119 lines
7.1 KiB
Markdown
119 lines
7.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Open Source Claude Desktop Alternative With Linux, Mobile, and Multi-Provider Support
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description: Paseo is an open source Claude Desktop alternative for developers who want Linux, self-hosting, native mobile apps, and Claude Code alongside Codex, OpenCode, Copilot, and more.
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nav: Claude Desktop
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order: 106
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---
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# Paseo vs Claude Desktop
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Claude Desktop is Anthropic's desktop app for Claude. It includes Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code in one app. Claude Code runs in the desktop app on macOS and Windows.
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Paseo is an app for orchestrating coding agents, with native clients on desktop, mobile, web, and the CLI. Open source (AGPL-3.0).
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## When to pick what
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Pick Claude Desktop if you want Anthropic's first-party app for Claude, Claude Cowork, and Claude Code, with Anthropic-managed cloud sessions and the tightest Claude account integration.
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Pick Paseo if you want:
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- Linux alongside macOS and Windows
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- A native iOS and Android app for the same agent workflow
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- Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Copilot, Pi, and 30+ more agents in one interface
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- A self-hosted daemon you can run on a laptop, VM, or dev server
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- A CLI and MCP server for scripting and multi-agent workflows
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- Open source you can audit and fork
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## Architecture
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Paseo runs a daemon on your machine. Desktop, web, mobile, and CLI clients connect to it over a websocket. The daemon launches Claude Code and other providers as local processes, using your installed CLIs, credentials, MCP servers, skills, and project config.
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Claude Desktop is the host app. The Code tab can run Claude Code locally, connect over SSH, or run remote sessions on Anthropic infrastructure.
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## Providers
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Claude Desktop runs Claude Code.
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Paseo runs Claude Code too, plus Codex, OpenCode, and Pi natively, plus 30+ more agents through the in-app catalog including GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, and Amp. Paseo speaks the [Agent Client Protocol](https://agentclientprotocol.com), so any ACP agent works. Custom providers run any CLI agent. See [Supported providers](/docs/supported-providers).
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## Desktop platforms
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Claude Desktop is available on macOS and Windows. Anthropic lists Linux as not available.
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Paseo ships on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
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## Mobile
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Paseo ships native iOS and Android apps with the same agent workflow as the desktop app.
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Claude has iOS and Android apps. Claude Code can be controlled from mobile through Remote Control, and Claude Desktop can pair with mobile for some workflows.
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## Panes
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Both tools support visual coding workflows around Claude Code.
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Paseo's app has split panes and tabs (⌘D for vertical, ⌘⇧D for horizontal). Panes include agents, terminals, a diff viewer, and a browser for testing running services.
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Claude Desktop has a graphical Code tab with sessions, integrated terminal, file editor, visual diff review, live app preview, PR monitoring, and scheduled tasks.
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## GitHub
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Paseo's app handles commit, push, opening PRs, watching checks and reviews, and merging.
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Claude Desktop can monitor pull request status and can fix failures or merge when checks pass, depending on the workflow and permissions.
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## CLI and automation
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Claude Code has its own CLI, IDE integrations, web surface, scheduled tasks, and cloud sessions.
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Paseo's CLI controls the same daemon as the app:
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```bash
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paseo run --provider claude "implement OAuth"
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paseo run --provider codex --worktree refactor-auth "refactor auth"
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paseo run --host devbox:6767 "run the test suite"
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paseo ls
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paseo send <agent-id> "add tests"
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paseo schedule create --cron "0 9 * * 1" "audit the codebase"
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```
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`paseo run --host` connects to a remote daemon. `paseo schedule` runs an agent on a cron. `paseo loop` retries an agent until a verification command passes. The MCP server lets other agents create worktrees, launch agents, open terminals, and send prompts.
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## Worktrees and services
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Both tools support parallel coding sessions, including Git worktrees.
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Paseo also gives each worktree its own dev server URL. Two agents running their dev servers at the same time get `web.fix-auth.my-app.localhost` and `web.add-search.my-app.localhost` instead of port collisions.
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## Voice
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Paseo supports dictation and realtime voice mode. Speech-to-text and text-to-speech can run locally on your device.
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Claude supports voice in Claude's own mobile and app surfaces. Claude Code itself is available in Claude Desktop, terminal, IDE, web, and mobile Remote Control workflows.
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## Comparison
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| | Paseo | Claude Desktop |
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| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
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| License | Open source (AGPL-3.0) | Not published as open source |
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| Desktop platforms | macOS, Linux, Windows | macOS, Windows |
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| Native mobile | iOS, Android | iOS, Android Claude apps |
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| Coding agents | Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Pi + 30+ via ACP catalog + custom | Claude Code |
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| General chat | No | Claude Chat |
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| Cloud agent | Cloud waitlist | Claude Cowork and remote sessions |
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| Local execution | Yes | Yes |
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| SSH remote execution | Via daemon on the remote host | Yes |
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| Git worktrees | Yes | Yes |
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| Per-worktree dev server URLs | Yes | No |
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| Split panes and tabs | Yes | Yes |
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| In-app terminal | Yes | Yes |
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| In-app browser / preview | Yes | Yes |
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| GitHub workflow in app | Commit, push, PR, checks, reviews, merge | PR monitoring and merge workflows |
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| CLI | Run, `--host`, ls, send, schedule, loop | Claude Code CLI |
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| MCP server for orchestration | Yes | MCP support inside Claude Code |
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| Self-hosted daemon | Yes | No |
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See also: [Paseo vs Codex App](/docs/alternatives/codex-app), [Paseo vs OpenCode Desktop](/docs/alternatives/opencode-desktop), [Paseo vs Conductor](/docs/alternatives/conductor).
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