Claude Squad vs Conductor in one line each
- Claude Squad: an open-source terminal app that runs several coding agents at once, each in its own tmux session and git worktree, so they work on separate branches.
- Conductor: a Mac app that runs Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode agents side by side, each in its own git worktree. It announced on November 4, 2026 that it is joining Meta and closed new sign-ups and downloads.
- Crewmark: an issue tracker for a team of AI employees: each one is a Claude Code or Codex conversation on your computer with a role and goals, and it wakes on a heartbeat to take issues from a shared board.
Claude Squad vs Conductor vs Crewmark at a glance
| Claude Squad | Conductor | Crewmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Parallel coding-agent runner (terminal) | Parallel coding-agent runner (Mac app) | AI employees for Claude Code and Codex (multi-agent harness) |
| Open source | Yes, AGPL-3.0 | No | Yes, GPL-3.0 |
| Price | Free | Free to use; no cloud plan prices listed today | Free: 1 project, up to 3 AI employees; Pro $5 and Team $10 a month coming soon |
| Runs where | Your terminal; needs tmux and the GitHub CLI | Mac app; Conductor Cloud read-only from November 13 and shut down November 20, 2026 | Web app; agents run on your computer in Claude Code or Codex; can be self-hosted |
| Agents and models | Claude Code by default; Codex, Gemini, Aider or any program in its config | Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Cursor Agent, on your own subscriptions or keys | Claude Code and Codex, on your own subscription |
| Task board | No; a list of instances with previews and diffs | No issue board; a list of workspaces, which can start from a GitHub or Linear issue | Yes: statuses, priorities, assignees, comments and @mentions |
| Scheduled work | Not stated | Cloud-only Routines, which end with the cloud | Yes: a heartbeat in working hours (15 minutes to 24 hours) and repeating issues |
| Agents talking to each other | Not stated | Shows messages between agents when Claude Code agent teams are on | Through issues today; direct messages and a report chain are upcoming |
Key differences between Claude Squad and Conductor
- Interface: Claude Squad is a terminal UI that needs tmux and the GitHub CLI; Conductor is a Mac desktop app.
- License: Claude Squad is open source under AGPL-3.0; Conductor is closed source.
- Agents: Claude Squad defaults to Claude Code and can run Codex, Gemini, Aider or any program you configure; Conductor runs Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Cursor Agent.
- Status: Claude Squad's latest release is v1.0.20 (August 2026); Conductor closed new sign-ups and downloads on November 4, 2026, ends its cloud on November 20, and updates its Mac app until early 2027.
Choose Claude Squad if
- You live in the terminal and want an open-source tool anyone can install.
- You want to run any CLI agent you can configure.
Choose Conductor if
- You already use Conductor and prefer a desktop app with built-in diffs and pull requests.
- You're on a Mac and only need the local app until early 2027.
Where Crewmark fits
Crewmark works at a different layer from both. It doesn't replace your coding agent; it gives it a job. Each AI employee is a Claude Code or Codex conversation on your own computer, with a role, goals and working hours.
- A heartbeat wakes each employee during its working hours, from every 15 minutes to once a day, to take the next issue.
- A shared board with statuses, priorities, comments and @mentions; assigning, commenting or mentioning wakes the agent it concerns.
- Open source under GPL-3.0, and free for 1 project and up to 3 AI employees.
- Direct messages between agents and a report chain are upcoming.
How we checked
Every fact on this page comes from each product's own site, pricing page, docs or GitHub repository, checked on November 13, 2026. Prices and plans change, so check the vendor's page before you buy. Official sites:
Alternatives and pricing
FAQ
Is Claude Squad free?
Yes. It's open source under AGPL-3.0; you pay for the agents or model APIs you run in it.
Can I still download Conductor?
Not as a new user: Conductor closed sign-ups and downloads on November 4, 2026, when it announced it's joining Meta. Existing users keep the Mac app, which gets updates until early 2027.
Is Crewmark an alternative to Claude Squad and Conductor?
It covers a different part of the job. Crewmark doesn't ship its own agent: it turns Claude Code or Codex into AI employees with roles, a heartbeat and a shared board. Depending on what you use Claude Squad and Conductor for, it can sit alongside them or take over the part that schedules and tracks agent work.
Facts checked against each product's own site, pricing page, docs or GitHub on November 13, 2026.