splash

SplashCompareAgentGrid

Splash and AgentGrid, compared.

Splash and AgentGrid are both desktop apps for running several coding agents at once. AgentGrid, a closed-source Electron app, places agents, terminals and browsers on an infinite canvas, where a master agent can direct workers through MCP tools. Splash, a free, open-source app, runs each agent as its own session and drives it over the Agent Client Protocol.

Checked 10 October 202646 sourcesNot affiliated with AgentGrid

Splash

Helge Sverre

A desktop app for running several coding agents at once, each session in its project folder or its own git worktree. It drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol.12

splash.computer

AgentGrid

AgentGrid

A closed-source Electron app that puts Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other agent harnesses on an infinite canvas with terminals and browsers, where master agents coordinate workers through MCP tools. It requires an AgentGrid account.345678

agentgrid.sh

Side by side

SplashAgentGrid
The basics
What it is Desktop app, plus a headless server you open in a browser19 Electron desktop app with agents, terminals, browsers and notes on an infinite canvas; an iOS companion app in pre-release pairs with it4571011
Release status v0.2.1, early development112 v2.9.5 (7 October 2026); the changelog lists 90 releases from v2.0.0 on 1 May 2026131410
License Open source (MIT)15 Closed source, per its GitHub organization; the terms keep rights in the software with AgentGrid and its licensors616
Price Free17 Free: 3 projects, each running up to 10 agents at once. Pro: $20 a month or $192 a year (early-adopter price)18
Platforms macOS 14+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 11 x64, Ubuntu 24.04 x6419 macOS 11+ (Apple silicon, Intel), Windows 10/11 x64, Linux x64 (AppImage, .deb); downloads also offer Arm64 Windows and Linux builds51314
Agents
Agents Ships launch commands for 20 agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Goose, OpenCode2021 Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Antigravity, Cursor, Devin, Grok, Kimi and Pi in the docs; a story and the changelog also name Hermes. Adding others isn’t documented4222310
How it runs agents Agent Client Protocol over stdio, natively or through a pinned adapter for the vendor’s CLI202 Masters: the harness’s CLI in a terminal, or a GUI conversation (default for new installs). Workers: an SDK, runtime or CLI241025
Model and mode pickers Yes: Model, mode and effort pickers when the agent offers them26 Yes: GUI panes have model, effort and account pickers, plus a harness switch that passes the conversation text to the new agent102723
Agent sign-in Who pays for the model You install and sign in to each agent’s CLI yourself; Splash runs it with that login21 Reuses each harness’s own login and subscription; several Claude Code or Codex accounts, picked per pane. Providers bill model use separately2232718
Account required Splash has no accounts; splash-server asks for a token it keeps in its data folder289 An AgentGrid account, through Google or email, is needed before the workspace opens; downloading the installer needs none829
Permission requests When an agent asks before it acts Yes: Shown in the transcript and answered with the 1–9 keys; pending ones wait in Needs attention26 Yes: Default, Plan, Auto and Bypass Permissions modes; Auto approves tool calls it has screened for risk and prompt injection24
MCP servers Partly: Read-only list of MCP servers from Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Pool and Glue config files2630 Yes: Masters get AgentGrid’s MCP tools; a local MCP endpoint lets outside agents drive panes; roles can give Claude SDK workers MCP servers43125
Working in parallel
Isolation per session Yes: The project folder, or a git worktree on its own branch per session26 Partly: A worker inherits its master’s folder by default; masters can give builders a git worktree via create_worktree. No containers documented32331025
What needs you Yes: One queue for permission requests, connection failures and finished turns, kept across restarts2634 Yes: Activity dots mark working panes; unread dots mark finished masters, optionally workers; the title bar shows usage and reset times for harnesses that report them351036
Agents handing off work One agent launching or messaging another No: Each session is one agent in one folder; sessions don’t hand work to each other126 Yes: Masters (any harness but Antigravity and Pi) spawn, message and wait on workers through MCP tools; a Coordinator conversation, enabled by default on new installs since v2.8.39, runs teams4223710
Built-in browser No: No built-in browser; the workbench holds git changes, a file tree, diff and file tabs, and a terminal26 Yes: Chromium panes with DevTools on the canvas; cookies and storage are kept apart per project folder738
Review and shipping
Review changes Yes: Latest response, failed tools and every changed file as a diff, with a box to send feedback26 Yes: Source Control lists an agent’s commits, diffs, worktrees and PRs; qa and validator roles review work; diff comments aren’t documented71025
Create pull requests No: Shows the PR for a session’s branch and starts worktrees from PR heads; does not create PRs2639 Partly: No create or merge button is documented; the official build-and-review workflow has the builder agent open a draft PR33
GitHub Yes: Issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories, through the gh CLI2639 Yes: Source Control lists PRs and the footer shows PR status; opt-in replies to @AgentGrid mentions; reviews post as an agentgrid-ai bot710
Where it runs
Cloud execution No: Agents run as child processes on your computer, or on your own server with splash-server19 Not documented: Not documented; Pro lists local and cloud agents, but no page says how or where cloud agents run18
Remote access Yes: splash-server runs on the machine with your code; you use it in a browser over an SSH tunnel. Single user.9 Yes: Live project sharing with a paired desktop over Tailscale or a LAN; Claude masters can continue on claude.ai via /rc4010
Mobile app No: No mobile app; builds cover macOS, Windows, Ubuntu and a headless server19 Partly: Pre-release iOS companion through TestFlight that watches and prompts agents on a desktop on the same network; Android isn’t available yet11
Auto-update No: Download new versions from GitHub Releases; the app does not update itself1941 Yes: Fetches new versions from GitHub Releases in the background unless you turn that off in Settings4229
History and search
Existing agent history Conversations started outside the app Yes: Browse, preview and import conversations agents list over ACP, including ones started outside Splash2634 Not documented: Not documented; Resume Claude lists Claude sessions that can be recovered from the project folder, and masters can resume sessions across harnesses4336
Search transcripts Yes: Search titles, folders and saved transcript text, archived sessions included26 Partly: Sidebar search matches prompt text, titles and metadata of panes in the current space; search across spaces isn’t documented44
Fork a conversation Partly: Experimental: fork the current conversation when the agent supports it, not from an earlier message2634 Yes: Masters whose harness supports forking branch into a new pane; GUI team leads fork into a fresh session with one click710

