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Forkbench vs Conductor
Conductor (by Melty Labs) is a native macOS app for running AI coding agents in parallel across git-worktree workspaces.
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Both run several coding agents side by side on your machine. Conductor is built around reviewing and merging what they produce. Forkbench goes further: it locks each job to its folders with the macOS kernel, lets agents use API keys they never see, flags the one that is stuck, and lets you share a single job with a teammate or client.
Parallel agents are table stakes in 2026. What separates the tools is everything around them: what an agent can reach, how fast you spot the one that needs you, and who else can safely step in. That is where Forkbench pulls ahead.
| Forkbench | Conductor | |
|---|---|---|
| Agents locked to your project folders | Yes. The macOS kernel seals off the rest of your home folder, per Thread | Git worktrees separate edits; no folder lock |
| API keys the agent never sees | Yes. The Vault runs the command and the agent only gets the result | No secrets feature beyond your own API keys |
| Every agent at a glance | Yes. A live pulse on every tab and the task each agent claimed | Yes, a workspace per agent |
| Know when an agent is stuck | Instantly. It turns red and the Thread counts who needs you | Per workspace |
| Share one job with a teammate or client | Yes. Invite them to one Thread, never your machine | A live workspace link and shared config |
| Human sign-off before work counts as done | Always. Agents report, only you accept | You review and merge the diff |
| Works with | Any CLI agent: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor CLI, Gemini CLI, Aider, your own scripts | Claude Code and Codex |
| Platform | Desktop app, on your machine | macOS |
| Price | Free | Free |
Why developers pick Forkbench
- A kernel-level folder lock per Thread, so an agent cannot wander into ~/.ssh or your other repos.
- A free Vault: agents run the command that needs a key and never hold the value.
- A live pulse on every tab, a red flag when an agent is stuck, and the claimed task right beside it.
- Share one job with a teammate or client on their own machine, with their own agents.
- Any CLI agent in a real login shell, not a fixed list of integrations.
What Conductor does well
- A polished, focused app with a clean review-and-merge flow.
- Free: you bring your own Claude or Codex subscription.
- Checkpoints and rollback for each workspace.
The verdict
Conductor's review-and-merge flow is clean, and its checkpoints make it easy to roll a workspace back when an agent goes sideways. What it does not watch is everything outside the diff: a key an agent can read, which one is actually stuck right now, or whether someone outside your machine can safely step in. Forkbench's folder lock, Vault and live pulse cover exactly that.
Conductor questions
Does Conductor protect my API keys from the agent?
Not with a dedicated feature. Its workspaces separate what agents edit, but a key in your shell or .env is readable by anything the agent runs. In Forkbench you move the key into the Vault once, and the agent runs the command that needs it without ever seeing the value. The Vault is free.
Can I use Forkbench and Conductor together?
Yes. Neither wraps your agent or replaces your AI subscription. Give each its own branches rather than pointing both at the same checkout.
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Comparison based on publicly available information, checked on the date above. Spot something out of date? Tell us.