1. Should you try Roo Code? Overview

What it is	Open-source AI coding agent that runs inside VS Code as an extension, letting you delegate multi-file coding tasks to configurable agents (architect, code, debug) with your own API keys (BYOK).
Country / HQ	United States (RooCode Inc.)
Best for	VS Code users who want a free, self-hostable agentic coding assistant and prefer bring-your-own-key control over vendor lock-in.
Check before buying	You supply the LLM API key and pay providers directly (BYOK); some sources reported a shutdown, but the official site shows it active — confirm. Cloud tier adds managed agents.
Editor rating	4.4 / 5
Pricing signal	Free — no paid tier

2. Features What it does

Feature	What it does
Agentic coding in VS Code	Delegate multi-file edits, refactors and debugging to configured agents.
BYOK (bring your own key)	Use your own model provider keys; no vendor markup on tokens.
Custom modes	Architect, code and debug personas with tailored system prompts.
Open source	MIT-licensed extension you can self-host and audit.
File & terminal access	Agents read, edit and run commands within your workspace.

3. Pricing Pricing (2026-10, USD)

Plan	Price / mo	Key limits & who it fits
Open Source	$0	Free VS Code extension; BYOK, you pay model providers.
Cloud Free	$0	Managed cloud access with limited usage.
Cloud Team	$99/mo	Shared managed agents and team features.
Enterprise	Custom	SSO, compliance, dedicated support.

Some sources claimed Roo Code shut down; treat as ACTIVE per the official site (the open-source extension remains available). Cloud adds Team ($99/mo) and Enterprise custom tiers on top of the free OSS extension.

4. Integration Access & integrations

Access type	Details
Platform	VS Code extension (Marketplace).
Models	BYOK for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, local models, etc.
Cloud	Optional Roo Code Cloud for managed agents and collaboration.

5. Reviews & Sources External reviews

Source	Rating	What it says
Editor	4.4 / 5	Best free, BYOK agentic coding extension for VS Code; you own your keys and context.
GitHub community	—	Loved for transparency and control; some confusion from shutdown rumors.
Source	—	roocode.com; VS Code Marketplace and 2026 coding-agent lists.

6. Best for / Not for Fit

✔ Suitable	✘ Not suitable
• VS Code users wanting a free coding agent • Privacy/control-focused teams (BYOK) • Developers comfortable supplying API keys	• Users wanting a fully managed, no-setup assistant • Teams needing turnkey enterprise SSO on the free tier • Non-VS Code editors

7. Competitors How it compares

Competitor	How it differs	Best for
Cline	Similar OSS VS Code agent, BYOK	OSS fans
Kilo Code	OSS VS Code agent, MIT, Anaconda	VS Code users
Cursor	Managed agentic editor, paid	Productivity seekers

8. Summary Verdict

Takeaway	Roo Code is the leading free, open-source, BYOK coding agent for VS Code — you keep your keys and context, with optional paid Cloud for teams.
Who should pick it	VS Code developers who want agentic coding without vendor lock-in.
Who should skip it	Users wanting a zero-setup managed assistant or non-VS Code support.