Pane
Free, open-source desktop app that runs multiple AI coding agents in parallel git worktrees.
If you run multiple AI coding agents in parallel and are tired of juggling git worktrees, Pane is the best free fix we've seen. It's cross-platform, open source, and agent-agnostic, automating the worktree lifecycle so you never type 'git worktree' again. It's also lightweight (1/30th the CPU/battery of Conductor), and recent updates add inline terminal images, HTML previews, and a Usage & Limits screen. Skip it if you want a graphical IDE or a one-click setup without CLI comfort—Pane is terminal-first and requires you to bring your own API keys.
Verified 1d ago · liveness 70/100 · cite: rightaichoice.com/tools/pane
- Developers running multiple AI coding agents in parallel on separate branches
- Engineers who want a keyboard-driven agent manager that automates git worktrees
- Teams adopting AI-assisted development with isolated worktrees per agent
- Open-source enthusiasts who prefer a self-hosted, auditable agent manager
- Users seeking an all-in-one IDE or graphical code editor (Pane is terminal-first)
- Non-developers or those uncomfortable with CLI tools
- Teams that need built-in AI model subscriptions (you bring your own API keys)
We scan live Reddit threads, YouTube comments, X posts, G2 reviews and other communities — and hand you an honest verdict in under a minute.
- Honest verdict, not marketing
- Real pros & cons from real users
- Attributed quotes with receipts
3 free scans · no card needed
Skip Pane if you want a graphical IDE, need built-in AI model subscriptions, or prefer a visual, non-terminal interface—Pane is terminal-first and requires CLI comfort and your own API keys.
You must bring your own API keys for AI providers; Pane charges nothing, but your API bill can be significant depending on agent usage.
Pane is free with no seat limit, usage cap, or feature gating—unlike Superset's $20/seat/mo Pro tier or Conductor's closed-source model. It's a strong fit for indie developers and small teams who want a powerful agent manager without per-seat fees, as long as they bring their own API keys.
In short
Pane — Free, open-source desktop app that runs multiple AI coding agents in parallel git worktrees. Best for Developers running multiple AI coding agents in parallel on separate branches, Engineers who want a keyboard-driven agent manager that automates git worktrees, Teams adopting AI-assisted development with isolated worktrees per agent. Free to use.
What's new in Pane
Checked yesterdayAcross the latest 4 updates: 4 feature updates.
v2.4.95: Open pull requests in browser tabs
Adds ability to open pull requests in browser tabs within Pane's in-app browser.
v2.4.94: Analytics disclosure and opt-out
Defaults product analytics on with opt-out, adds settings disclosure.
v2.4.87: Leaderboard UI polish
Polishes leaderboard UI and error handling.
v2.4.79: Arch-specific Mac builds and OpenRouter price fetching
Ships arch-specific Mac builds and fetches live prices from OpenRouter for accurate cost tracking.
What people actually say about Pane — is it worth it?
We ran a structured research pass across product reviews, community discussions, and post-purchase forum threads to surface the patterns vendors won't publish themselves. Below: the recurring strengths, the hidden costs people mention most, and the cohort that consistently regrets adopting this tool.
120 mentions across 7 sources (Hacker News, Product Hunt, App Store, Bluesky, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Lemmy) · researched Jul 6, 2026.
- +Cross-platform support: Windows ARM64, macOS, and Linux desktop app.
- +Agent-agnostic design works with Claude Code, Codex, Aider, OpenCode.
- +Automated git worktree management eliminates manual branching overhead.
- +Remote Pane via SSH enables control from phone or any device.
- +In-app browser and split panes reduce context switching during development.
- −No real user feedback available to validate any claimed benefits.
- −Name is too generic, causing search noise and brand confusion.
- −Existing terminal multiplexers (tmux) may already meet user needs.
- −Lack of community support forums or active issue tracker presence.
- −Unclear how well it handles large-scale multi-agent workflows.
