Agentastic vs Claude Code
Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent: a CLI, plus a desktop app, IDE extensions, and web access. Agentastic is not a rival agent but a workspace around it. It launches as many Claude Code sessions as you want, each in its own worktree, container, SSH host, or cloud VM, alongside Codex, Gemini CLI, and other agents, with diffs, review passes, and pull requests in one native Mac app. Claude Code can isolate a session itself with claude --worktree; Agentastic is for when you run several at once and want to supervise them together.
Who should choose each option#
Agentastic
Choose Agentastic when you run more than one Claude Code session at a time, want to mix in other agents, or need containers, SSH hosts, or cloud VMs per task.
Claude Code
Choose Claude Code on its own, in the CLI or the desktop app, if one or two sessions at a time is all you need and Anthropic's own tools cover your workflow.
Feature comparison#
| Feature | Agentastic | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Workspace for many agents (native macOS app) | Anthropic's coding agent: CLI, desktop app, IDE extensions, and web |
| Agents | Claude Code plus 54 other built-in definitions (Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor, and more) | Claude only |
| Parallel isolation | Worktree, Docker or Apple container, SSH host, or cloud VM per task | claude --worktree in the CLI; a worktree option per desktop session |
| Review | Diff viewer, line comments, and Claude, Codex, CodeRabbit, or Greptile review passes | Diffs in the terminal; visual diff review in the desktop app |
| Browser | Built-in browser agents drive with the dev browser CLI | Browser pane in the desktop app, where Claude checks its own changes |
| Platforms | macOS 14+ | CLI on macOS, Windows, and Linux; desktop app on macOS, Windows, and a Linux beta |
| Cost | Free (bring your Claude plan or API key) | Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise, or API billing |
Pricing#
Agentastic
Free. You sign in to Claude Code with your existing Claude plan or API key; Agentastic does not resell usage.
Claude Code
Included with Claude Pro ($20 a month, or $17 billed annually), Max (from $100 a month), Team, and Enterprise, or billed per token through the Claude Console. The desktop app needs a paid plan.
Using them together#
Most Agentastic users run Claude Code as their main agent. Agentastic launches it with your settings, skills, hooks, and MCP servers intact, and adds the isolation, review, and session management around it.
Frequently asked questions#
Do I still pay Anthropic if I use Claude Code through Agentastic?
Yes. Agentastic does not resell agent capacity; you log in with your existing Claude Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise, or API credentials.
Can I run multiple Claude Code sessions on the same repo without conflicts?
Yes. In Agentastic each session gets its own worktree, container, SSH host, or cloud VM. Claude Code can also do this itself with claude --worktree, which creates a checkout under .claude/worktrees (worktree docs).
Does Claude Code have a GUI?
Yes: Claude Code Desktop, the Code tab of the Claude app, plus IDE extensions and the web. Agentastic is a third-party GUI that runs the CLI next to other agents; see Agentastic vs Claude Code Desktop and the best Claude Code GUIs.
Can I review what Claude Code changed before committing?
Yes. Agentastic's diff viewer shows every change, you can comment on lines, and you can ask Codex, CodeRabbit, Greptile, or another Claude session for a second-opinion review.
Can I use Claude Code from my iPhone?
Yes. Agentastic's iPhone app, a public TestFlight beta for iOS 18 or later, lets you watch sessions, answer permission requests, review diffs, and start tasks on your Mac. Anthropic has its own options too; see Claude Code on iPhone.
Is there a free Claude Code GUI?
Agentastic is free, though Claude Code itself still needs a Claude plan or API key. Claude Code Desktop needs a Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan.
Claude Code vs Codex: which is better?
It depends on the task and the codebase, and the honest way to decide is to run both on the same task. Agentastic makes that a two-worktree job; see Claude Code vs Codex.
Further reading#
the practical setup
Claude Code Desktop, Agentastic, Conductor, and more
what changes when you leave the terminal
work and personal logins on one Mac
what breaks once you have more than one checkout
See also#
Claude Code Desktop is the Code tab of Anthropic's Claude app. Agentastic is a free Mac workspace that runs Claude Code beside Codex and 51 more CLI agents.
Compare Claude Code and Codex, the coding agents from Anthropic and OpenAI: CLIs and desktop apps, worktrees, platforms, pricing, and running both at once.
Codex is OpenAI's coding agent, with an open-source CLI. Agentastic is a free Mac workspace that runs it and 52 more agents in parallel worktrees, with review.
Both run coding agents in parallel git worktrees on macOS. Agentastic is native Swift with any CLI agent and free cloud runs; Conductor is chat-first.
Agentastic runs 53 CLI agents side by side in isolated worktrees on macOS. Cursor is an AI code editor with Tab, its own agents, and cloud runs. Compare them.