Where they differ

How agents connect

An AgentGrid master runs its harness’s CLI in a terminal pane or appears as a GUI conversation, the default for new installs. The app bundles the Claude Agent SDK and Codex SDK, Claude workers run on the SDK or the CLI, and its Langfuse guide names a Devin ACP path. Splash talks to every agent over the Agent Client Protocol.241052545202

Teams of agents on a canvas

In AgentGrid, a master spawns role-based workers, messages them and waits on their results through MCP tools, and a Coordinator conversation, enabled by default on new installs since v2.8.39, manages teams within a project or across all local projects, all on an infinite canvas with terminals, browsers and notes. In Splash each session is one agent in one folder, and sessions don’t hand work to each other.43725107126

Accounts, price and license

AgentGrid is closed source and needs an AgentGrid account before the workspace opens. Its Free plan covers 3 projects of up to 10 agents each; Pro, at an early-adopter price of $20 a month or $192 a year, adds unlimited canvases, cloud sync and cloud agents. Neither plan includes model use. Splash is free and MIT-licensed, and has no accounts.6818151728

Where agents run

AgentGrid runs agents on your computer under a background daemon, on by default, so closing the window doesn’t stop them. A paired desktop can share a project over Tailscale or a LAN, and a pre-release iOS app follows agents on the same network. Splash runs agents on your computer, or under splash-server on a machine you reach in a browser over SSH.46401119

Platforms and updates

AgentGrid ships for macOS 11+, Windows 10/11 and Linux (AppImage or .deb), with Arm64 builds for Windows and Linux, and updates itself from GitHub Releases. Splash builds for macOS 14+, Windows 11 x64 and Ubuntu 24.04 x64 plus a headless server, and you download new versions from GitHub.51314421941

Which one fits

Splash may suit you if

  • You want a free, MIT-licensed app that needs no account.
  • You want Gemini, Copilot, Goose and other agents driven over the Agent Client Protocol.
  • You want to import conversations an agent started outside the app and search saved transcripts, archived ones included.
  • You want to run sessions on your own server and reach them from a browser over SSH.

AgentGrid may suit you if

  • You want a master agent to split work across role-based workers you can watch on one canvas.
  • You want terminals, Chromium browsers and notes laid out beside your agents.
  • You want to move a conversation between harnesses, or run several Claude Code or Codex accounts.
  • You want an app that updates itself and lets a second desktop, or an iPhone in pre-release, follow your agents.

Sources

Facts about AgentGrid come from its public website, documentation and repositories as they read on 10 October 2026; we haven't confirmed each one by running AgentGrid. Facts about Splash link to its source. Products change, so check the linked pages before deciding. Something wrong or out of date? Open an issue.

  1. 1 Splash README Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  2. 2 Agent Client Protocol agentclientprotocol.com · agentclientprotocol.com · checked 2026-10-09
  3. 3 Infinite Canvas for AI Agents AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  4. 4 Introduction AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  5. 5 System Requirements AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  6. 6 AgentGrid organization profile (profile/README.md) agent-grid/.github on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  7. 7 Panes AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  8. 8 Account and billing AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  9. 9 Splash README: Run as a web app over SSH Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  10. 10 Changelog AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  11. 11 Mobile app AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  12. 12 Splash releases Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  13. 13 Download AgentGrid AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  14. 14 AgentGrid 2.9.5 agent-grid/agent-grid-releases on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  15. 15 LICENSE Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  16. 16 Terms of Service AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  17. 17 Download Splash splash.computer · splash.computer · checked 2026-10-09
  18. 18 Pricing AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  19. 19 Splash README: Download the app Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  20. 20 src/agents/registry.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  21. 21 Splash README: Agents Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  22. 22 Coding harness setup AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  23. 23 Switch harnesses mid-session without losing your place AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  24. 24 Coding harnesses AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  25. 25 Roles AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  26. 26 Splash README: Features Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  27. 27 Multiple accounts per harness AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  28. 28 Splash README: Build from source Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  29. 29 Installation AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  30. 30 src/agents/customize.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  31. 31 Connect Hermes to AgentGrid and Discord AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  32. 32 Spaces and project folders AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  33. 33 Build with Claude. Review with Codex. AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  34. 34 Splash README: Existing sessions and review Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  35. 35 The Canvas AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  36. 36 Agents and workers AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  37. 37 Orchestrating agents AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  38. 38 Browsers AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  39. 39 Splash README: GitHub view Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  40. 40 Shared projects AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  41. 41 app/src/components/settings/About.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  42. 42 Updates AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  43. 43 Spawn menu AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  44. 44 Canvas filtering AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  45. 45 Set up Langfuse AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10
  46. 46 System tray and daemon AgentGrid · agentgrid.sh · checked 2026-10-10