# Tools for running many Claude Code agents, compared

There is now a fast-growing set of tools for running several Claude Code agents at
once. This is an honest map of the main ones, including where each is a better
pick than Abralo. Abralo drives the same official `claude` binary as the others,
so the model, your account, and the speed are identical. What differs is the shape
of the tool around it.

## At a glance

| Tool | Platform | Runs agents via | Open source | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Abralo** | Mac, Windows, Linux (native) | One agent per project folder, side by side | No | Watching agents across several projects with a light footprint |
| **Conductor** | macOS only (Windows waitlist) | A git worktree per workspace on one repo | No | Many agents on one repo, with a deep review-and-merge flow |
| **Claude Squad** | Mac, Linux (terminal; no native Windows) | tmux plus git worktrees | Yes (AGPL-3.0) | People who live in the terminal |
| **Crystal** | Desktop app | Parallel sessions in git worktrees, with run comparison | Yes | A free GUI with side-by-side run comparison |
| **Vibe Kanban** | Mac, Windows, Linux (local, browser UI) | A kanban board, one worktree per task | Yes (Apache-2.0) | A backlog and board workflow |

## The main tools

**Conductor** is a macOS app from Melty Labs (YC S24). It runs each agent in its own
git worktree and has a strong diff, pull request, and Linear/GitHub review flow. It
is closed source and free to use; you bring your own Claude subscription. It is well
funded and ships fast. If you work on a Mac and want several agents on one repo with
a polished review-and-merge flow, it is the better pick. Its main limits today are
Mac only, and cost that multiplies with each parallel agent. See conductor.build.

**Claude Squad** is an open-source terminal app. It uses tmux and git worktrees to
run several agents at once, and it is agent-agnostic, so it also drives Codex, Aider,
and others. It runs on Mac and Linux; there is no native Windows because of the tmux
dependency. If you already live in tmux and want to stay there, this is the better
pick. See github.com/smtg-ai/claude-squad.

**Crystal** is an open-source desktop app that runs parallel sessions in git worktrees
and lets you compare runs side by side before you merge. If you want a free graphical
tool with run comparison, look here. See github.com/stravu/crystal.

**Vibe Kanban** is an open-source, locally run tool with a browser UI. Each task on a
kanban board goes to an agent in its own worktree, and it supports around ten different
agents. One thing to know: Bloop, the company behind it, wound down in April 2026, and
the project now continues as community-maintained open source. If you want a board and
backlog workflow and are comfortable on a community-maintained project, it fits. See
github.com/BloopAI/vibe-kanban.

## Others worth knowing

- **Nimbalyst** is open source (MIT), cross-platform, and pairs a kanban view with
  visual editing.
- **Superset** is a Mac, source-available terminal-style IDE for running agents in
  parallel; it is one of the more popular tools in the category.
- **Sculptor**, from Imbue, isolates each agent in its own Docker container rather
  than a worktree. Mac and Linux, in beta.

## Where Abralo fits

Abralo is the light one. It is native on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and the Windows
installer is 3.4 MB because it uses your operating system's own webview instead of
bundling a browser. It gives each project folder its own agent in its own column, so
you can watch work across several projects at a glance. The moment an agent needs a
decision or hits a usage limit, it tells you, and you can continue after a limit with
one tap. It runs your local `claude`, so the model and your subscription are unchanged.
Free for up to 4 agents at a time.

## When another tool is the better pick

Being straight about this is the point:

- You want several agents on one repo in parallel, with a deep diff and pull-request
  review flow: Conductor on a Mac, or Crystal if you want open source.
- You live in tmux and want to stay in the terminal: Claude Squad.
- You want a kanban board and backlog, and don't mind a community-maintained project:
  Vibe Kanban.
- You want everything fully open source: Claude Squad, Crystal, or Nimbalyst.
- You need to run agents other than Claude Code, such as Codex or Gemini: most of the
  tools above are agent-agnostic, whereas Abralo is built around Claude Code.

Details are current as of July 2026. This category moves quickly, so check each
project's own site before relying on anything here.

Download Abralo at https://abralo.com/#get