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Claude Squad Alternative: See, Steer and Sandbox Every Agent
Claude Squad is a free tmux-based tool for running several coding agents in separate git worktrees.
Updated
Claude Squad keeps several agents in separate tmux panes for free, and the usual reason to want a Claude Squad alternative is that a pane list stops telling you anything once the squad grows. Forkbench shows every agent's activity live, flags the one that needs you, gives the squad one board to claim tasks from, and keeps API keys out of the agents' reach.
Claude Squad got you running several agents. Forkbench gets you running them well: visible, bounded and signed off by you.
| Forkbench | Claude Squad | |
|---|---|---|
| Agents locked to your project folders | Yes. The macOS kernel seals off the rest of your home folder, per Thread | Git worktrees only |
| API keys the agent never sees | Yes. The Vault runs the command and the agent only gets the result | No secrets handling |
| Every agent at a glance | Yes. A live pulse on every tab and the task each agent claimed | A session list |
| Know when an agent is stuck | Instantly. It turns red and the Thread counts who needs you | Check each session |
| Share one job with a teammate or client | Yes. Invite them to one Thread, never your machine | No |
| Human sign-off before work counts as done | Always. Agents report, only you accept | No |
| Works with | Any CLI agent: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor CLI, Gemini CLI, Aider, your own scripts | Any terminal CLI |
| Price | Free | Free, open source |
Why developers pick Forkbench
- A live pulse on every tab and a red needs-you flag.
- One board, one goal, tasks claimed in plain sight.
- Folder lock and Vault, both free.
- Invite a teammate onto one job when you need a second pair of hands.
What Claude Squad does well
- Free, open source and scriptable.
The verdict
Keep your agents, your shell and your habits. Forkbench adds the view and the guardrails a growing squad needs.
Claude Squad questions
Is Forkbench free like Claude Squad?
Yes. Unlimited agents, the folder lock, the Vault, the board and a Live Link are all free.
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Comparison based on publicly available information, checked on the date above. Spot something out of date? Tell us.