If one agent at a time feels slow, you want a tool that gives each agent its own copy of the repo and lets you watch, review, and merge several at once. These are the ones people actually compare in September 2026, with what each is good at.
We make Maestro, so read this with that in mind. We have tried to keep it fair: every competitor cell below comes from that tool's own website, README, or docs as of September 25, 2026, with the source linked at the bottom of the page. There are no ratings or scores here, only facts you can check. If something has changed, the linked source wins.
Almost every tool on this list uses the same basic trick: a git worktree per task, so each agent edits its own checkout on its own branch. The real differences are the interface (terminal, desktop app, kanban board, browser), which agents you can run, where the agents execute (your machine or someone's cloud), and whether you can check on them from your phone.
| Tool | What it is | Platforms | Agents | Isolation | Price and license | From your phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maestro | Desktop app | macOS (Apple Silicon), Windows 10/11, Linux (x86_64) | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Kimi Code, Grok Build, plain shell | Git worktree per workspace, no workspace cap | Free; source-available (BSL-1.1) | Maestro Web, free; agents keep running on your own machine |
| Conductor1 | Mac desktop app | macOS | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor | Isolated workspaces (git worktrees); cloud workspaces on Pro | Free plan for local workspaces; Pro $50/mo; Teams $60/user/mo | Mobile app listed as "coming very soon" on Pro |
| Claude Squad2 | Terminal UI (TUI) | macOS, Linux (Homebrew or install script) | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Aider, other local agents | tmux session plus git worktree per instance | Free; open source (AGPL-3.0) | None built in |
| Superset3 | Desktop app, CLI, SDK | macOS; Linux AppImage experimental; Windows planned | Any CLI agent, incl. Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor Agent, Copilot, Gemini CLI | Git worktree per workspace | Free tier; Pro $20/user/mo ($15 yearly); source-available (ELv2) | iPhone app on Pro; host machine must stay awake |
| Nimbalyst4 | Desktop "visual workspace" (successor to Crystal) | macOS, Windows, Linux | Claude Code, Codex; OpenCode and Copilot in alpha | Optional git worktree per session | Free for individuals; open source (MIT) | iOS companion app |
| Sculptor5 | Desktop app from Imbue, research preview | macOS (Apple Silicon), Linux, Linux ARM64 | Claude Code, Pi harness, any terminal agent | Worktrees; Docker or remote backend experimental | Free; open source (MIT) | None mentioned |
| Vibe Kanban6 | Kanban board in the browser, started with npx |
Runs locally via Node; self-hostable | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Copilot, Amp, Cursor, OpenCode, Droid, Qwen Code, more | Git worktree per task | Free; open source (Apache-2.0); community-maintained since April 2026 | No app; remote access via your own tunnel |
| Claude Code desktop and web7 | Anthropic's own app and cloud sessions | Desktop: macOS, Windows, Linux (beta); web: any browser | Claude Code only | Optional worktree per local session; cloud sessions in Anthropic-managed VMs | Needs a Claude plan; cloud sessions on Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise | Claude app for iOS and Android: cloud sessions, plus Remote Control for local ones |
| OpenAI Codex app8 | Codex inside the ChatGPT desktop app | macOS (Apple Silicon), Windows, Linux | Codex only | Worktree per thread; cloud environments | Included in ChatGPT plans (Free has limited access; Plus $20/mo) | ChatGPT mobile app |
A polished Mac app from Melty Labs and the tool most of this category is measured against. Pick it if you are on a Mac and want hosted cloud workspaces that keep going while your laptop is closed: that is what Conductor Pro sells, and Maestro does not offer a hosted cloud. Maestro's case is Windows and Linux support, more agents, and no cap on workspaces. Full breakdown: Maestro vs Conductor.
A small, fast terminal app that runs each agent in its own tmux session and worktree. Pick it if you live in the terminal, want an OSI open source license, or want to run your agents on a remote box you already SSH into. Pick Maestro if you want a GUI with diff review, an editor, and a browser preview, or you are on Windows. Maestro vs Claude Squad.
The closest match to Maestro in shape: a desktop app that runs any CLI agent in its own worktree, with a CLI, SDK, automations, and an iPhone app. Pick it if you are on macOS and want scheduled automations, Linear or Slack integrations, or a team plan with SSO. Pick Maestro if you are on Windows (Superset lists it as planned), want Linux as a supported rather than experimental target, or want phone access without a paid plan. Maestro vs Superset.
The successor to Crystal, one of the first parallel-agent desktop apps. Nimbalyst is MIT licensed, runs on all three desktop platforms, and adds visual editors for markdown, mockups, and diagrams plus a native iOS app. Pick it if you want a fully open source app or a document-and-diagram workspace around Claude Code and Codex. Pick Maestro for a wider set of agents and a browser preview built into the app. Maestro vs Nimbalyst.
An MIT-licensed desktop app from the research lab Imbue, described by its makers as an experimental research preview. It centres on Claude Code, adds its own skills for specs, mocks, and bug fixing, and has an experimental Docker backend. Pick it if you want to run agents in containers rather than directly on your machine. It does not offer a Windows build.
A kanban board where each card is an agent task in its own worktree, with review and a built-in browser, and it supports a long list of agents. Its company, Bloop, shut down in April 2026 and removed the hosted features; the local app lives on as a community project. Pick it if you think in tickets and columns. Pick Maestro if you want a desktop app with regular releases and a phone companion. Maestro vs Vibe Kanban.
Anthropic's own options now cover a lot of this ground: the desktop app runs several sessions side by side with an optional worktree each, cloud sessions run in Anthropic-managed VMs and keep going after you close the laptop, and the Claude mobile app can start or steer them. Pick these if you only use Claude and want hosted execution with no extra app. Pick Maestro if you also want Codex, Cursor, OpenCode or other agents in the same window, or you want everything to run on your own machine or SSH hosts. Our guides to running Claude Code in parallel and using Claude Code from your phone cover the built-in options too.
Codex now lives in the ChatGPT desktop app, which runs parallel threads, each optionally in its own worktree, plus cloud environments. Pick it if Codex is your only agent and you already pay for ChatGPT. Pick Maestro if you mix Codex with other agents. See also running Codex in parallel.
Maestro is an independent project, not affiliated with any of the tools or companies named on this page. All trademarks belong to their owners. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.