Claude Squad vs Codex CLI in 2026

Q: Is AgentHydra free to use?

AgentHydra is free, with no account or subscription . It is open source under the MIT License . The facts here give no other price for AgentHydra. Its tray app needs Windows, with macOS and Linux builds that exist but are not verified .

Claude Squad and Codex CLI compared on what each does, what each costs and what to check before choosing an AI coding session manager.

By SupaKeeper · 2026-10-25

SupaKeeper is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.

Claude Squad manages multiple AI agents in separate workspaces from the terminal ^[1], and Codex CLI lets a developer inspect code, make changes, run commands and automate repeatable work without leaving the terminal ^[2]. Pick by the question you have: the question of running several agents in isolated workspaces points to Claude Squad, and the question of steering one agent inside the terminal points to Codex CLI.

Option	What its sources say it does	Cost	Account or install
Claude Squad	Terminal app that manages multiple agents in separate workspaces ^[1]; uses git worktrees so each session works on its own branch ^[1]; uses tmux to create isolated terminal sessions for each agent ^[1]; each task gets its own isolated git workspace so no conflicts ^[1]; works on multiple tasks simultaneously ^[1]; completes tasks in the background including yolo/auto-accept mode ^[1]	not published	Homebrew ^[1] or manual curl to ~/.local/bin ^[1]; both install it as the command cs ^[1]; needs tmux and gh installed first ^[1]; default program is claude ^[1]
Codex CLI	Lets you inspect code, make changes, run commands and automate repeatable work without leaving the terminal ^[2]; used interactively or via codex exec ^[2]; commands to choose permissions, model, an AGENTS.md file, review and status ^[2] ^[2] ^[2] ^[2] ^[2]; --search for live web search ^[2]; --image for screenshots and diagrams ^[2]; codex resume reopens recent chats ^[2]	not published	Standalone installer for macOS and Linux ^[2]; first run offers Sign in with ChatGPT ^[2]
AgentHydra	Shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions in one searchable list, live while they run ^[3]; replies to a Claude session's own desktop chat or sends one message to several sessions ^[3]; moves a Claude chat to another account ^[3]; splits tasks across Claude Code CLI sessions and moves workers between accounts ^[3]	free, no account or subscription ^[3]	Tray app needs Windows; macOS and Linux builds exist but are not verified ^[3]; on Windows, one line PowerShell script, a build from GitHub Releases, or run from source with Bun ^[3]

The short answer

Claude Squad manages multiple AI agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Gemini and other local agents such as Aider, in separate workspaces from the terminal ^[1]. Codex CLI lets a developer inspect code, make changes, run commands and automate repeatable work without leaving the terminal ^[2], and its --search option switches a run to live web search when a task depends on current releases, documentation or external behavior ^[2]. The need that works in separate agents at once points to Claude Squad, and the need that works inside the terminal with one agent that can be pointed at the web points to Codex CLI. What either costs is not stated in the facts here, so it is checked on each tool's own pages ^[1] ^[2].

What Claude Squad, Codex CLI is built for

Claude Squad is a terminal app that manages multiple AI agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Gemini and other local agents such as Aider, in separate workspaces ^[1]. Its page says it can be installed with Homebrew ^[1], or manually with a curl command that puts its binary in ~/.local/bin ^[1]. Codex CLI lets a developer inspect code, make changes, run commands and automate repeatable work without leaving the terminal ^[2]. It is installed with the standalone installer for macOS and Linux ^[2]. With --search, Codex CLI switches a run to live web search when a task depends on current releases, documentation or external behavior ^[2]. The facts here say nothing more in each tool's own words, so the table below gathers what each page says it does.

What AgentHydra is built for

AgentHydra is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows the Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list, updated live while they run ^[3]. It lets you type a reply into a Claude session's own desktop chat, or send one message to several sessions at once ^[3]. It moves a Claude chat, history included, to another of your accounts ^[3]. It splits a task's pieces across Claude Code CLI sessions on your accounts, and moves a worker to another account when one nears its limit ^[3]. It shows cost at API list prices by day, model, project and account ^[3]. It pairs each failed shell command with the command that fixed it, and can copy those pairs out as a rules file for your agents ^[3]. It lists each account with its plan and its five hour and weekly quota, and can open, focus, quit, create and delete Claude Desktop instances ^[3]. It exposes its features as MCP tools, including whoami and usage checks so an agent knows which account it is on and how much quota is left ^[3].

