Best Agentic IDEs in 2026

There is no single best agentic IDE: the right one depends on whether you want a better editor, one provider's own app, or a workspace for many agents. Cursor is the strongest editor-first choice, Google Antigravity and Kiro are the main editor-first alternatives with free plans, and Zed is the fast open-source option. If you use one provider, Claude Code Desktop or Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app is the simplest path. Agentastic is the strongest fit for Mac developers who run many different CLI agents in isolated worktrees or containers, with native terminals, browser verification, remote execution, and diff review in one app.

We reviewed all 13 products against first-party documentation on October 5, 2026. If you want the definition first, start with what an agentic IDE is, then come back for the comparison.

The short list#

Tool	Best for	Platforms	Agents	Parallel isolation	Price and license	Main tradeoff
Agentastic	Many different CLI agents on a Mac	macOS 14+; iPhone app in beta	55 built-in definitions plus any CLI	Worktree, Docker or Apple container, SSH host, cloud VM	Free; closed source	Mac only
Cursor	Hands-on AI editing with local and cloud agents	macOS, Windows, Linux	Cursor's agent	Worktrees, cloud VMs, SSH	Free Hobby plan; Pro $20/month	Built around Cursor's own agent and service
Google Antigravity	An editor plus a command center for parallel agents	macOS, Windows, Linux	Antigravity's agent, on Gemini, Claude, or GPT-OSS models	Local or new-worktree mode per agent; terminal sandbox	$0 individual plan; Google AI Pro and Ultra	Runs Antigravity's agent, not other CLIs
Zed	A fast editor hosting several kinds of agent	macOS, Windows, Linux	Zed's agent, ACP agents such as Claude Code and Codex, terminal threads	Optional worktree per thread	Free; open source	You choose isolation per thread
Kiro	Writing the spec before the code	macOS, Windows, Linux; web and mobile	Kiro's agent	Parallel agents locally or in cloud sandboxes	Free tier with 50 credits/month; paid from $20/month	Credit-based usage
JetBrains Air	Teams that live in JetBrains IDEs	Desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux; JetBrains IDE plugin (early access)	Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, Junie, Copilot, OpenCode, other ACP agents	Git worktrees or Docker	Your own subscriptions or JetBrains AI	Early access; still changing shape
Claude Code Desktop	Claude-only work, first-party	macOS, Windows, Linux beta	Claude Code	Worktree option per session; cloud, SSH	Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan	Claude only
Codex (ChatGPT desktop app)	Codex-only work, first-party	macOS, Windows, Linux preview	Codex	Local, worktree, or cloud per chat	Every ChatGPT plan, including Free	Codex only
Orca	An open-source workspace on any desktop OS	macOS, Windows, Linux; iOS and Android	Any CLI agent, about 40 preconfigured	Worktree per agent, local or SSH	Free; MIT	Electron; pre-fills permission-bypass flags
Superset	Scripting the orchestration layer	macOS; experimental Linux; iPhone on Pro	Any CLI agent	Worktree per task	Free tier; Pro from $15/user/month; Elastic License 2.0	Source-available; no Windows
Conductor	A focused Mac loop from task to pull request	macOS; mobile app on Pro	Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode	Worktree per workspace; managed cloud on Pro	Free locally; Pro $50/month	Four agents; Mac-only desktop
Nimbalyst	Plans, mockups, and diagrams beside sessions	macOS, Windows, Linux; iOS	Claude Code and Codex; OpenCode and Copilot in alpha	Optional worktree per session	Free for individuals; MIT	More visual workspace than terminal-first users need
Paseo	Driving agents from any device	macOS, Windows, Linux, web, iOS, Android	Claude Code, Codex, and many other CLIs	Worktree per workspace behind a daemon	Free; Apache 2.0	Daemon-and-client setup has more moving parts

How we evaluated the tools#

This guide treats “agentic IDE” as two related product categories:

1. Editor-first tools put autonomous agents inside a place where you still edit code directly.
2. Agent-first workspaces make tasks, sessions, isolation, status, and review the primary interface.

