Short answer
People look for a Conductor alternative for three reasons: it runs only on macOS, it is closed source, and it supports a fixed set of agents (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode). Orchestrator.inc (formerly Agent Orchestrator) fits if you want an Apache-2.0 supervisor on Windows or Linux that sends CI failures and review comments to the owning agent. Orca and Emdash are open-source, editor-style apps on all three desktop systems, Superset is another Mac-first workspace, and Claude Squad suits terminal users. If you are on a Mac and happy with Conductor's paid cloud features, staying put is reasonable.
At a glance
| Tool | Platforms | License and price | Agents | PR and CI handling | Board | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchestrator.inc | macOS, Windows, Linux | Apache-2.0, free locally; Cloud plans from $20/month | 38 harnesses | Failing checks, review comments and conflicts sent to the owning agent; GitHub and GitLab | Kanban derived from session and PR facts | iOS, Android |
| Orca | macOS, Windows, Linux | MIT, free | Many CLI agents | Failed checks with logs; "Fix broken checks" button; many forges | No session board | iOS, Android |
| Emdash | macOS, Windows, Linux | Apache-2.0, free | Many CLI agents | Create PRs, inspect checks, merge; no auto-fix loop | Kanban view | None |
| Nimbalyst | macOS, Windows, Linux | MIT, free for individuals | Claude Code, Codex; others in alpha | Review PRs in-app; CI tracking not documented | Session Kanban | iOS |
| Superset | macOS; Linux experimental; no Windows build | Elastic License 2.0; free tier, paid Pro | Many CLI agents | PR page with checks and threads; manual re-dispatch | Tasks Kanban | iOS (Pro) |
| Claude Squad | macOS, Linux | AGPL-3.0, free | Claude Code and any CLI agent | Commit and push only | Instance list | None |
| Sculptor | macOS (Apple silicon), Linux | MIT, free, research preview | Claude Code, Codex, Pi, terminal agents | CI Babysitter dispatches fixes | Sidebar and tabs | None |
| Claude Desktop Code tab | macOS, Windows, Linux beta | Claude paid plans | Claude Code only | Create PR, CI status, auto-fix CI and address comments | Sidebar by status | Via Claude app |
Competitor details reflect each product as of October 2026.
The problem in practice
One developer tries Conductor on a MacBook, likes running three agents at once, and wants the team to do the same. Then a teammate on Windows or Linux asks how to join, or the company wants to read the source first. The question becomes which app runs everywhere you work, under a license you can approve.
Why Orchestrator.inc is listed first
The title's criteria are Windows, Linux and open source. Orchestrator.inc, Orca, Emdash and Nimbalyst all meet them as of October 2026. Orchestrator is listed first because it also handles the part Conductor users rely on most, the PR loop, without a click: failing checks and review comments reach the agent on their own. If you want an editor in the same app, Orca or Emdash may suit you better.
The options
Orchestrator.inc
An open-source desktop supervisor for coding agents. Every session gets a git worktree and branch, and a local Go daemon polls GitHub and GitLab, with no webhooks or GitHub App, so failing checks, requested changes and merge conflicts land in the owning session without a human relay. It has native builds for all three desktop systems, a Kanban board whose lanes follow real PR state, a project orchestrator agent that spawns workers, reviewer agents, an agent-controllable browser and a companion mobile app. It can also run its host on your own server or VM, so you drive sessions there from your desktop, with several hosts in one app. Limits: no code editor, no Linear or Jira intake, no Slack notifier.
Orca
An MIT agent IDE from Stably AI on all three desktop systems plus iOS and Android. It offers a Design Mode browser, stacked PRs, auto-merge, inline check logs, several Git forges and SSH hosts. Limits: no session board, and "Fix broken checks" is a button you press. Best for people who want an editor and orchestration in one app.
Emdash
An Apache-2.0 agentic development environment for macOS, Windows and Linux, including ARM64. It detects many CLI providers, pre-warms worktrees, supports SSH remote, and pulls issues from trackers including Linear and Jira. Limits: no mobile app and no automatic fix loop. Best for issue-driven teams on Windows or Linux.
