Maestro vs Claude Squad: desktop app or terminal TUI?

Claude Squad describes itself as a "terminal app that manages multiple Claude Code, Codex, Gemini (and other local agents including Aider) in separate workspaces". It is one of the better-known tools in this space, it is open source, and if you are happy in a terminal it is hard to beat for simplicity. This page lays out the differences so you can pick the right one for how you work.

	Maestro	Claude Squad
Interface	Desktop app (chat, terminal, diff, editor, browser preview)	Terminal UI; each agent runs in a tmux session¹
Platforms	macOS (Apple Silicon), Windows 10/11, Linux (x86_64)	macOS and Linux via Homebrew or install script; Windows not mentioned¹
Coding agents	Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Kimi Code, Grok Build, plain shell	Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Aider, other local agents¹
Isolation	Git worktree per workspace, own branch	Git worktree per instance, own branch¹
Reviewing changes	Diff view with inline comments sent back to the agent; PR creation	Diff tab per session; `s` commits and pushes the branch¹
Runs on a remote server	Projects can be SSH remotes (incl. ProxyJump); the app runs locally	Runs anywhere you have a terminal and tmux, including over SSH
From your phone	Maestro Web: watch, steer, review diffs, push notifications	Nothing built in
License	Source-available (BSL-1.1)	Open source (AGPL-3.0)¹
Price	Free	Free

1. Per the Claude Squad README, checked September 25, 2026.

Where Claude Squad is the better pick

You live in the terminal. No window to switch to, no mouse. You press n for a new session and s to commit and push, and everything else stays in your usual tools.
You want to run agents on a server. Because it is a TUI on top of tmux, you can run it on a remote machine you SSH into, detach, and come back later. Maestro can open SSH projects, but the Maestro app itself runs on your desktop.
You want an OSI open source license. Claude Squad is AGPL-3.0. Maestro's source is published under BSL-1.1, which is source-available rather than open source.
You use Gemini or Aider. Claude Squad lists both. Maestro has no dedicated integration for them; you can run them in a plain shell workspace, but you get a terminal rather than Maestro's chat view.
It is light. One Homebrew command to install; the only prerequisites are tmux and the GitHub CLI.

Where Maestro is the better pick

You are on Windows. Maestro ships a native Windows build. Claude Squad depends on tmux and does not mention Windows.
You review a lot of diffs. Maestro's diff view lets you comment on any line and send the comments back to the agent, then open the pull request from the same screen.
You want to check in from your phone. Maestro Web mirrors every workspace to a free mobile web app: live turns, messages, screenshots, diffs, and a push notification when an agent finishes or needs you. Agents keep running on your own machine, so it has to stay awake. There is more on this in our guide to using Claude Code from your phone.
You want more than a terminal per agent. A Monaco editor with Jupyter notebook support, an integrated browser preview where you can freeze a frame and annotate it for the agent, and a command palette to jump between workspaces.
You start work from tickets. A new Maestro workspace can start from a branch, a pull request, a GitHub issue, or a Linear issue.

Switching from Claude Squad

There is no importer, and you do not need one: both tools keep your work in ordinary git branches.

Commit or push what you want to keep Press s in Claude Squad on each session you want to carry over, so its branch exists outside the tmux session.

Install Maestro and add the repo as a project Free for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Your agent CLIs and logins are reused as-is.

Create a workspace "From branch" Pick the branch Claude Squad worked on. Maestro cuts a fresh worktree from it and starts the agent there.

Nothing stops you from keeping both: Claude Squad for a remote box, Maestro on your laptop. If you want the general technique without either tool, see how to run Claude Code in parallel with git worktrees.

FAQ

Is Claude Squad only for Claude Code?

No. Despite the name, its README lists Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, and Aider, plus other local agents.

Does Maestro work without a GUI?

No. Maestro is a desktop app. If you need a pure terminal workflow, Claude Squad is the better fit.

Do both use git worktrees?

Yes. Each session or workspace gets its own worktree on its own branch, so agents do not overwrite each other's files. Claude Squad also gives each one its own tmux session.

What do they cost?

Both are free. With either one you bring your own agent accounts, such as a Claude or ChatGPT subscription or API keys.

What other tools should I look at?

See our overview of tools to run coding agents in parallel, which also covers Conductor, Superset, Nimbalyst, and Anthropic's own apps.

Sources (checked September 2026)

github.com/smtg-ai/claude-squad: README (description, agents, tmux and worktree isolation, prerequisites, key bindings, AGPL-3.0 license)

Maestro is an independent project, not affiliated with Claude Squad or smtg-ai. Claude Squad details come from its public repository as of September 25, 2026; if something is out of date, check the repo.