run OpenHands
The main OpenHands app is now Agent Canvas, a self-hosted control center for coding agents and automations. It runs the open-source OpenHands agent out of the box, and it can also run third-party agents such as Claude Code (Agentdex profile), Codex (Agentdex profile), Gemini CLI (Agentdex profile) and OpenCode, or any agent that supports the Agent Client Protocol (ACP).
- On your laptop: install with
npm install -g @openhands/agent-canvas(Node.js 24+ anduvrequired) and runagent-canvas. Without a sandbox, the agent has full access to your filesystem, so the docs also offer Docker-sandboxed setups. - On a server or VM: OpenHands recommends a cloud server for always-on agents that keep running when your laptop is closed and can be triggered from Slack or GitHub.
- Automations: run agents on a schedule or from webhook events, with integrations for Slack, GitHub, Linear, Notion and more.
- SDK: the OpenHands software agent SDK lets you build and run your own agents.
- OpenHands Cloud and Enterprise: a hosted version at app.openhands.dev, or enterprise infrastructure for larger organizations.
Follow the current install instructions in the OpenHands repository, since commands and versions change often.
OpenHands pricing
| Option | Price (Oct 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agent Canvas (open source, self-hosted) | Free | You pay your model provider directly |
| Teams | $499/month for up to 10 users, then $50 per extra seat | Self-hosted; 30-day trial; up to 5,000 sessions a month |
| Enterprise | Custom | For larger deployments |
Your biggest variable cost is the model. Long agent sessions on frontier models can add up quickly, so set spending limits with your provider and start with small, well-defined tasks.
OpenHands vs Devin
| OpenHands | Devin | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | OpenHands community and company | Cognition |
| License | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary |
| Hosting | Self-host or OpenHands Cloud | Cognition's hosted service |
| Models | Your choice | Chosen by Cognition |
| Setup effort | Higher if self-hosted | Low |
| Best for | Teams that want control, privacy and model choice | Teams that want a managed agent with little setup |
The honest trade-off: OpenHands gives you control and avoids lock-in, but you take on setup, model selection and maintenance. Devin is easier to start with, but you depend on one vendor's pricing and decisions. See our Devin alternatives roundup and the Devin profile for more.
Other open-source agents to consider
- SWE-agent, a research agent from Princeton and Stanford focused on fixing GitHub issues.
- Aider (Agentdex profile), a terminal pair programmer that works directly with Git.
- Cline (Agentdex profile), Roo Code (Agentdex profile) and Kilo Code, agent extensions that run inside VS Code. See our Kilo Code guide.
- OpenCode, an open-source terminal coding agent.
Getting good results
- Start with a small, clearly described task and a working test suite.
- Use a strong model for planning-heavy work and a cheaper one for routine edits.
- Keep the agent sandboxed and review every change before merging.
- Write project instructions the agent can read. The free Vibe Coder Starter Kit includes starter rules files.
FAQ
What happened to OpenDevin?
OpenDevin was renamed OpenHands in August 2024. It is the same project, now hosted at github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands.
Is OpenHands free?
Yes, the open-source version is free under the MIT license and can be self-hosted. You pay for the AI models you connect. Paid Teams and Enterprise plans are available for organizations.
Is OpenHands the same as Devin?
No. Devin is a proprietary product from Cognition. OpenHands started as an open-source project inspired by Devin and is developed independently.
Which models does OpenHands support?
OpenHands is model-agnostic, so you can connect hosted models from major providers or models you run yourself. Results depend heavily on the model you choose.
Do I need Docker to run OpenHands?
No. Agent Canvas can run directly on your machine, where the agent has full access to your filesystem, or with Docker sandboxes that isolate each conversation. On a machine with personal files, the sandboxed option is the safer choice. OpenHands Cloud runs everything for you.
Written by Agentdex Editorial. Agentdex is an independent directory reviewing AI coding tools; we are not affiliated with the companies mentioned. Prices and features are as of October 24, 2026, from official sources linked above. Always confirm on the vendor's site.