Nimbalyst
Formerly Crystal, an MIT desktop app centred on a wiki your agents write. It is cross-platform, with a session Kanban and an iOS app. Limits: Claude Code and Codex are the only stable agents, and CI tracking is not documented. Best for document-heavy solo work.
Superset
A Mac-first Electron workspace with a CLI, SDK, MCP server and iOS app. Its PR page shows checks and review threads. Limits: Elastic License 2.0 is source-available rather than OSI open source, Linux is experimental, there is no Windows build as of October 2026, and remote access, integrations and mobile need the paid Pro tier. Best for Mac teams who want a Conductor-like workspace with more agents. See Conductor vs Superset.
Claude Squad
A Go terminal app under AGPL-3.0 that pairs each worktree with a tmux session. It is small and works over SSH. Limits: no native Windows build, and it stops at commit and push. See Orchestrator.inc vs Claude Squad.
Sculptor
Imbue's free, MIT research preview for Apple silicon Macs and Linux. Its CI Babysitter dispatches agents at failing pipelines. Limits: no Windows build and no mobile app.
Claude Desktop Code tab
Anthropic's Claude desktop app has a Code tab that runs several Claude Code sessions side by side, with a worktree option, Create PR and a CI status bar that can auto-fix failing checks. It is the simplest option if you only use Claude Code and GitHub, but it runs no other vendor's agents.
Where Conductor is a good fit
Conductor is a native Mac app. Conductor Cloud offers hosted sandboxes, an API and multiplayer workspaces, and its iOS app works against them, so no desktop has to stay on. Its Checks tab tracks CI, deployments and review threads. Orchestrator's local orchestration needs your machine on for automations and mobile; to keep agents working with your laptop closed, you run sessions on your own server or VM, or on Orchestrator Cloud. If you are on a Mac and want hosted sandboxes from one vendor, Conductor is a sound choice.
How to choose
- Operating system first. Windows or Linux rules out Conductor and, as of October 2026, Superset, which has no Windows build and an experimental Linux build.
- Editor or supervisor. Orca and Emdash are IDE-like. Orchestrator.inc has no editor and expects you to open the worktree in your own.
- How much PR automation. Orchestrator.inc and Sculptor act on CI failures without a click. Orca and Conductor have buttons. Superset and Emdash show status and leave the re-dispatch to you.
- License. Apache-2.0 and MIT are permissive. Claude Squad is AGPL. Superset is source-available. Conductor is proprietary.
Pricing
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. Orca, Emdash, Claude Squad and Sculptor are free too. As of October 2026, Conductor has a free local tier, Pro at $50 per month and Teams at $60 per user per month, and Superset has a free tier and Pro at $20 per user per month. The Claude Desktop Code tab needs a paid Claude plan.
Try it
Install Orchestrator on the machine your team actually uses and follow the quickstart to spawn your first two agents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Conductor alternative for Windows?
Yes. As of October 2026 Conductor has no Windows build. Orchestrator.inc, Orca, Emdash and Nimbalyst ship native Windows installers, and the Claude Desktop Code tab runs on Windows for Claude Code sessions.
Is there an open-source alternative to Conductor?
Several. Orchestrator.inc and Emdash are Apache-2.0, Orca, Nimbalyst and Sculptor are MIT, and Claude Squad is AGPL-3.0. Superset is source-available under the Elastic License 2.0 rather than an OSI-approved license.
Is there a Conductor alternative for Linux?
Yes. Orchestrator.inc ships AppImage, deb and rpm packages. Orca, Emdash, Nimbalyst, Claude Squad and Sculptor also run on Linux, while Superset's Linux build is labelled experimental as of October 2026.
Which Conductor alternative supports the most coding agents?
Orchestrator.inc supports 38 coding agent harnesses, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, Aider and GitHub Copilot, and each session picks its own. Conductor supports Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode as of October 2026.
Which alternative handles failing CI for the agent?
Orchestrator.inc polls GitHub and GitLab and sends failing check names, links and the end of each failed job's log to the owning session on its own. Orca has a "Fix broken checks" button and Conductor can forward failing checks to the agent, both started by a person. To see the automatic version, download Orchestrator.inc from orchestrator.inc and read the review loop guide on docs.orchestrator.inc.