Replit makes OpenAI the default for its coding agent
By Automate Basics, written with AI from TechCrunch's original
Replit has made OpenAI its preferred provider for Replit Agent, according to CEO Amjad Masad in comments to TechCrunch. People building apps on the platform can still choose Anthropic's Claude.
What changed in Replit Agent?
Replit now uses OpenAI as the default provider for Replit Agent, according to CEO Amjad Masad's clarification to TechCrunch. Anthropic's Claude remains an option that customers can choose. The distinction matters because Masad had earlier said Replit was no longer working with Anthropic, a description that suggested Claude might disappear from the platform.
Masad told TechCrunch that Replit chose OpenAI as its preferred partner based on performance, cost and the companies' partnership. He said Replit uses benchmarks to assess how models perform when building apps from scratch. Those are Replit's reasons for the change, not a guarantee that one model will produce a better result for every project. For someone using Replit to make a work app, the immediate change is which provider the agent starts with unless they choose another supported model.
Who can use the new default?
People using Replit Agent will encounter OpenAI as its default provider, while Replit customers can still choose Claude or other supported models, according to Masad's comments to TechCrunch. Replit is a browser-based platform for building and deploying apps, so the change is relevant to teams using its agent to create software rather than to people using ChatGPT or Claude separately.
The TechCrunch report does not say which Replit plans include model choice, whether access varies by plan, or whether selecting Claude affects the price. It also gives no new subscription price or rollout schedule for the default change. If your team has a rule about which AI provider may handle work information, check the provider selected for a Replit project before entering that information. Do not assume a previous choice has stayed in place.
How do I try Replit Agent at work?
A small internal app is a sensible first task for trying Replit Agent after the default change. Pick a request whose expected behaviour your team can describe clearly, such as a simple way to organise information for a recurring process. Replit says its platform lets users build and deploy apps in a browser, and Masad says OpenAI is now the preferred provider for its agent.
Before relying on the result, check that the app handles the inputs and exceptions your process actually involves. Review anything it stores or shares against your team's rules for work data. If your Replit account offers a choice of models, note which one is selected when you assess the output. TechCrunch does not report a comparison of the new default against Claude on your particular task, so a good result in one project should not be treated as a general performance claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still use Claude in Replit?
Yes. Replit CEO Amjad Masad told TechCrunch that customers can still choose Anthropic's Claude or other supported models. OpenAI is now the default provider for Replit Agent, which means the default changed, not that Claude was removed from the platform.
Why did Replit change its default model provider?
Replit CEO Amjad Masad cited performance, cost and the companies' partnership when explaining the choice to TechCrunch. He said Replit assesses models using benchmarks for building apps from scratch. The report does not establish that OpenAI will work better than Claude for every user's project.
Does choosing Claude in Replit cost extra?
TechCrunch does not give pricing for choosing Claude instead of Replit Agent's new OpenAI default. It also does not specify which plans offer model choice. Check the terms available to your team before making a cost assumption or changing how you use the agent.
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Written with AI from TechCrunch's original and published after automatic checks: every figure here appears in the original, and no sentence is copied from it. The picture is AI-generated. The original is the authority.
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Source: Replit makes OpenAI its default over Anthropic, CEO says, TechCrunch, 17 Oct 2026.