Short answer
Omnara and Orchestrator.inc (formerly Agent Orchestrator) no longer solve the same problem. In September 2026 Omnara relaunched as an open-source managed agent platform: you run agents in sandboxes from an API, chat tools, GitHub events or a schedule. Orchestrator supervises the coding agents you run on your own repositories, follows each pull request through CI and review, and has iOS and Android apps. Choose Omnara if you are building agents into a product or a team workflow. Choose Orchestrator if you are a developer running Claude Code, Codex or other coding CLIs in parallel and want to follow them from your phone.
At a glance
| Orchestrator.inc | Omnara | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Desktop supervisor for coding agents, plus Orchestrator Cloud for hosted sessions | Managed agent platform with an API, SDK, CLI and dashboard |
| License and price | Apache-2.0, free locally; optional Cloud plans from $20/month | Apache-2.0, free to self-host; Omnara Cloud has a free tier with your own keys and pay-as-you-go hosting |
| Where agents run | Your machine, a git worktree per session; or hosted sandboxes in Orchestrator Cloud | Omnara-managed sandboxes, sandbox providers you bring, or machines you connect |
| Agent loop | The vendor CLI itself: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI and the rest of its 38 harnesses | Omnara's own agent loop on the model you configure |
| Uses your Claude or ChatGPT subscription | Yes, through the CLIs you have installed | No; model provider API keys, or Omnara's hosted models |
| Mobile | iOS and Android app with push notifications | No mobile app documented as of October 2026 |
| Entry points | Desktop app, mobile app, ao CLI, scheduled automations | Web dashboard, REST API, TypeScript SDK, CLI, MCP server, Slack, Discord and GitHub |
| GitHub | Follows each worker's PR and sends failing checks, review comments and conflicts to it | A GitHub App can start an agent on PR events, which can then comment and review |
| Overview | Kanban board placed by session, PR, CI and review state | Dashboard of agents |
The problem in practice
You used Omnara's earlier phone app to keep an eye on Claude Code from your phone. After the relaunch, its docs describe an agent platform and no mobile app, and you still want what you had: your own agents, on your own repositories, reachable from your phone. That is a different job from running hosted agents behind an API, so the useful question is which tool now fits each job.
How each tool handles it
Task: a coding agent fixes an issue in your repository and the change goes through review.
In Omnara
- Define an agent in its configuration, with a model, tools and a sandbox.
- Start it from the API, the dashboard, a Slack or Discord thread, or a GitHub event through the GitHub App.
- The agent works in its sandbox, and through the GitHub App it can open, comment on and review pull requests.
- You follow progress in the dashboard or the channel where you started it.
In Orchestrator.inc
- Spawn a worker from the board, the phone app or with
ao spawn. It runs your installed Claude Code or Codex CLI in its own worktree and branch. - Once it pushes, Orchestrator discovers the PR and polls its checks and reviews.
- Failing checks, review comments and merge conflicts go to that worker until the PR is ready. A reviewer agent from another vendor can review it first.
- Your phone gets a push when the card moves to Ready. You read the diff and merge.
Where Omnara is a good fit
- Agents as a service. Launch agents from an API or SDK, from Slack and Discord threads, from GitHub events or on a schedule, and share them across a team.
- General-purpose sandboxes. Managed machines with common tools installed, or a sandbox provider you already use.
- One agent loop across models. Omnara runs its own loop on the model you configure, with subagents, memory, secrets and permissions built in, and the whole platform can be self-hosted with Docker Compose.
Where Orchestrator fits better
- Developers running coding CLIs on their own repositories. Orchestrator launches the Claude Code, Codex or other CLI you already use, with your existing subscription, each in its own worktree and branch.
- Workflows where CI and review feedback should reach the agent on its own. GitHub and GitLab, including self-managed GitLab, are polled with no webhooks to set up, and failing checks, requested changes and merge conflicts go to the owning session, de-duplicated.
- People who want their agents on their phone. The iOS and Android app shows each session's chat or terminal, answers approvals, starts workers and sends a push when a session needs you.
- Larger plans. A project orchestrator agent breaks a plan into tasks, spawns and briefs workers, and follows their progress. 22 of the 38 harnesses can act as reviewer agents.
Orchestrator Cloud also runs sessions in hosted sandboxes, but only for coding work on a GitHub repository, not as a general agent API.
Pricing
Orchestrator is free and open source (Apache-2.0); you bring your own agent subscriptions. It uses the agent CLIs and sign-ins you already have, so usage is billed by your provider. 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. As of October 2026, Omnara is free to self-host, and Omnara Cloud has no platform fee with your own keys and machines, plus pay-as-you-go pricing for its hosted models and machines.
Who should pick which
Pick Omnara if
- you are building agents into your product, or want team agents started from Slack, Discord or GitHub
- you want managed sandboxes behind an API rather than a desktop app
- you want one agent loop across many model providers
Pick Orchestrator if
- you want to run Claude Code, Codex or other coding CLIs in parallel on your own repositories
- you want failing CI, review comments and conflicts sent to the agent that owns the PR
- you want to follow and steer those agents from an iPhone, iPad or Android phone
Try it
Install Orchestrator, add a repository, and spawn your first two workers with the quickstart; then pair the phone app to follow them away from your desk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Omnara still a mobile app for Claude Code?
No. Omnara relaunched in September 2026 as an open-source managed agent platform, and as of October 2026 its docs do not describe a mobile app.
Is Omnara open source?
Yes. As of October 2026 Omnara is Apache-2.0 and can be self-hosted with Docker Compose. Orchestrator.inc is also Apache-2.0.
What can I use to manage Claude Code from my phone instead?
Orchestrator.inc has iOS and Android apps that pair with your desktop and show each session's chat or terminal, with approvals and push notifications. You can download Orchestrator.inc from orchestrator.inc and pair the phone app in a few minutes.
Can Omnara and Orchestrator.inc be used together?
They do different jobs. Orchestrator supervises coding agents on your machine or in Orchestrator Cloud; Omnara runs hosted agents from an API or chat tools. Omnara also offers an MCP server, so a coding agent inside Orchestrator could start Omnara agents if you connect it.