Comparison · OpenAI · verified 2026-09-15

TODO for AI
vs OpenAI Codex

OpenAI's coding agent: an open-source CLI plus a cloud sandbox inside ChatGPT. Here is where each one wins, with numbers, and who should pick which.

Start free PricingOpenAI Codex site
InterfaceTerminal, ChatGPT web, IDEWeb, desktop, CLI, voice
ModelsOpenAI onlyEvery provider
SourcePartly openEdge + CLI public
Starts at$8/moFree
Facts verified 2026-09-15. Pricing is public list price.
Every vendor
models, vs openai only
Your machines
PC, cloud VM, real Chrome
Any CLI
is an integration, not just MCP
82% vs 78.4%
Terminal-Bench 2.1
Architecture at a glance
OpenAI Codex
Models
OpenAIOpenAI only
Runs in
Terminal, ChatGPT web, IDE
Where it lives
Ephemeral sandbox
Produces
Code
PRs
SEO
Email
Ads
TODO for AI
Models
AnthropicOpenAIGooglexAIDeepSeekEvery provider
CROSS-VENDOR REVIEW
Runs in
Your PC
Cloud VM
Real Chrome
Voice
Where it lives
Always-on cloud VM · vault · your logins
Produces
Code
SEO
Email
Ads
Social
CRM
Struck-through outputs are outside OpenAI Codex's scope. TODO for AI runs the same models plus the rest, from a machine that stays on.
The short version

Who should pick which

Choose OpenAI Codex if
  • You are OpenAI-only by policy
  • You want coding tasks launched from inside ChatGPT
Choose TODO for AI if
  • You want to run GPT-5.6 and have Claude review it
  • You need a persistent machine with your logins, not a fresh sandbox per task
  • You want agents for growth work, not only pull requests
Context

What OpenAI Codex is, and where it stops

Codex is OpenAI's answer to Claude Code: an open-source CLI for local work and a cloud sandbox you launch from ChatGPT for parallel tasks. On GPT-5.6 it is unusually token-efficient, and being bundled into ChatGPT Plus makes it the cheapest way for an existing OpenAI customer to get an agent.

The trade-offs mirror Claude Code's. OpenAI models only, sandboxes that are fresh every task and scoped to a repo, and nothing for the browser or the business side. The CLI being open is genuinely useful; the cloud agent that does the heavy lifting is not.

Teams already on ChatGPT Plus or Pro who want GPT-native coding.
Why people switch

Three reasons OpenAI Codex users look elsewhere

01
OpenAI only

No Claude, no Gemini, no way to cross-check output with a different model family.

02
Ephemeral sandboxes

Each cloud task starts clean. Logins, installed tools and half-finished state do not carry over.

03
Repo scoped

It is built to produce pull requests. Anything outside a git repository is not a task it can take.

Scores

Six dimensions that decide it

Six dimensions, 0 to 5
OpenAI CodexTODO for AI
Model freedom1 · 5
Which vendors and models you can run
Long-running work3 · 5
Persistent machine, scheduling, parallel tasks
Beyond code1 · 5
Marketing, ops, browser, email, not only repos
Openness3 · 4
Source available, self-host, extend
Team & permissions3 · 4
Roles, pooled usage, tool approvals
Cost predictability3 · 5
Flat plan vs metered tokens
Terminal-Bench 2.1
TODO for AI · GPT-5.6 Sol82.0%
Own harness, 89 tasks, 2026-08-26
OpenAI Codex · GPT-5.6 Terra (max)78.4%
tbench.ai leaderboard, 2.1 set

Same 89-task set, one trial each. Our number is measured on our own harness; theirs is their public leaderboard entry. Different model too, so treat it as indicative, not a controlled A/B.

Feature by feature

What each one ships

FeatureOpenAI CodexTODO for AI
Persistent cloud VM
An always-on machine. Files, logins and sessions survive between runs.
Ephemeral sandbox
Model choice
OpenAI only
Any provider
Cross-vendor review
Review GPT output with Claude, or the other way around.
Drives your real browser
Chrome extension plus cloud browsers.
Business tasks, not only code
SEO, email, ads, social, CRM via CLI tools.
Any CLI as an integration
MCP
Any binary
Voice control
Team roles, pooled usage
Per seat
Roles + pooled
Tool permissions
Basic
Allow, approve, block
Open runtime
CLI only
Edge + CLI public
Pricing

Same ladder, different meter

TierOpenAI CodexTODO for AI
EntryChatGPT Go $8, Plus $20Free (Sonnet only), or Starter $20
MidPro $100Pro $100
TopPro $200Ultra $200
TeamBusiness $25 per seat, min 2$30 standard / $120 premium per seat, min 2 seats incl. 1 premium, +$50 bonus pool
OpenAI Codex · what it meters

Message and feature caps per plan, counted per surface. Deep research and agent runs have their own quotas.

TODO for AI · what it meters

One pool priced in dollars of model cost, spendable on any vendor. Session and weekly windows pace it, and a 1.3-1.5x plan multiplier applies, so a $20 plan is about $15 of list-price API. Team seat prices go into one shared pool.

USD per month, monthly billing, public list prices as of 2026-09-15.
Verdict

Bottom line

Our take
Codex makes sense if you are OpenAI-only and want tasks launched from ChatGPT. TODO for AI runs the same GPT-5.6, scores higher on Terminal-Bench 2.1 in our harness, and adds a persistent machine, cross-vendor review and business tooling.
FAQ

Common questions

Does TODO for AI run GPT-5.6?
Yes. Our 82.0% Terminal-Bench 2.1 result is on GPT-5.6 Sol, ahead of Codex on GPT-5.6 Terra in our harness.
Is Codex open source?
The CLI is. The cloud agent and ChatGPT integration are not. TODO for AI publishes the edge runtime and CLI.