OpenComputer vs Orca

Orca is a free, open-source agent development environment from Stably AI that runs Claude Code, Codex and 30 or more other agent CLIs in parallel, each in its own git worktree, on your own machine or hosts you run. 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 who provides the computer: with Orca you bring your own, and with OpenComputer a cloud machine comes with the workspace.

Orca is a desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux with terminals, diffs and a browser per worktree. It can run agents locally, on SSH hosts, on an always-on Orca server, or on per-workspace cloud VMs from a provider you pay. OpenComputer has no desktop app: Slack and the API are the interface.

The two are often complementary. Orca suits a developer who wants to drive and compare many agents hands-on. OpenComputer suits a team that hands work off from Slack and reviews pull requests.

At a glance

What is Orca?

Orca describes itself as an agent development environment, free and MIT-licensed, for macOS, Windows and Linux. Each task gets its own git worktree, so you can fan one prompt across several agents, compare the results and merge the one you like. You review diffs, annotate lines that go back to the agent, commit, push, open PRs, inspect CI and resolve conflicts in the app, and each worktree has its own browser with a Design Mode.

Its preconfigured agents include Claude Code, Codex, Cursor CLI, GitHub Copilot CLI, OpenCode, Grok, Kiro, Devin, Droid and many more, and any other CLI agent can be added. It uses the subscriptions you already have, and its enterprise page says prompts and code go straight to the providers you configure. Orca connects to GitHub, Linear and Jira, has a CLI with scheduled automations, and a mobile companion in beta for iOS and Android.

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. OpenComputer is not an IDE and has no desktop or mobile app.

Key differences

Who provides the machine

Orca offers four ways to run: on your desktop, on an SSH host, on a Remote Orca Server you run, or on per-workspace cloud VMs defined by an orca.yaml recipe. The Remote Orca Server, in beta, keeps agents running when your laptop sleeps, as long as the server stays awake. The cloud VM mode is experimental, and Orca does not sell managed hosting: you bring a provider such as Vercel Sandbox, Fly, Modal or Docker and pay it directly. That flexibility suits teams that want everything inside their own network.

OpenComputer provides the machine. Each Slack workspace gets its own cloud Linux machine, every thread works in its own copy of the repos on its own branch, and the workspace resumes warm with the repo and caches in place. You have less control over where it runs, and nothing to set up or keep awake.

Hands-on IDE or hand-off agent

Orca is built for a developer who wants to watch agents work, compare their output and steer at the line level. By default it launches agents with permission-bypass flags, which you can switch to manual approval. OpenComputer is built for handing off a task: you describe it in Slack, and the reply is a pull request that explains what changed and how it was tested.

Agents and models

Orca has the larger roster by a wide margin, with 30 or more preconfigured agents and room for any other CLI. If your team uses several harnesses, Orca covers them in one place. OpenComputer runs only Claude Code and Codex, and can switch to its own tokens at API prices with no markup when your subscription hits its limit.

Team workflow

Orca brings GitHub, Linear and Jira items into the app. OpenComputer's work happens in a shared Slack thread: 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. The thread records who asked for each change and why.

Pricing compared

As of October 2026, Orca is free and open source under the MIT license, with no published paid plans. You pay for your own agent subscriptions or API keys and for any hosts or cloud providers you use. 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.

Both work with your Claude or ChatGPT subscription, so on a laptop Orca adds $0 and OpenComputer Pro adds $20 a month, for about 33 hours of active agent time on machines it provides. Once you run Orca on an always-on server or cloud VMs, the total depends on your hosting provider, so there is no like-for-like number.

When to choose Orca

• You want free, MIT-licensed software on macOS, Windows or Linux.
• You want to run many different agent CLIs side by side and compare their results.
• You want to keep agents, code and hosts inside your own network.
• You want line-level diff review, a per-worktree browser and CI handling in one app.

When to choose OpenComputer

• You want a cloud machine for your team without running a server or wiring up a provider.
• Your team works in Slack and wants requests, review and history in one shared thread.
• You want pull requests with the evidence attached, including a screenshot for UI work.
• You also want to build your own agents on the same cloud, as in serverless agents.

FAQ

Is OpenComputer an Orca alternative?

Partly. Both run Claude Code and Codex with your own subscription and end in a pull request. Orca is a desktop environment for running many agents on machines you control, while OpenComputer runs Claude Code and Codex on its own cloud machines and takes requests from Slack.

Is Orca free?

Yes. Orca is free and open source under the MIT license for macOS, Windows and Linux, with no published paid plans. You pay for your agent subscriptions and for any hosts or cloud providers you run it on.

Can Orca keep agents running when my laptop is closed?

Yes, if you run a Remote Orca Server, currently in beta, on a machine that stays awake, such as a Mac mini or a VPS. Agents then keep running when the client laptop sleeps. OpenComputer runs agents on its own cloud machines, so there is no server to maintain.

Can I use my Claude or ChatGPT subscription with both?

Yes. Orca uses the subscriptions you already have and sends prompts straight to your providers. 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.

How does Orca compare with Superset and Conductor?

All three run coding agents in parallel in git worktrees. Orca is free and open source on macOS, Windows and Linux, while Superset (now Paradev) and Conductor are centered on the Mac with paid cloud tiers. See OpenComputer vs Superset for more.

Sources

• Orca homepage
• Ways to run Orca
• Remote Orca Servers
• Supported agents
• Install
• Mobile companion
• Automations
• Enterprise
• Orca on GitHub