OpenComputer vs Conductor

Conductor is a Mac app from Melty Labs that runs Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode in parallel, each task in its own git worktree, with paid plans that add cloud workspaces. OpenComputer is a coding agent you mention in Slack that runs Claude Code and Codex on a cloud Linux machine per Slack workspace and hands back a pull request. The biggest difference is the interface: a desktop workbench where you drive and review each agent, or a shared Slack thread the team hands work to.

On the free plan, Conductor runs everything on your Mac, so sessions end when the Mac shuts off or you close the app. Conductor Cloud, on Pro and above, moves workspaces into cloud microVMs. OpenComputer only runs in the cloud and has no desktop app.

The two are often complementary. Conductor fits a developer who wants to supervise several agents at once from a Mac. OpenComputer fits a team that wants to send requests from Slack and get pull requests back.

At a glance

What is Conductor?

Conductor is a Mac app for running a team of coding agents. Each task gets its own workspace with a branch, git worktree, terminal and diff. You start a workspace from a repo, a branch, a PR, or a GitHub or Linear issue, review the diff in the app, and have the agent draft a PR. It supports stacked PRs and merging from the app.

It runs Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Cursor with your own subscriptions or API keys, and says "We do not bill or resell model usage." Paid plans add Conductor Cloud: each workspace runs in an isolated microVM with 8 vCPUs and 16 GB of RAM, started from a shared, org-wide "Cloud Computer" build that holds your repos, secrets and installed software. Paid plans also include an iOS app, a beta API and MCP server, live collaboration on shared workspaces, and routines that run agents on a schedule or from a GitHub action.

What is OpenComputer?

OpenComputer runs Claude Code and Codex in its own cloud, and you hand them work by mentioning @Computer in a Slack thread or calling the API from your code. Each Slack workspace gets its own cloud Linux machine, sized to its plan. Every thread works in its own copy of the repos on its own branch, so parallel requests don't collide. Workspaces resume warm, with the repository, dependencies and build caches already in place.

@Computer reads the code, runs the commands and tests, then opens a pull request that says what changed, why, and how it was checked, with a link back to the thread. UI changes come with a screenshot and a preview link. There is no desktop or mobile app: Slack and the API are the interface.

Key differences

Mac workbench or Slack thread

Conductor is built for a developer at a Mac who wants to run several agents side by side and review each diff closely. The desktop app is macOS only, and the iOS app lets you chat with agents and merge PRs away from your desk. OpenComputer has no app to install. Requests come from Slack or the API, and what comes back is a pull request with the evidence attached. If you want fine-grained control of many agents at once, Conductor gives you more of it.

Local sessions, cloud sessions and what persists

Local Conductor workspaces run on your Mac, and sessions terminate when the machine shuts off or the app closes. Cloud workspaces sleep after 20 minutes without activity, keep files and chat history but not running processes, and have a maximum lifetime of 23 hours 50 minutes. OpenComputer gives each Slack workspace one cloud machine, with every thread in its own copy of the repos on its own branch, and workspaces resume warm with the repo, dependencies and build caches in place. If you want each workspace isolated in its own microVM, Conductor Cloud gives you that.

Conductor's shared Cloud Computer build, with an install script and per-repo setup scripts, is a strong fit for repos that need specific tooling. Its cloud is GitHub only and runs in us-east-1.

Team collaboration

Conductor Pro supports live collaboration with up to 5 Pro users: share a workspace link and prompt agents together in real time. OpenComputer's collaboration is the Slack thread itself. Everyone in it sees every file @Computer opens and every command it runs, anyone can steer it, and conventions one person explains apply to later requests. Conductor builds in Linear issues and routines instead.

Agents and billing

Conductor supports four harnesses, including Cursor and OpenCode, which gives it access to more model providers. OpenComputer runs Claude Code and Codex only. Neither resells tokens when you bring your own subscription, though OpenComputer can switch to its own tokens at API prices with no markup when your subscription hits its limit. Conductor bills per person, and OpenComputer bills per Slack workspace for the minutes the agent actually works.

Pricing compared

As of October 2026, Conductor lists a Free plan for local workspaces on your Mac, Pro at $50 a month per person with Conductor Cloud, Teams at $60 a month per user, and custom Enterprise pricing. Cloud compute has no extra fee for now, and Conductor says it plans to add usage-based pricing for it. OpenComputer lists Pro at $20 a month with 2,000 work minutes and Max at $200 with 25,000, for the whole Slack workspace, and $0.01 per extra minute.

For a team of five that wants cloud agents, Conductor Pro is $250 a month. OpenComputer Pro is $20 a month for the same five people, covering about 33 hours of active agent work, and Max is $200 for about 416 hours. Conductor does not publish exactly how many cloud hours Pro includes, so the comparison is per person against per minute rather than like for like. For a single developer working locally on a Mac, Conductor's free plan costs nothing.

When to choose Conductor

• You work on a Mac and want to run and review several agents in parallel from a desktop app.
• You want Cursor or OpenCode alongside Claude Code and Codex.
• You want local agents for free, with an optional cloud tier later.
• You want Linear issues, routines and stacked PRs in the same tool.

When to choose OpenComputer

• Your team works in Slack and wants requests, review and history in one shared thread.
• You use Windows or Linux, or don't want a desktop app at all.
• You'd rather pay per workspace for active agent time than per person.
• You also want to build your own agents, such as a background coding agent, on the same cloud and minutes.

FAQ

Is OpenComputer a Conductor alternative?

Yes, for teams that want to hand coding work to Claude Code or Codex in the cloud without a desktop app. Conductor is a Mac workbench for supervising parallel agents, with an optional cloud tier. OpenComputer is a Slack agent that works on your workspace's cloud machine and ends with a pull request.

How much does Conductor cost?

Conductor has a free plan for local workspaces on your Mac. Pro is $50 a month per person and adds Conductor Cloud, the API and the iOS app, and Teams is $60 a month per user. Model usage is billed by your own provider.

Does Conductor work on Windows or Linux?

Conductor's desktop app is for macOS, with an iOS app and an API. Its cloud workspaces run Linux microVMs. OpenComputer has no desktop app, so it works the same from any computer that runs Slack.

Can I use my Claude or ChatGPT subscription with both?

Yes. Conductor works with your subscriptions or API keys and does not resell model usage. OpenComputer also runs on your Claude or ChatGPT subscription, and can switch to its own tokens at API prices with no markup when the subscription hits its limit, or stop and wait for the reset.

Does Conductor keep agents running when my Mac is off?

Local workspaces stop when your Mac shuts off or you close the app. Cloud workspaces on paid plans keep running, sleep after 20 minutes of inactivity and have a maximum lifetime of just under 24 hours. OpenComputer runs only in the cloud, and workspaces resume warm with the repo and caches in place.

Sources

• Conductor homepage
• Conductor pricing
• Conductor docs
• Conductor Cloud
• Working with cloud workspaces
• Cloud Computer
• Harnesses
• Conductor API
• Issue to PR
• Conductor changelog