- • Cloud services pricing not yet announced; early adopters may face future fees
- • Potential infrastructure costs if running agents on cloud VMs
Viability Score
How well maintained and how widely used is Pane? Built from what the vendor actually publishes (docs, changelog, tutorials, integrations, pricing), whether the site is live, and how much real users discuss it. How we calculate this
Last calculated: September 2026
How we score →Key Features
- Auto git worktrees (create, cleanup, rebase)
- Parallel panes for Claude Code, Codex, Aider, Goose, and any CLI agent
- Vertical sidebar with panes, branches, ports, status
- Split panes (horizontal and vertical)
- In-app browser
- Cross-terminal context with @
- Isolated localhost ports per pane
- .env secrets sync into new worktrees
- Pane Chat global orchestrator terminal
- runpane CLI for agent-operable panes
- Remote Pane over SSH (control from phone)
- Headless Linux support
- HTML file previews in Explorer
- Inline terminal images (sixel, iTerm2, kitty)
- Usage & Limits screen with per-agent tokens and cost
About Pane
Pane is a free, open-source desktop app for developers who run multiple AI coding agents—like Claude Code, Codex, Aider, and Goose—side by side. Instead of juggling terminal tabs and wrestling with git worktrees, Pane gives each agent its own isolated worktree. It automates the entire lifecycle: creation, cleanup, and rebase, so you never type 'git worktree' again. The interface is keyboard-first, with a vertical sidebar showing every pane, branch, port, and status at a glance. You can split panes horizontally or vertically, use an in-app browser, pull context across terminals with @, and sync .env secrets into every new worktree. Recent updates add an HTML file preview, inline terminal images (sixel, iTerm2, kitty), a Usage & Limits screen with per-agent tokens and cost, and 15 new themes. Pane is agent-agnostic—no plugins, no SDK, no waiting for support—and runs on Windows (x64 + ARM64), macOS, and Linux with the same UI and shortcuts. The desktop binary is free forever under AGPL-3.0, and Dcouple Inc plans to monetize through optional cloud services like managed worktrees and team features. Pane also includes Pane Chat, a global orchestrator terminal that can discuss, plan, delegate, review, and verify work across panes, plus a CLI that lets agents discover the schema, register repos, and create panes themselves. Remote Pane lets you control agents from your phone or another machine via SSH. Compared to alternatives like Conductor (Mac-only, closed source) or Superset (paid tiers), Pane is lightweight—1/30th the CPU and battery of Conductor—cross-platform, and truly open source with no per-seat fees. If you're a developer juggling multiple agents and terminal tabs, Pane turns worktree management into something invisible.
Behind the Verdict
Pane nails the core problem: running multiple AI agents on the same repo without stepping on each other. The auto-worktree feature is genuinely useful—you create a pane, Pane creates a git worktree; you delete the pane, it cleans up. No more typing git worktree add/remove, tracking paths, or rebasing manually. It's keyboard-first, which pairs well with agent CLIs, and it's agent-agnostic: any CLI agent runs in a real terminal, no plugins or SDK. You can split panes, use an in-app browser, and pull context across terminals with @. Recent releases added inline terminal images (sixel, iTerm2, kitty), HTML previews, and a Usage & Limits screen showing per-agent tokens and cost—useful for keeping an eye on your API spend. Pane is free and open source (AGPL-3.0). You bring your own API keys, so your AI provider bills you directly. There's no seat limit, no usage cap, no feature gating. Dcouple Inc plans to monetize via optional cloud services (managed worktrees, team features), but the local app stays free. It's cross-platform (Windows x64 + ARM64, Mac, Linux) and runs on headless Linux, making it easy to set up a remote agent farm. Weaknesses: it's terminal-first, so if you want a GUI IDE, look elsewhere. The unsigned desktop binary may trigger Windows SmartScreen; you can build from source. Remote Pane requires SSH access. You must bring your own API keys—Pane is not an AI provider. For Mac-only users who prefer a polished native feel, Conductor might be more refined, but it's closed source and Mac-only. Where it fits: developers running multiple agents in parallel, teams adopting AI-assisted development, open-source enthusiasts, anyone who wants lightweight, keyboard-driven agent management. Where it doesn't: non-developers, those who want a graphical code editor, teams wanting built-in AI subscriptions.
Researching Pane? Get your full AI stack in 60 seconds.
Free, no signup — tell us your goal and get tools matched to your budget & existing stack.
Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas Pane actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
You're working on a feature and want to run Claude Code and Codex in parallel without conflicts.
Outcome: Create a pane for each agent; Pane auto-creates git worktrees, isolates ports, and lets you split panes to monitor both. Rebase and commit with keyboard shortcuts.
You need to manage multiple agents across a team without stepping on each other's branches.
Outcome: Each developer uses Pane with isolated worktrees, synced secrets, and a shared vertical sidebar to track panes, branches, and status. Pane Chat can orchestrate tasks across agents.
You want to self-host an agent manager and avoid lock-in.
Outcome: Since Pane is AGPL-3.0, you can audit, fork, and self-host it, controlling your own agents and data.
Use Cases
- Run multiple AI coding agents simultaneously on the same repository without branch conflicts
- Automate git worktree creation and cleanup so developers never need to manage them manually
- Set up a remote agent farm on a cloud VM and control it from a local desktop or phone
- Use the Pane Chat orchestrator to plan, delegate, and review tasks across agents in one conversation
- Allow CLI agents to self-orchestrate by creating panes, reading output, and validating progress automatically
- Maintain isolated environments per agent with per-pane ports and synced secrets
- Review and commit changes from within Pane using built-in git diff, commit, push, rebase, and squash
- Use the in-app browser to reference docs or web pages while an agent works in a split pane
Models Under the Hood
as of 2026-08-31
Limitations
- Pane is free and open source under AGPL-3.0, and it is an agent manager, not an AI provider, so you must bring your own API keys for AI providers like Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google.
