---
id: devpass-vs-opencode-zen
slug: opencode-zen
date: 2026-06-02
title: DevPass vs OpenCode Zen
metaTitle: "DevPass vs OpenCode Zen: Flat Rate vs Pay-As-You-Go"
description: "DevPass vs OpenCode Zen compared. OpenCode Zen is pay-as-you-go with zero markup on a curated model set; DevPass is a flat monthly plan for 200+ models with a fixed bill and per-request cost analytics."
competitor: OpenCode Zen
competitorLogo: opencode-zen
competitorTagline: Pay-as-you-go access to a curated set of coding models
tagline: "OpenCode Zen charges per request with no markup. DevPass charges a flat monthly rate. The question isn't which is cheaper per token — it's whether you want a predictable bill or a metered one."
devpassPrice: "$29–$179/mo"
competitorPrice: Pay-as-you-go
verdict: "OpenCode Zen is excellent if you want raw, at-cost access to a hand-picked set of coding models and don't mind a variable bill. DevPass trades per-token billing for a flat monthly price, a far wider catalog (200+ models including Claude, GPT-5.5 and Gemini), and a usage allowance you can't accidentally blow past. Pick Zen for at-cost metering; pick DevPass for a predictable bill and full model coverage."
features:
  - label: Pricing model
    devpass: Flat monthly rate
    competitor: Pay-as-you-go
    highlight: true
  - label: Starting price
    devpass: "$29/mo (Lite)"
    competitor: "$20 starting balance"
  - label: Predictable monthly bill
    devpass: true
    competitor: false
    highlight: true
  - label: Models included
    devpass: "200+"
    competitor: Curated set
  - label: "Claude Opus 4.8, GPT-5.5, Gemini 3.1 Pro"
    devpass: true
    competitor: Limited
  - label: Per-request cost & latency dashboard
    devpass: true
    competitor: Balance + spend
  - label: At-cost / zero-markup token pricing
    devpass: Bundled in plan
    competitor: true
  - label: OpenAI + Anthropic-compatible API
    devpass: true
    competitor: true
  - label: "Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, OpenCode"
    devpass: true
    competitor: true
  - label: Usage cap protects against bill shock
    devpass: true
    competitor: Spend limits only
faqs:
  - question: Is OpenCode Zen a subscription?
    answer: "No. OpenCode Zen is pay-as-you-go: you load a balance (starting around $20) and pay per request at cost, with automatic top-ups when the balance runs low. DevPass is the opposite model — a flat monthly subscription with a fixed price and a built-in usage allowance."
  - question: Which is cheaper, DevPass or OpenCode Zen?
    answer: "It depends on volume. At very low usage, Zen's pay-as-you-go pricing can be cheaper because you only pay for what you use. At steady or heavy usage, DevPass is usually more cost-effective and — just as importantly — predictable, because every dollar buys roughly $3 of model usage and the bill never moves."
  - question: Does OpenCode Zen include Claude and GPT?
    answer: "OpenCode Zen offers a curated, benchmarked set of coding models rather than every model on the market. DevPass includes 200+ models on every plan, including Claude Opus 4.8, GPT-5.5 and Gemini 3.1 Pro, so you're never blocked from the frontier model a task needs."
  - question: Can DevPass give me an unpredictable bill like pay-as-you-go can?
    answer: "No. DevPass is flat-rate. You pick a plan, you get a fixed monthly usage allowance, and when you reach it requests pause until the next cycle or you upgrade — so you can't be surprised by a large invoice the way metered billing can surprise you."
---

## What is OpenCode Zen?

OpenCode Zen is a **pay-as-you-go** gateway to a curated set of models that the OpenCode team has tested and benchmarked specifically for coding agents. You load a balance (around **$20** to start), pay per request **with no markup**, and the balance tops itself up automatically when it runs low. Models are US-hosted with a zero-retention policy, and it works with any coding agent — not just OpenCode.

The pitch is purity: at-cost tokens, no subscription, no lock-in, only the models worth using.

## What is DevPass?

DevPass by LLM Gateway is a **flat-rate** coding plan. You pay a fixed monthly price and get a usage allowance across **200+ models** — every major provider, from Claude Opus 4.8 and GPT-5.5 to Gemini 3.1 Pro and the open-weight coders. Every request's exact cost shows up in a real-time dashboard, but the number on your invoice doesn't move.

## Flat rate vs pay-as-you-go

This is the whole decision in one line: **do you want a predictable bill or a metered one?**

- **OpenCode Zen** bills per token. Light months are cheap; heavy months cost more. You never overpay for idle capacity, but you also can't know the bill in advance.
- **DevPass** bills a flat rate. You know the number on day one. A runaway agent loop can't run up a surprise invoice — when you hit your allowance, requests pause until the cycle resets or you upgrade.

For hobby use or spiky workloads, metered billing can win. For daily work, team budgets, or anyone who's been burned by a metered LLM bill, the flat rate is the safer default.

## Model coverage

Zen's curated catalog is a feature — fewer, vetted models — but it's also a ceiling. DevPass deliberately goes the other way: **200+ models on every plan**, so the frontier model a task needs is always one switch away, no new key required.

## Who should choose which

**Choose OpenCode Zen if** you want at-cost, zero-markup token pricing on a vetted model set and you're comfortable with a variable bill.

**Choose DevPass if** you want a fixed monthly price, the full 200+ model catalog including the frontier models, and protection from bill shock.
