Short answer
Conductor and Superset solve the same problem on the same platform: run several Claude Code or Codex agents side by side on a Mac, each in its own Git worktree. Conductor is a native, closed-source app with hosted cloud workspaces on Pro. Superset is a source-available Electron app that keeps each agent's own terminal, accepts many CLI agents, and adds a CLI, SDK and integrations on Pro. Choose Conductor for a native app and hosted cloud; choose Superset for agent breadth and scripting. Orchestrator.inc (formerly Agent Orchestrator) is a third option if you need Windows or Linux, or want CI and review feedback sent to the agent for you. Details are as of October 2026.
At a glance
| Conductor | Superset | Orchestrator.inc | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS only; iOS app for cloud workspaces | macOS; Linux AppImage experimental; no Windows; iOS app (Pro) | macOS, Windows, Linux; iOS and Android app |
| License / price | Proprietary; Free, Pro $50/mo, Teams $60/user/mo | Elastic License 2.0; Free, Pro $20/user/mo | Apache-2.0, free locally with no account; Cloud from $20/mo |
| Coding agents | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor Agent, Gemini CLI, Copilot, OpenCode and other CLI agents | 38 coding agent harnesses |
| Isolation | Git worktree per workspace; one repo per project | Git worktree per workspace under ~/.superset/worktrees/ | Git worktree and branch per session; multi-repo workspaces |
| Where it runs | Local, or Conductor Cloud (Pro) | Local, Remote Access to your hosts (Pro), cloud workspaces | Local, your own servers or VMs running the Orchestrator host, or Orchestrator Cloud |
| Agent interface | Chat UI built on vendor SDKs, plus embedded terminal | Persistent terminals with each agent's native UI | Structured Chat or native terminal UI |
| Board | Workspace list by repo | Tasks list and kanban by status | Kanban driven by session, PR, CI and review facts |
| PR and CI | Checks tab, forward failing checks, block merge, Automerge, PR stacks | PR page with checks and threads, squash, merge or rebase, send diff lines to agent | Failing checks, comments and conflicts sent to owning session; reviewer agents; GitHub and GitLab |
| Planner agent | No | No (ships an orchestrate skill for CLI and MCP fan-out) | Yes |
| Browser preview | Experimental | Yes, port detection and Design Mode | Agent-controllable browser per worker |
| Integrations | REST API, MCP (cloud) | CLI, TypeScript SDK, MCP, Linear, Slack | ao CLI, GitHub and GitLab issues |
The problem in practice
You are on a Mac, you use Claude Code every day, and you want three or four agents working on separate branches at once. The choice is about the edges: a native chat interface or the agent's own terminal, hosted cloud sandboxes or your own machines, and how much you plan to script.
How each tool handles it
Conductor
Conductor is a native Mac app with a Rust backend for running parallel coding agents. Each workspace is one branch in one worktree, and you drive the agent through a chat UI built on the vendor SDKs, with an embedded terminal alongside. After you open a PR, the Checks tab follows GitHub Actions, deployments and review threads. Conductor Cloud adds hosted sandboxes, a REST API, Routines and multiplayer on Pro, and an iOS app reaches cloud workspaces. Conductor holds SOC 2 Type II.
Superset
Superset is an Electron desktop app with a CLI, TypeScript SDK, MCP server, and an iPhone and iPad app. Agents run inside persistent built-in terminals. The Tasks view offers a list and a kanban board, and the PR page shows checks, review threads and merge options. Pro adds remote access to your own hosts, automations, and Linear and Slack integrations.
Where the work runs
Conductor runs locally for free and offers hosted cloud workspaces on Pro, with chat messages for those cloud workspaces stored on Conductor's servers. Superset runs locally for free and, on Pro, connects to hosts you already own over Remote Access; cloud workspaces also exist. If you want hosted cloud workspaces, Conductor is the more complete answer. If you want your own machines, Superset is.
