Orca vs Conductor (2026): Agent Development Environments Compared
Compare Orca and Conductor for running AI coding agents in parallel Git worktrees: platforms, agent coverage, cloud and remote work, mobile apps, and pricing, and where Paradev fits.
Orca and Conductor solve the same problem from opposite ends. Both run several AI coding agents at once, each in its own Git worktree, with review and merge in the app. Orca is free, MIT-licensed, cross-platform, and supports a long list of agents. Conductor is a polished, proprietary Mac app for four agents, with managed cloud workspaces, Routines, and an iOS app on its paid plans.
For a three-way comparison that includes Paradev, see Paradev vs Orca vs Conductor.
Facts were checked against each product's own site, docs, changelog, and pricing on October 13, 2026.
At a Glance
| Orca | Conductor | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS only; Windows and Linux on a waitlist |
| License and price | MIT; free | Proprietary; Free, Pro $50/month, Teams $60 per user/month, Enterprise custom |
| Agents | 27 listed, including Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, Copilot, OpenCode, Amp, Pi, Goose, Kiro, Droid, and Qwen Code, plus any CLI agent | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode |
| Isolation | Git worktree per task | Workspace and branch per task |
| Review | Inline diff comments sent back to the agent; GitHub and Linear PRs and issues in the app | Diff, checks, pull request, merge, and archive |
| Remote and cloud | SSH worktrees; Remote Orca Servers (beta) with headless orca serve; experimental cloud VMs on your own provider | Conductor Cloud: managed Linux sandboxes on Pro, Teams, and Enterprise |
| Automation | Scheduled automations from the CLI and desktop; orchestration is an experimental setting | Routines on a schedule or from a GitHub action, run in the cloud (Pro and Teams); API and Conductor MCP |
| Mobile | iOS app and Android APK, both beta | iOS app since October 2, 2026 (Pro), works with cloud workspaces |
| Enterprise | SOC 2 readiness, self-hostable desktop and server | SAML SSO, SCIM, DPA, SLA; SOC 2 Type II |
What Is Orca?
Orca calls itself "the agent development environment." It is an MIT-licensed desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that runs agents in parallel worktrees, with terminals, an embedded browser with Design Mode, inline diff comments sent back to the agent, and GitHub and Linear PRs and issues in the app. It lists 27 supported agents plus any other CLI agent, tracks usage and resets for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, OpenCode, Kimi, and MiniMax with an account switcher, and has iOS and Android companion apps in beta. For remote work it supports SSH worktrees, Remote Orca Servers in beta, and a headless orca serve. Its CLI covers worktrees, browser automation, and scheduled automations; multi-agent orchestration is an experimental setting.
What Is Conductor?
Conductor describes itself as a way to "run parallel coding agents on your Mac." It runs Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and OpenCode, each task in its own workspace and branch, and takes a change through diff, checks, pull request, merge, and archive. Conductor Cloud, launched in July 2026, runs workspaces in managed Linux sandboxes on Pro and above. Routines, added in September, run agents on a schedule or from a GitHub action in the cloud. Conductor also has an API and an MCP server, and since October 2, 2026, an iOS app for chatting with agents and merging PRs, which works with cloud workspaces.
Orca vs Conductor: Key Differences
Platform and License
Orca runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux and is open source. Conductor is a Mac app and proprietary; Windows and Linux are on a waitlist. If your team is not all on Macs, the choice is made for you.
Agent Coverage
Orca supports far more agents out of the box and runs any other CLI agent. Conductor supports four. If you switch agents often, Orca is the broader option.
Cloud and Remote Work
Conductor's cloud is managed: Conductor runs the sandboxes for you (on Vercel), on paid plans, with collaboration and Routines built on top. Orca's remote options run on machines you control: SSH worktrees, Remote Orca Servers, and experimental cloud VMs on your own provider. Orca does not sell hosting.
Mobile
Both now have phone apps. Orca's iOS and Android apps control your desktop and are in beta. Conductor's iOS app, released in October, works with its cloud workspaces and needs Pro.
Pricing
Orca is free. Conductor's free plan covers local Mac workspaces; cloud, multiplayer, the API, and the mobile app start at Pro, $50 a month, and Teams is $60 per user per month.
Where Paradev Fits
Paradev runs the same worktree-per-task model with any CLI agent, on your own subscriptions, on your machines or in cloud workspaces. Against both, its main differences are what can drive it from outside, through an MCP server, a TypeScript SDK, a CLI, and a Slack bot, and a review loop that commits, pushes, opens PRs, shows CI checks, and sends line comments back to agents. Its iPhone and iPad app connects to cloud workspaces and to macOS or Linux hosts you own. Paradev runs on macOS with an experimental Linux build; Windows is not yet available. See Paradev vs Orca and Paradev vs Conductor.
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose Orca if you want free and open source, Windows or Linux, the widest agent list, and Android.
- Choose Conductor if your team is on Macs, uses Claude Code or Codex, and wants shared cloud workspaces with multiplayer collaboration and Routines.
- Choose Paradev if you want any CLI agent on machines you own or in cloud workspaces, with orchestration other software can drive and an enterprise track with SAML SSO and SCIM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Orca and Conductor both use Git worktrees?
Yes. Each gives every task its own Git worktree or branch, so agents in separate workspaces do not edit the same files. Paradev uses the same model.
Does Conductor run on Windows or Linux?
No. Conductor is a Mac app, with Windows and Linux on a waitlist; its cloud workspaces run in Linux sandboxes. Orca runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Paradev supports macOS and an experimental Linux AppImage.
Which supports the most coding agents?
Orca lists 27 agents and runs any other CLI agent. Conductor supports Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and OpenCode. Paradev runs any CLI agent, with built-in presets for more than 20.
Is Orca free?
Yes. Orca is MIT-licensed and free. Conductor has a free plan for local Mac workspaces, Pro at $50 a month, and Teams at $60 per user per month.
Can I use my existing Claude or Codex subscription?
Yes. Orca, Conductor, and Paradev run the agent CLIs under your own login in local workspaces, so you keep your existing plan.