splash

SplashCompareConductor

Splash and Conductor, compared.

Splash and Conductor both run several coding agents at once, with git worktrees to keep their work apart. Conductor, a macOS app, runs Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode, and its paid plans add cloud sandboxes, an API and an iOS app. Splash, a free, open-source desktop app for macOS, Windows and Ubuntu, drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol.

Checked 9 October 202666 sourcesNot affiliated with Melty Labs

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

Conductor

Melty Labs

A macOS app that runs Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode side by side, each workspace a git worktree, then lets you review their changes and merge them. Paid plans add cloud sandboxes, an API and an iOS app.3456

conductor.build

Side by side

SplashConductor
The basics
What it is Desktop app, plus a headless server you open in a browser17 Mac desktop app, plus Conductor Cloud sandboxes, an iOS app and an HTTP API that drive the same agents38
Release status v0.2.1, early development19 v0.90.1, a patch to 0.90.0 of 2 October 2026, with frequent releases since July 2025; its API and MCP server are in beta10111213
License Open source (MIT)14 Proprietary; the terms forbid copying, modifying or making derivative works of it1516
Price Free17 Free for local workspaces; Pro is $50 a month, Teams $60 per user a month (by invitation), Enterprise custom-priced6
Platforms macOS 14+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 11 x64, Ubuntu 24.04 x6418 macOS (Apple silicon and Intel), plus an iOS app for cloud workspaces; Windows and Linux are on a waitlist19810
Agents
Agents Ships launch commands for 20 agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Goose, OpenCode2021 Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode in chat; OpenCode isn’t documented for cloud workspaces. Experimental Big Terminal Mode runs any terminal agent4221223
How it runs agents Agent Client Protocol over stdio, natively or through a pinned adapter for the vendor’s CLI202 Claude Code through Anthropic’s Claude Agent SDK, Cursor Agent via Cursor’s API, and bundled Codex and OpenCode binaries24254
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 Claude Code and Codex logins already on your Mac, or API keys; Codex can also use a ChatGPT plan. Providers bill model usage26192725
Account required Splash has no accounts; splash-server asks for a token it keeps in its data folder287 GitHub sign-in, checked with gh, is required; the app has Conductor accounts, but the docs don’t say local use needs one1929
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 attention30 Yes: Optional tool approvals for shell commands, file changes, MCP and web access; an experimental Auto mode approves safe actions313233
MCP servers Partly: Read-only list of MCP servers from Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Pool and Glue config files3034 Yes: Local Claude Code, Codex and Cursor chats load that agent’s own MCP config; cloud workspaces use servers added in Conductor’s settings351036
Working in parallel
Isolation per session Yes: The project folder, or a git worktree on its own branch per session30 Yes: A git worktree on its own branch per workspace, shared by that workspace’s chats; cloud workspaces run in microVMs5437
Setup scripts and dev servers No: A worktree is a plain git checkout; Splash runs no setup scripts or dev servers3038 Yes: Setup, run and archive scripts per project; each local workspace gets ten ports for dev servers and copies of .env files3940
Terminal Yes: A terminal in the session folder30 Yes: A terminal in each workspace; experimental Big Terminal Mode turns the center panel into a terminal that survives restarts4123
What needs you Yes: One queue for permission requests, connection failures and finished turns, kept across restarts3042 Yes: The sidebar flags sessions waiting for input; you can jump between chats needing attention, and workspaces are grouped by status434445
Notifications Yes: Notifies when a background session needs permission or finishes a turn; can be turned off4647 Yes: macOS notifications for permission requests and for Claude’s questions and plan reviews; unread badges in the sidebar and Dock484950
Team collaboration No: splash-server is a personal, single-user service, not a multi-user deployment7 Yes: Multiplayer on paid plans: live collaboration among up to five Pro users, or any team size on Teams6
Review and shipping
Review changes Yes: Latest response, failed tools and every changed file as a diff, with a box to send feedback30 Yes: A Diff Viewer with line comments sent back to the agent and in-diff editing, plus an agent Review action515253
Create pull requests No: Shows the PR for a session’s branch and starts worktrees from PR heads; does not create PRs3054 Yes: Opens a PR with an agent-drafted description, follows its CI checks, merges it and archives the workspace; supports stacked PRs515255
GitHub Yes: Issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories, through the gh CLI3054 Yes: A Checks tab shows CI, deployments, PR comments and review threads; unresolved todos can block merging. Supports GitHub Enterprise login5657
Issue trackers Partly: GitHub (github.com), through the gh CLI; no Linear or Jira3054 Yes: Starts a workspace from a GitHub or Linear issue, including through Linear deep links; no Jira integration is documented5859
Where it runs
Cloud execution No: Agents run as child processes on your computer, or on your own server with splash-server17 Yes: On paid plans: a Linux microVM per workspace that keeps working after the app closes. GitHub repositories, no other hosts yet6037
Remote access Yes: splash-server runs on the machine with your code; you use it in a browser over an SSH tunnel. Single user.7 Partly: SSH, file sync, terminals and port forwarding into cloud sandboxes; a self-hosted cloud for your own machines is in development6160
Mobile app No: No mobile app; builds cover macOS, Windows, Ubuntu and a headless server18 Yes: iOS app (iOS 26+) for agent chats and merging PRs in cloud workspaces, included in Pro; no Android app is listed106268
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 Splash3042 Not documented: Not documented; Conductor’s own archived workspaces can be restored with their chat history2652
Search transcripts Yes: Search titles, folders and saved transcript text, archived sessions included30 Yes: Find in chat (⌘F) and a command palette that searches sessions by message; SQL over cloud transcripts through the API106312