Pricing and fees

Claude Squad is a terminal app that manages multiple agents in separate workspaces ^[1], and the facts here do not state a price for it, so it is not published here. Codex CLI lets a developer inspect code, make changes and run commands without leaving the terminal ^[2], and the facts here do not state a price for it either. AgentHydra is free, with no account or subscription ^[3]. Neither source describes a trial, a discount or a paid tier for Claude Squad or Codex CLI, so none is stated here. If you need what either tool would cost for your own use, check its own pages, since the facts here give no price.

Setting it up and daily use

Claude Squad installs either with Homebrew ^[1] or manually with a curl command that puts its binary in ~/.local/bin ^[1]. Codex CLI is installed with the standalone installer for macOS and Linux ^[2]. AgentHydra needs Windows for its tray app; macOS and Linux builds exist but have not been verified ^[3]. On Windows it installs with a one line PowerShell script, or from a build on GitHub Releases, or runs from source with Bun ^[3]. For daily use, AgentHydra shows live sessions, cost and quotas ^[3] ^[3] ^[3]. The facts here say nothing more about setup or routine use for Claude Squad or Codex CLI, so check each tool's own pages for anything further.

Things to check before you choose

Ask whether you need to watch several agent sessions at once. Claude Squad's page describes managing multiple agents in separate workspaces ^[1], and Codex CLI's page describes working inside the terminal with one agent ^[2]. Ask what a fee costs. The facts here give no price for Claude Squad or Codex CLI ^[1] ^[2], and AgentHydra is free ^[3]. Ask which system you run. AgentHydra's tray app needs Windows ^[3], and check Claude Squad and Codex CLI's pages for what each needs. Ask whether the terminal is your daily place to work, since both rivals are described as terminal tools ^[1] ^[2].

How to choose

For working on several agents at once in separate workspaces, Claude Squad's page describes exactly that ^[1], and AgentHydra shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions in one live list ^[3]. For staying inside the terminal with one agent, Codex CLI's page describes inspecting code, making changes and running commands there ^[2], and AgentHydra prints its cost numbers as JSON from the command line ^[3]. For moving a chat or splitting tasks across accounts, AgentHydra describes moving a Claude chat to another account ^[3] and splitting tasks across Claude Code CLI sessions ^[3]. For a free start, AgentHydra is free with no account or subscription ^[3].

Frequently asked questions

Is AgentHydra free to use?

AgentHydra is free, with no account or subscription ^[3]. It is open source under the MIT License ^[3]. The facts here give no other price for AgentHydra. Its tray app needs Windows, with macOS and Linux builds that exist but are not verified ^[3].

Does Claude Squad or Codex CLI cost anything?

The facts here do not state a dollar price for Claude Squad ^[1] or for Codex CLI ^[2]. Their pages describe what each does, but say nothing about a fee. Check each tool's own pages if you need the cost.

Can Claude Squad run several agents at once?

Claude Squad's page says it manages multiple AI agents in separate workspaces ^[1]. Its page also says it allows working on multiple tasks simultaneously, uses git worktrees so each session works on its own branch, and uses tmux for isolated terminal sessions ^[1] ^[1] ^[1].

What does Codex CLI do in the terminal?

Codex CLI lets a developer inspect code, make changes, run commands and automate repeatable work without leaving the terminal ^[2]. It can be used interactively or called with codex exec from repeatable workflows ^[2], and --search switches a run to live web search when a task depends on current releases, documentation or external behavior ^[2].

What can AgentHydra do with agent sessions?

AgentHydra shows Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions on your machine in one searchable list, updated live while they run ^[3]. It can move a Claude chat, history included, to another of your accounts ^[3], and it lists each Claude and Codex account with its plan and quota ^[3].

Free, with no account or subscription. ^[3]

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