We checked six criteria that materially change daily work:

• Editing: Is it a full editor, a lightweight file surface, or mainly an orchestration layer?
• Agent choice: Can you use several provider CLIs, or only the vendor's own agent?
• Isolation: Does each task get a separate checkout, container, or remote environment?
• Environment: Can a fresh task install dependencies and receive local configuration predictably?
• Verification: Can the agent run the app, inspect a browser, and collect evidence?
• Review: Is every task attached to an independent diff and merge path?

Pricing and features change quickly, so every product claim below links to a first-party page. The order reflects how much of that loop each tool covers, not a benchmark; the "best for" label in each heading matters more than the number.

1. Agentastic: best native Mac workspace for mixed coding agents#

Agentastic is a native Swift macOS app built around external coding-agent CLIs. It ships 55 built-in agent definitions, including Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Copilot, OpenCode, and the CodeRabbit and Greptile reviewers, and it can launch any other terminal command as a custom agent.

Each task can run in a Git worktree, a Docker or Apple container, a remote machine over SSH, or a cloud VM on Modal, Fly.io, or Vercel Sandbox. Around the agent you get a GPU-accelerated terminal, an editor with language servers, source control, diff review, an agent-drivable browser, attention routing, and programmatic control through the dev CLI. The Companion iPhone app, a public beta on TestFlight, lets you answer agents, read diffs, and merge pull requests away from your desk.

Choose Agentastic when:

• You work on macOS and use more than one coding-agent provider.
• You want worktrees by default and containers when file isolation is not enough.
• UI work must be verified in a browser attached to the same workspace.
• Agents should keep running on remote or cloud hosts after the Mac sleeps.
• You want a fresh Claude, Codex, CodeRabbit, or Greptile review of the result.

Skip it when you need a Windows or Linux desktop app or an open-source license, or when your whole workflow already fits inside one provider's first-party app.

2. Cursor: best agentic IDE for hands-on AI editing#

Cursor is an AI-first editor. Its Agents Window is an agent-first surface for running many agents across repositories, in local worktrees, over SSH, and in the cloud, with handoff between local and cloud runs. A .cursor/worktrees.json file declares the setup commands for each new worktree, with separate entries for macOS and Linux versus Windows.

Cursor is the better fit when the editor itself is the product you want: autocomplete, inline edits, code navigation, extensions, and agents in one VS Code-shaped environment. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux, with a free Hobby plan and Pro at $20 a month (pricing).

The tradeoff is scope. Cursor runs parallel agents well, but it is built around Cursor's own agent and service rather than being a provider-neutral home for Claude Code, Codex, and other CLIs running under their own subscriptions. See Agentastic vs Cursor.

3. Google Antigravity: best editor with a built-in agent manager#

Google Antigravity comes in three surfaces: the Antigravity IDE, a full editor with an agent manager and reviewable artifacts; Antigravity 2.0, a command center for running several local agents at once; and a terminal CLI. When you start an agent in Antigravity 2.0, you choose Local mode or a new Git worktree, and agent shell commands run in an OS-level terminal sandbox that is on by default on macOS and Linux.

• Platforms: macOS, Windows, and Linux.
• Agents: Antigravity's own agent, with a choice of Gemini, Claude, and GPT-OSS reasoning models (models).
• Price: a $0 individual plan, with more capacity through Google AI Pro and Ultra (pricing).

Choose Antigravity if you want an editor-first agentic IDE with a capable free plan and a command center for parallel agents. Remote Control lets you drive a session from any browser, phone included. The limit is that it runs Antigravity's agent, not Claude Code, Codex, or other provider CLIs, so a mixed fleet needs another home.

4. Zed: best fast open-source editor for mixing agent paths#

Zed is a fast, open-source editor for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Its Threads Sidebar runs Zed's own agent, external agents such as Claude Code and Codex over the Agent Client Protocol, and terminal threads for any CLI, side by side (parallel agents).

Zed is especially compelling when you want:

• A responsive editor as the center of your day.
• Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, or other ACP agents inside the editor.
• Terminal agents organized beside conversational agents.
• The freedom to decide which threads share a checkout and which need a worktree.

That last point is also the caveat. Worktree isolation is a per-thread choice made from the title bar; new worktrees start in detached HEAD, and a create_worktree task hook can run your setup. Integration still follows your normal Git workflow. See Agentastic vs Zed.