Agents and lock-in
Conductor supports Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode through its SDK chat. Superset accepts many agents and any CLI in its terminals. Conductor is proprietary. Superset's source is readable, but the Elastic License 2.0 restricts offering it as a hosted service.
Review and merge flow
Conductor has a detailed PR surface: CI and status checks, deployments, review threads, todos, block merge on failed checks, an Automerge setting, and PR stacks. Fixing a failed check means clicking "Forward Failing Checks to Claude". Superset's PR page covers checks, threads, and squash, merge or rebase, and you can select diff lines and send them to the agent as a comment. Re-dispatching an agent with failure context is a manual step. In both, you merge.
Where Orchestrator fits better
Orchestrator suits people who hit one of three walls: the operating system, the license, or the manual relay of CI and review feedback.
- Teams on Windows or Linux. Orchestrator ships native builds for macOS, Windows x64 with ConPTY, and Linux. See platforms.
- People who want the source. It is Apache-2.0, so you can read it, fork it, and run it inside a company under a permissive license.
- Workflows where review and CI feedback should reach the agent on its own. Orchestrator polls GitHub and GitLab and sends failing check names, links and the end of each failed job's log, requested changes and merge conflicts to the session that owns the PR. A separate reviewer agent can critique the PR first. Merge stays explicit.
- Larger outcomes. A project orchestrator agent breaks a plan into tasks and spawns workers. Neither Conductor nor Superset includes a planner agent as of October 2026.
Like Superset's Remote Access, Orchestrator drives sessions on your own servers or VMs, with several hosts in one app. It has no code editor and no Linear or Slack integration, so Superset is ahead on team integrations.
Pricing
As of October 2026, both Conductor and Superset have a free local tier. Superset Pro is $20 per user per month. Conductor Pro is $50 per month and includes cloud compute hours, and Conductor Teams is $60 per user per month.
Running Orchestrator on your own machines is free and open source (Apache-2.0), with no account needed; you bring your own agent subscriptions or API keys. Optional Orchestrator Cloud plans, for agents that keep working while your laptop is closed, are Starter at $20/month and Pro at $40/month, with Enterprise pricing on request.
Who should pick which
Pick Conductor if
- you are on a Mac, use Claude Code or Codex, and want a native chat app
- you value hosted cloud workspaces, an iOS app that works without the desktop, and multiplayer
Pick Superset if
- you are on a Mac and want to keep the agents' native terminals
- you use agents beyond Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode
- you will use the CLI, SDK, MCP, Linear or Slack surfaces, and want the cheaper Pro tier of the two
Pick Orchestrator if
- you need Windows or Linux, or want Apache-2.0 source
- you want CI failures and review comments to reach the owning agent without forwarding them yourself
- you want agents on your own servers, or in Cloud while your laptop is closed
Try it
If Orchestrator is the fit, the quickstart runs two agents on one repository in a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conductor vs Superset: which is better for Claude Code?
Both run Claude Code well on a Mac. Conductor wraps it in a native chat interface built on the vendor SDK, while Superset runs Claude Code in its own terminal UI. Choose Conductor if you prefer the chat view and hosted cloud, and Superset if you prefer the native terminal and scripting.
Is Superset open source?
Superset is source-available under the Elastic License 2.0. Its own site says this is not OSI-approved open source. Conductor is proprietary. Orchestrator.inc is Apache-2.0.
Does Conductor or Superset run on Windows?
No. Neither supports Windows as of October 2026. Orchestrator.inc has a native Windows build.
Which is cheaper, Conductor or Superset?
Both have a free local tier, and Superset Pro costs less than Conductor Pro, which includes cloud compute hours. Orchestrator.inc is free on your own machines, with optional Cloud plans.
Does either one fix failing CI automatically?
No. With Conductor you forward failing checks with a click, and with Superset you re-dispatch the agent with the failure context. Orchestrator.inc sends failing checks to the owning session automatically and leaves the merge to you.