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Qoder CLI offers three categories of models. You can switch between them at any time via the /model interface.

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Three Model Categories

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1. Tiered Models (Default)

Qoder defines 5 model tiers, each backed by a mixed-model strategy. Higher tiers deliver stronger capabilities at a higher Credit cost.
TierCredit CostBest For
LiteFreeSimple Q&A, lightweight tasks
EfficientLowEveryday coding, code completion
AutoStandardComplex tasks, multi-step reasoning (default)
PerformanceHighChallenging engineering problems, large codebases
UltimateHighestMaximum performance, best possible results
The key advantage of tiered models is that Qoder continuously optimizes the underlying model mix for each tier — you get better performance and cost efficiency over time without any changes on your end.

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2. Frontier Models (New Models)

This tab features the latest industry SOTA models, typically available for a limited time. You can be among the first to experience cutting-edge capabilities. Available models may change at any time; refer to the /model interface for what’s currently offered.

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3. Custom Models (Custom)

Connect models from your own provider subscriptions. Qoder supports a curated list of providers — simply configure your API key to start using them. Requirements:
  • Not available for Teams accounts

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Switching Models

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Switch in TUI

Type /model in TUI mode to open the model selector. The interface has three tabs corresponding to the three model categories above: 
/model
↑ / ↓ to navigate, Tab to switch tabs, Enter to confirm, Esc to close. Your selection is automatically saved to ~/.qoder/settings.json and persists across sessions.

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Adjust Reasoning Effort

Use /effort in TUI mode to adjust the current model’s reasoning effort. Run it without arguments to open model options, or pass a level directly: 
/effort high
/effort auto --session-only
/effort off
Supported levels depend on the model and can include auto, low, medium, high, xhigh, max, and off. By default, changes are saved to ~/.qoder/settings.json; add --session-only to keep the change for the current session only. At startup, use --reasoning-effort high.

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Command-Line Flag

Use the --model and --reasoning-effort flags to specify model settings at startup. These apply to the current session only and are not persisted: 
qodercli --model lite        # Free Lite tier
qodercli --model efficient   # Efficient tier
qodercli --model auto        # Auto tier
qodercli --reasoning-effort high

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List Available Models

Use --list-models to print the models available to the current account without opening the TUI. This is useful for scripts and automation: 
qodercli --list-models

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Adding a Custom Model

  1. Type /model and switch to the Custom tab
  2. Select Add custom model... and press Enter
  3. Follow the prompts to select a Provider → Model Type → Model
  4. Enter your API key and any other required fields
  5. Once verified, the model is saved and ready to use
To delete a custom model, select it in the Custom tab and press d.