5. Kiro: best for spec-driven development#

Kiro is AWS's agentic IDE, built on Code OSS, so VS Code settings and Open VSX extensions carry over. Its signature is the spec: Kiro turns a prompt into requirements, a design, and a sequenced task list, then implements the tasks with parallel agents on your machine or in the cloud. A CLI, a web app whose sessions run in cloud sandboxes, and a mobile app extend the same agent beyond the IDE.

• Platforms: macOS, Windows, and Linux (downloads).
• Agents: Kiro's own agent, which also speaks ACP and reads AGENTS.md.
• Price: a free tier with 50 credits a month; paid plans start at $20 a month (pricing).

Choose Kiro when you want structure before code, especially for larger features where decisions should be written down and reviewed. Choose a provider-neutral workspace when the agents you want are Claude Code, Codex, or other CLIs running under your own subscriptions.

6. JetBrains Air: best for teams that live in JetBrains IDEs#

JetBrains Air is what JetBrains calls an agentic development environment. It entered public preview as a free macOS desktop app in March 2026, reached Windows in June, installs on Linux with a script or JetBrains Toolbox, and on October 1, 2026 opened an early-access program inside JetBrains IDEs, as a Marketplace plugin and in the 2026.3 EAP builds. Air Teams, announced in late September, adds shared cloud environments and automations for business customers.

• Agents: Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, and Junie out of the box, plus GitHub Copilot, OpenCode, and other ACP agents.
• Isolation: run a task in place, or isolate it in a Git worktree or a Docker container.
• Price: bring your own agent subscriptions or API keys, or use JetBrains AI, which is currently required for cloud runs.

Air's strength is JetBrains code intelligence next to the agent: open a diff from a session, check it with the IDE's own tools, and leave line comments for the agent. Choose it if your team already works in IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, or another JetBrains IDE, and expect change while JetBrains moves Air from a standalone app into the IDE.

7. Claude Code Desktop: best first-party Claude workspace#

Claude Code Desktop is the Code tab of Anthropic's Claude app for macOS and Windows, with a Linux beta. It runs several sessions side by side, with panes for the chat, diff, terminal, file editor, and a browser that previews your running app, plus side chats and pull request status. Sessions run locally, over SSH, or in Anthropic's cloud, and a local session can be moved to the cloud.

Worktrees are a per-session choice, not automatic. In a Git repository, pick the worktree option next to the branch name when you start a session, and it gets its own checkout under .claude/worktrees/; a .worktreeinclude file copies ignored files such as .env into it.

It is the lowest-friction answer when Claude Code is the only worker you want, and it needs a Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise plan. Choose a broader workspace when you routinely assign Codex, Gemini, Cursor, or review agents alongside Claude, or need one control plane across providers and your own remote hosts. Claude Code Desktop vs CLI covers the first-party trade-offs.

8. Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app: best first-party Codex workspace#

There is no standalone Codex app anymore. OpenAI merged it into the ChatGPT desktop app on July 9, 2026 (what's new), where Codex keeps its own view next to ChatGPT's Chat and Work modes. The app runs on macOS and Windows, with a Linux preview since August, and is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free.

Each Codex chat runs Local, in a Worktree, or in the Cloud. Worktree chats start in detached HEAD under $CODEX_HOME/worktrees, copy the ignored files listed in .worktreeinclude, and use Handoff to move a chat between the worktree and your local checkout. Permanent worktrees cover long-lived work.

It is the clearest choice for a Codex-only workflow. Agentastic becomes useful when Codex is one worker in a mixed fleet, a task needs a container or your own remote host, or a different provider should review the result. See Codex app vs CLI and the best Codex GUI apps.

9. Orca: best open-source workspace on every desktop OS#

Orca is a free, MIT-licensed agent workspace for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Every task gets its own Git worktree, with terminals, a Monaco-based editor, a Chromium browser per worktree, and a diff view you can annotate for the agent. It runs any CLI agent and preconfigures about 40 of them (supported agents). SSH worktrees, orca serve for an always-on remote runtime, GitHub, Linear, and Jira integration, and companion apps for iOS and Android round it out.

Choose Orca when your team is not all on Macs or an open-source license is a requirement. Know the defaults: Orca pre-fills each agent's permission-bypass flag for new launches, it is an Electron app, and its per-workspace cloud VMs and structured orchestration sit under Settings → Experimental. See Agentastic vs Orca.