Where they differ

How agents connect

Conductor runs Claude Code through Anthropic’s Claude Agent SDK, Cursor Agent through Cursor’s API, and Codex and OpenCode from bundled binaries; other CLI agents run in the experimental Big Terminal Mode. Its docs do not mention ACP, though the API schema lists an undocumented acp agent value. Splash speaks the Agent Client Protocol with every agent, natively or via an adapter.24254236465202

Where agents run

Conductor’s desktop app runs on macOS. Paid plans add Conductor Cloud: a Linux microVM per workspace that keeps working after you close the app, driven from the Mac, the iOS app or a beta HTTP API. Splash runs on macOS, Windows and Ubuntu, or as splash-server on the machine that holds your code, where agents keep running if the SSH tunnel drops.1960371612187

Price, accounts and license

Conductor is proprietary. Its Free plan covers local workspaces; Pro, at $50 a month, adds Conductor Cloud, Multiplayer, the API and the mobile app, and Teams and Enterprise add admin, billing and SSO features. A GitHub login is required. Splash is free, MIT-licensed and has no accounts; GitHub sign-in through gh is optional.15619141728

Around the session

Conductor covers the path from a GitHub or Linear issue to a merged PR: setup and run scripts with reserved ports, an agent Review action, PR creation that tracks CI checks, per-turn checkpoints and cloud routines that run on a schedule or a trigger. Splash’s tools center on the conversations: a Needs attention queue, a review screen, transcript search and importing sessions agents started elsewhere.58395266223042

Which one fits

Splash may suit you if

  • You want a free, MIT-licensed app that needs no account.
  • You work on Windows or Ubuntu as well as macOS, or want to run sessions on your own server over SSH.
  • You want Gemini, Copilot, Goose and other agents in the same chat view as Claude Code and Codex.
  • You want to import conversations your agents started outside the app and search them with the rest.

Conductor may suit you if

  • You want setup and run scripts, reserved ports and copied .env files in each local workspace.
  • You want to go from a GitHub or Linear issue to a merged PR in one app, with agent review and CI checks.
  • You want agents to keep working in cloud sandboxes you can follow from your phone or drive through an API.
  • You want shared workspaces and team plans with an admin portal, SAML SSO and SCIM.

Sources

Facts about Conductor come from its public website, documentation and repositories as they read on 9 October 2026; we haven't confirmed each one by running Conductor. 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 Brand kit Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  4. 4 Harnesses: Overview Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  5. 5 Git worktrees Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  6. 6 Pricing Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  7. 7 Splash README: Run as a web app over SSH Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  8. 8 Run a team of coding agents in the cloud Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  9. 9 Splash releases Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  10. 10 0.90.0: Conductor for iOS Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  11. 11 Changelog Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  12. 12 Conductor API Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  13. 13 Conductor MCP server Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  14. 14 LICENSE Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  15. 15 Terms of service Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  16. 16 Conductor agent skill (SKILL.md) Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  17. 17 Download Splash splash.computer · splash.computer · checked 2026-10-09
  18. 18 Splash README: Download the app Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  19. 19 Install Melty Labs · conductor.build · 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 0.85.0: Sections, routines, and a new model picker Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  23. 23 Big Terminal Mode Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  24. 24 Claude subscription update for Conductor Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  25. 25 Configure model providers Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  26. 26 FAQ Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  27. 27 0.89.0: Sign in with ChatGPT Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  28. 28 Splash README: Build from source Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  29. 29 0.76.0: Bug Squashathon Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  30. 30 Splash README: Features Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  31. 31 Security and permissions Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  32. 32 Settings reference Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  33. 33 0.70.0: Multiple Run Scripts Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  34. 34 src/agents/customize.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  35. 35 MCP Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  36. 36 0.82.0: Conductor MCP Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  37. 37 Cloud Computer Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  38. 38 src/worktree.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  39. 39 Scripts Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  40. 40 Use Files to copy Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  41. 41 Your first workspace Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  42. 42 Splash README: Existing sessions and review Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  43. 43 Troubleshooting issues Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  44. 44 0.36.4: Next Workspace Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  45. 45 0.35.0: Workspace Status Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  46. 46 app/src/components/settings/General.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  47. 47 app/src/lib/system.ts Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  48. 48 0.45.0: File Previews, Codex Personalities Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  49. 49 0.28.7: Change Target Branch Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  50. 50 0.0.19: Misc Improvements Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  51. 51 Review and merge a workspace Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  52. 52 Workflow Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  53. 53 0.84.0: Edit files directly in diffs Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  54. 54 Splash README: GitHub view Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  55. 55 0.80.0: Stacks Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  56. 56 Checks Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  57. 57 0.22.4: Expand Terminal, Env Vars, and GitHub Enterprise Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  58. 58 From issue to PR Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  59. 60 Cloud FAQ Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  60. 61 Work with cloud workspaces Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  61. 62 Conductor.build App Store listing data Apple · itunes.apple.com · checked 2026-10-09
  62. 63 0.39.0: Insta-Summarize, Command Palette, Opus 4.6 Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  63. 64 llms-full.txt (all site markdown) Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  64. 65 Roundhouse public API (OpenAPI) Melty Labs · api.conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09
  65. 66 Checkpoints Melty Labs · conductor.build · checked 2026-10-09