Agentastic vs JetBrains Air
Last updated
JetBrains Air and Agentastic are both agent-first: tasks and sessions are the main surface, and the editor is where you check the result. Air, in public preview since March 2026, is JetBrains' agentic development environment: a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that runs Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini, Junie, Copilot, or any ACP agent in your workspace, a git worktree, a Docker container, or JetBrains' cloud, plus Air Teams for shared cloud environments and an early-access plugin for JetBrains IDEs. Agentastic is a native macOS app that runs the agents' own CLIs in Ghostty terminals, with SSH hosts and cloud VMs on your own accounts, browser automation, and review passes, free.
Who should choose each option
Agentastic
Choose Agentastic if you work on a Mac and want the agents' real CLIs in native terminals, a larger agent catalog, SSH hosts or cloud VMs on your own accounts, and an iPhone app, in a free app.
JetBrains Air
Choose JetBrains Air if your team lives in JetBrains IDEs, needs Windows or Linux, or wants managed cloud environments, automations, and governance from JetBrains through Air Teams.
Feature comparison
| Agentastic | JetBrains Air | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Native macOS workspace for many CLI agents (Swift) | JetBrains' agentic development environment: the Air app, Air Teams in the browser, and Air in IDEs (early access) |
| Platforms | macOS 14+ | Air app for macOS, Windows, and Linux; browser; IntelliJ-based IDEs |
| Agents | 55 built-in definitions, including Junie, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, and Copilot CLI | Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini, Junie, and GitHub Copilot; any ACP agent |
| How agents run | Each provider's own CLI in a Ghostty terminal, or structured Chat | Over ACP in Air's chat, with one plan mode and permission model for every agent |
| Run environments | Worktree, Docker or Apple container, SSH host, or cloud VM on Modal, Fly.io, or Vercel Sandbox | Local workspace, git worktree, Docker container, or a JetBrains cloud environment |
| Review | Diff viewer plus Claude, Codex, CodeRabbit, or Greptile review passes | Review with a second agent; local tasks stay uncommitted until you apply them |
| Team features | Share chats or localhost previews by link; Slack, Linear, and Sentry intake | Air Teams: shared cloud environments, automations, projects, and governance |
| Mobile | iPhone app in public beta on TestFlight (iOS 18+) | Follow cloud tasks from the web or a mobile device with Air Teams |
| Billing | Free; your own agent subscriptions | Your own provider accounts for local tasks; JetBrains AI credits for cloud tasks and Air Teams |
Pricing
Agentastic
Free. Every agent runs on your own subscription or API key, including cloud runs on your own Modal, Fly.io, or Vercel account.
JetBrains Air
Local tasks can run on your own Claude, OpenAI, or Google account, or on JetBrains AI credits billed at public API rates. Cloud tasks and Air Teams always use JetBrains AI, which requires a subscription. JetBrains is offering Junie Lite free for a limited time.
Using them together
They can share a repository: both work on ordinary git branches, and both create standard git worktrees. Most developers pick one place to supervise agents, and Agentastic can still open any worktree in IntelliJ IDEA or another JetBrains IDE with one click.
Frequently asked questions
What is JetBrains Air?
JetBrains' agentic development environment: a desktop app that runs coding agents in your workspace, a git worktree, a Docker container, or the cloud, plus Air Teams in the browser and an early-access plugin for JetBrains IDEs (what is Air Teams). It launched as a public preview in March 2026.
Is JetBrains Air free?
You can run local tasks on your own Claude, OpenAI, or Google account without a JetBrains AI subscription, and JetBrains is offering Junie Lite free for a limited time; cloud tasks and Air Teams require JetBrains AI (Air in IDEs FAQ). Agentastic is free, with cloud runs on your own accounts.
Which agents does JetBrains Air support?
Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini, Junie, and GitHub Copilot out of the box, plus any ACP-compatible agent you install (supported agents). Agentastic ships 55 built-in definitions, including Junie, and accepts any terminal command as a custom agent.
Does JetBrains Air use git worktrees?
Yes. Each task can run in the local workspace, a git worktree, a Docker container, or the cloud (run environments). Agentastic uses a worktree per task by default and adds Apple containers, SSH hosts, and cloud VMs on Modal, Fly.io, or Vercel Sandbox.
Can I use JetBrains Air inside IntelliJ IDEA?
Yes, in early access: JetBrains opened the Air in IDEs program in October 2026 for IntelliJ-based IDEs. Agentastic runs outside your IDE and opens any worktree in IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, or another JetBrains IDE with one click.
Does JetBrains Air run on Linux?
Yes. JetBrains' install guide lists the Air app for macOS, Linux, and Windows (install). Agentastic runs only on macOS 14 or later.
Codex vs Junie: which agent should I use?
Both run in Air and in Agentastic, so test them on the same task. In Agentastic, start one worktree with Codex and one with Junie from the same branch and compare the diffs.
Further reading
- What is an agentic IDE? — where Air and Agentastic fit among agent-first tools
- The best agentic IDEs in 2026 — JetBrains Air, Antigravity, Cursor, and more
- Agent orchestration for software development — what a control plane for coding agents has to do
- Containers in Agentastic — Docker and Apple Container isolation per task
See also
Agentastic vs Google Antigravity
Google Antigravity is an agent platform with an IDE, a command center, and a CLI. Agentastic is a free Mac app…
Agentastic vs Cursor
Agentastic runs 53 CLI agents side by side in isolated worktrees on macOS. Cursor is an AI code editor with Ta…
Agentastic vs VS Code
Agentastic runs 53 CLI agents in parallel worktrees on macOS. VS Code is the cross-platform editor where Copil…
Agentastic vs Conductor
Both run coding agents in parallel git worktrees on macOS. Agentastic is native Swift with any CLI agent and f…
Agentastic vs Nimbalyst
Nimbalyst is an open-source visual workspace for Claude Code and Codex. Agentastic is a native Mac IDE running…