Conductor alternatives: run parallel coding agents for free
Conductor is a Mac app for supervising several agents at once. Freebuff Desktop does the same on Mac, Windows and Linux.
TL;DR
- Conductor (conductor.build) is a Mac app that runs several Claude Code, Codex and Cursor agents side by side, each in its own workspace, and helps you review and merge their changes.
- Conductor does not include model access. You bring the Claude, Codex or Cursor subscription or API key the agents run on.
- Freebuff Desktop covers the same job on macOS, Windows and Linux: one agent per tab, each in an isolated git worktree when the folder is a git root.
- Desktop runs its own free, ad-supported Freebuff agent, and can also run local Claude Code or Codex using your own subscription.
- Pick Conductor if you are on a Mac and already pay for Claude Code or Codex. Pick Freebuff Desktop if you want a free agent in the same layout, or you are not on a Mac.
Running one coding agent is easy. Running five at once on the same repo, without them overwriting each other, is the part that needs tooling. Conductor and Freebuff Desktop both solve it with the same idea: give each agent its own git worktree and put the conversations in one window.
What Conductor is#
Conductor describes itself as a way to "run a team of coding agents on your Mac". You start parallel Claude Code and Codex agents in isolated workspaces, see at a glance what each is working on, then review and merge their changes. Its site also lists Cursor as a supported agent.
It is an orchestration layer, not a model provider. Conductor drives agents you already have, so the model bill is whatever your Claude Code, Codex or Cursor plan costs. Its site is Mac-only and does not publish prices on the home page, so check conductor.build for current plans.
What Freebuff Desktop is#
Freebuff Desktop is a coding workspace for macOS, Windows and Linux with browser-style tabs. Each tab is one coding-agent conversation bound to a project folder. When that folder is a git root, the thread can run in an isolated worktree, so parallel threads do not trample each other. Threads survive a restart.
Each thread runs on one of three harnesses: Freebuff (hosted, free, funded by text ads), Claude Code (local, using your Anthropic subscription), or Codex (local, using your ChatGPT subscription). That makes Desktop both a free agent and a Conductor-style front end for the paid agents you may already use.
Conductor vs Freebuff Desktop#
| Feature | Freebuff | Conductor |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS (Mac only per its site) |
| Parallel agents in one window | Yes, one per tab | Yes, one per workspace |
| Isolation between agents | Git worktree when the folder is a git root | Isolated workspace per agent |
| Agents you can run | Freebuff, Claude Code, Codex | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor |
| Includes a model you can use for free | Yes: the Freebuff agent, funded by text ads | No: bring your own agent subscription |
| Cost to start | $0, no card required | Your Claude Code, Codex or Cursor plan; check conductor.build for Conductor itself |
| Terminal agent too | Yes: npm install -g freebuff | No: desktop app |
When Conductor is the better pick#
- You are on a Mac and already pay for Claude Code or Codex. Conductor adds the parallel workflow on top of a subscription you have.
- You use Cursor as one of your agents. Conductor lists it as supported; Desktop’s harnesses are Freebuff, Claude Code and Codex.
- You want a focused review-and-merge surface for several agents’ diffs and nothing else.
When Freebuff Desktop is the better pick#
- You are on Windows or Linux. Conductor is Mac-only.
- You do not want a model subscription at all. The Freebuff agent is free, so parallel threads cost nothing extra. Your daily allowance still applies: free accounts get a daily Freebucks allowance that refills at midnight and does not roll over, and it depends on your country.
- You want one app for both free and paid agents. Open one tab on Freebuff and another on Claude Code, same window.
- You also work in the terminal. The Freebuff CLI uses the same agent.
How to run agents in parallel without conflicts#
- 1Give each agent its own branch and worktree. Two agents editing one working tree will overwrite each other.
- 2Keep tasks independent: one agent per bug, feature or refactor, not two agents on one file.
- 3Review each diff on its own before merging, and merge the smallest change first.
- 4Run the test suite per worktree, not once at the end.
Try parallel agents for free
Download Freebuff Desktop for macOS, Windows or Linux. No card required.
Download Freebuff Desktop