10. Superset: best programmable agent workspace#

Superset runs any CLI coding agent with one worktree and branch per task. Its distinguishing feature is programmability: a CLI, a TypeScript SDK, and an MCP server let scripts, CI jobs, or other agents create workspaces and launch agents. The code is public under the Elastic License 2.0, which makes it source-available rather than open source.

• Platforms: an Electron desktop app for macOS, with an experimental Linux AppImage and no Windows build yet. Superset Mobile for iPhone shipped on September 21, 2026 and requires iOS 26 and the Pro plan.
• Price: a free tier; Pro starts at $15 per user a month billed yearly (pricing).

Choose Superset when the orchestration layer itself must be scriptable. Agentastic is a native Swift app that adds container, SSH, and cloud isolation, and all of it is free; cloud VMs bill to your own Modal, Fly.io, or Vercel account. See Agentastic vs Superset.

11. Conductor: best focused Mac worktree manager#

Conductor runs Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and OpenCode in worktree-backed workspaces on the Mac, with setup scripts, a diff viewer, checks, and a pull-request flow. Its parallel Claude Code guide shows the core loop. Local workspaces are free; the $50-a-month Pro plan adds Conductor Cloud, which runs workspaces in managed microVM sandboxes, and a mobile app (pricing).

Choose Conductor when its four agents cover your stack and you want a narrow, polished loop. Choose Agentastic when agent breadth, containers on your own machine, an agent-drivable browser, or SSH hosts and cloud accounts of your own decide it. See Agentastic vs Conductor.

12. Nimbalyst: best for visual planning beside agent sessions#

Nimbalyst, formerly Crystal, puts Claude Code and Codex sessions next to visual editors for markdown, mockups, diagrams, data models, and spreadsheets, with a task tracker and kanban views. OpenCode and Copilot support is in alpha. Any session can opt into its own worktree. It is MIT-licensed, free for individuals, and runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux, with an iOS app for checking sessions away from the desk.

Choose it when plans, mockups, and diagrams belong next to the code, for example on teams where product managers and designers steer agents too. The tradeoff is scope: it is more visual workspace than a terminal-first developer may want. See Agentastic vs Nimbalyst.

13. Paseo: best cross-device, self-hosted control plane#

Paseo splits the product in two: a daemon that runs agent CLIs on your laptop, a server, or a VM, and clients that connect to it. There are desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux, a web app, a CLI, and apps for iOS and Android. Workspaces use Git worktrees, and an optional end-to-end-encrypted relay reaches the daemon from outside your network. It is free and open source under Apache 2.0.

Choose Paseo when agents run on a Linux box or a Windows machine, or when phone and browser access matter more than desktop depth. Agentastic is the stronger fit when the deepest local Mac terminal, editor, browser, container, and review integration matters most. See Agentastic vs Paseo.

Also on the radar#

• Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf. Cognition kept the Windsurf IDE and added an Agent Command Center for local and cloud agents, including ACP agents such as Codex and Claude Agent, on macOS, Windows, and Linux (product page).
• Claude Squad and cmux are terminal-first orchestrators rather than IDEs. Our orchestration tools comparison covers both.

Pick by bottleneck#

“I still write most of the code”#

Start with Cursor or Zed. Both make the editor excellent and have credible parallel-agent workflows. Antigravity is the editor-first pick with the most generous free plan, and it adds a command center for agents running in parallel.

“I want a plan before any code”#

Use Kiro. Its spec workflow writes requirements, a design, and tasks first, which suits larger features and teams that review decisions before implementation.

“I use exactly one provider”#

Use Claude Code Desktop or Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app first. A broader orchestrator is unnecessary until another provider or execution environment becomes part of the workflow.

“My team lives in JetBrains IDEs”#

Try JetBrains Air. It brings Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, and Junie into the IDE with worktree or Docker isolation, though it is still in early access.

“I supervise many different CLI agents on a Mac”#

Use Agentastic, Superset, or Conductor. Agentastic has the broadest native Mac execution surface; Superset emphasizes programmability; Conductor emphasizes a focused worktree loop. If some teammates use Windows or Linux, Orca is the open-source option that covers every desktop.

“I need Windows or Linux”#

Look at Orca or Paseo for a multi-agent workspace, or Cursor, Zed, Antigravity, and Kiro for an editor. Agentastic and Conductor are Mac only.