- The desktop binary is unsigned, which may trigger a Windows SmartScreen warning, but the source code is auditable and you can build from source.
- Remote Pane requires SSH access to a host machine, and the app is terminal-first and keyboard-driven.
as of 2026-09-01
Verification history
We have re-verified Pane 7 times since . Each pass re-reads the vendor's own pages and re-checks every listed field against that evidence; passes where nothing had changed are marked as such.
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-checked, vendor evidence unchanged
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
Showing the 6 most recent of 7 verification passes.
Free to cite with attribution — this page re-verifies continuously.
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Plans compared
For each published Pane tier: who it actually fits, and what it adds vs. the previous tier. Cross-reference the cost calculator above for projected annual outlay.
Free
$0/mo
Ideal for
Any developer or team wanting a free, open-source agent manager with no seat limits or feature gating; you bring your own API keys.
What this tier adds
Starting tier: $0/mo, includes all desktop features, no trial, no usage cap.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where Pane's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
Pane is free with no seat limit, usage cap, or feature gating—unlike Superset's $20/seat/mo Pro tier or Conductor's closed-source model. It's a strong fit for indie developers and small teams who want a powerful agent manager without per-seat fees, as long as they bring their own API keys.
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of Pane — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
Install via one-liner (PowerShell or npm) or download binary. Create your first pane in under a minute; configure your API keys and preferred agents (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) within 10 minutes. Set up remote control via SSH in about 15 minutes.
Switching to or from Pane
How to bring data in from common predecessors and how to get it back out — written for the switcher, not the buyer.
- →From Conductor: Pane is cross-platform and open source; you can migrate by installing Pane and recreating your worktrees via panes.
- ↗To Conductor: Only if you're on Mac and prefer its tighter integration; you'd need to manually recreate worktrees.
Integrations
Resources & Guides
- Documentationrunpane.com
Docs · Pane
Full product docs from runpane.com
- Quickstartrunpane.com
Claude Code · Pane
Get up and running fast from runpane.com
- Quickstartrunpane.com
Codex · Pane
Get up and running fast from runpane.com
- Quickstartrunpane.com
Cursor Agent · Pane
Get up and running fast from runpane.com
- Quickstartrunpane.com
Aider · Pane
Get up and running fast from runpane.com
- Quickstartrunpane.com
Goose · Pane
Get up and running fast from runpane.com
- Quickstartrunpane.com
Opencode · Pane
Get up and running fast from runpane.com
- Documentationrunpane.com
Runpane Cli · Pane
Full product docs from runpane.com
- Documentationrunpane.com
Pane Chat · Pane
Full product docs from runpane.com
Tutorials & Learning
Official links
Tools that pair well with Pane
Common stack mates teams adopt alongside Pane, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
OpenHands
Open-source platform for autonomous cloud coding agents that fix bugs, review PRs, and automate workflows.
Cline
Open-source autonomous coding agent for IDE, CLI, and parallel Kanban boards.
Continue
Pioneering open-source AI coding agent for VS Code and JetBrains, now archived after Cursor acquisition.
Featured Head-to-Head Comparisons
Pane vs Voyage Ai
If you need high-accuracy retrieval in domain-specific RAG pipelines (finance, legal) and have enterprise budget, Voyage AI is the clear choice. If you're a developer running multiple AI coding agents in parallel and want a free, open-source, terminal-first manager, Pane is unbeatable. They solve entirely different problems — pick the one that matches your workflow.
Pane vs Spider Cloud
Choose Pane if you need to orchestrate multiple CLI-based AI coding agents in parallel with automated git worktree isolation. Choose Spider Cloud if your priority is ingesting web data into AI pipelines via a fast, cheap scraping API. They solve completely different problems — Pane is a local agent manager, Spider Cloud is a web data extraction service.
Pane vs Temporal Ai
Choose Temporal AI if you need a battle-tested durable execution platform for mission-critical AI agents and workflows that survive crashes, retries, and human-in-the-loop delays. Choose Pane if you're a developer who wants to run multiple coding agents (e.g., Claude Code, Codex) in parallel with automatic git worktree isolation — it's free, terminal-first, and requires zero backend overhead.
Pane vs Poolside Ai
For individual devs wanting a free, keyboard-driven agent manager that runs multiple CLI agents in parallel, Pane is unbeatable. For enterprises in finance, healthcare, or defense needing custom, auditable AI agents with long-context reasoning and on-prem deployment, Poolside AI is the clear choice. Your pick depends on budget, compliance needs, and whether you want to manage agents or have them managed for you.
Alternatives to Pane
View allFrequently Asked Questions
Best-of guides
Used Pane? Help shape our editorial sentiment research.