“I want to answer agents from my phone”#

Agentastic's Companion is an iPhone app in public beta, Paseo and Orca have iOS and Android apps, Nimbalyst has an iOS app, and Superset and Conductor include mobile apps in their Pro plans. Claude Code on iPhone compares the options and their security models.

“Agents must run after my laptop closes”#

Choose a product with an explicit remote or cloud execution model rather than relying on a local terminal process. Agentastic runs agents on your SSH hosts or on cloud VMs in your own Modal, Fly.io, or Vercel account; Paseo and Orca can host their runtime away from the laptop; Cursor, Kiro, Conductor, and the first-party Claude and Codex apps offer their own clouds.

Verdict#

The category has converged on parallel sessions and Git worktrees. Every tool in this list now isolates parallel work somehow; the meaningful differences are provider choice, runtime boundaries, environment setup, review, verification, and where the work continues when your laptop closes.

For a Mac developer coordinating several provider CLIs, Agentastic is the most complete native workspace in this comparison. For editor-first work, choose Cursor, Zed, Antigravity, or Kiro. For a single-provider workflow, use that provider's first-party app. For JetBrains shops, try Air. For a team across Windows and Linux, choose Orca or Paseo.

Sources#

Every product claim above was checked against these first-party pages on October 5, 2026:

• Cursor: Agents Window, worktrees, pricing
• Google Antigravity: products, terminal sandbox, models, pricing
• Zed: parallel agents, external agents
• Kiro: home, downloads, pricing
• JetBrains Air: home, public preview, Windows, Air in IDEs
• Anthropic: Claude Code Desktop, Linux beta
• OpenAI: ChatGPT desktop app, what's new, worktrees
• Orca: home, supported agents, repository
• Superset: home, pricing, Superset Mobile
• Conductor: home, pricing
• Nimbalyst: home, repository
• Paseo: home, downloads, repository
• Devin Desktop: product page

Continue the research#

• What is an agentic IDE?
• Best Claude Code GUI apps for Mac
• Best Codex GUI and desktop apps
• AI coding agent orchestration tools
• How to run multiple Claude Code agents
• How to run multiple Codex agents

Frequently asked questions#

What is the best agentic IDE in 2026?#

It depends on how you work. Cursor leads for hands-on AI editing, Google Antigravity and Kiro are strong editor-first alternatives with free plans, and Claude Code Desktop or Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app is simplest if you use one provider. Agentastic is the best fit for Mac developers who run several different CLI agents in isolated worktrees or containers.

What is an agentic IDE?#

An agentic IDE is a development environment where AI agents carry out coding tasks themselves, editing files and running commands and tests, while you assign the work and review the result. Some are editors with agents built in, like Cursor; others are workspaces built around agents, like Agentastic. Our guide to what an agentic IDE is covers the definition in depth.

Is there a free or open-source agentic IDE?#

Zed, Orca, Nimbalyst, and Paseo publish their source code; Orca and Nimbalyst use the MIT license and Paseo uses Apache 2.0. Google Antigravity has a $0 individual plan, Kiro has a free tier with 50 credits a month, and Cursor has a free Hobby plan. Agentastic is free but closed source.

Which agentic IDE is best for Claude Code?#

If Claude is your only agent, start with Claude Code Desktop, the Code tab of Anthropic's Claude app. If you run several Claude Code sessions at once, or mix Claude with Codex and other CLIs on a Mac, Agentastic gives each task its own worktree or container with review in one window. The best Claude Code GUI guide compares more options.

Which agentic IDEs run on Windows or Linux?#

Cursor, Zed, Google Antigravity, Kiro, Orca, Nimbalyst, and Paseo run on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Claude Code Desktop has a Linux beta, the ChatGPT desktop app has a Linux preview, and JetBrains Air's desktop app installs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Agentastic and Conductor are Mac only.

Is JetBrains Air an agentic IDE?#

Yes. JetBrains calls Air an agentic development environment: it runs Codex, Claude Agent, Gemini CLI, Junie, and other ACP agents locally, in Git worktrees, or in Docker containers. It launched as a macOS desktop app in March 2026, added Windows in June, also installs on Linux, and since October 1, 2026 runs inside JetBrains IDEs as an early-access plugin.