# Herdr vs cmux

## TL;DR

Herdr and cmux are terminal-level tools for watching many coding agents at once; neither manages merges for you. Herdr is an Apache-2.0 Rust binary with a background server, so agents survive detach and SSH drops, on macOS, Linux and Windows. cmux is a native macOS terminal app with notification rings, an approvals feed and a scriptable browser pane.

## Facts side by side

|  | [Herdr](https://multiagentguide.top/tools/herdr.md) | [cmux](https://multiagentguide.top/tools/cmux.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Type | Orchestrator | Orchestrator |
| Languages / SDKs | Rust | Swift |
| License | Apache-2.0 | unknown |
| Pricing model | Open source, free | [Open core](https://cmux.com/pricing) |
| Orchestration pattern | Other | Other |
| GitHub stars | 41,580 (as of 2026-09-30) | 27,518 (as of 2026-09-30) |
| GitHub forks | 3,205 | 2,424 |
| Last push | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09-30 |
| Latest release | v0.9.3 | v0.64.25 |
| Repository | [herdrdev/herdr](https://github.com/herdrdev/herdr) | [manaflow-ai/cmux](https://github.com/manaflow-ai/cmux) |
| Website | [herdr.dev](https://herdr.dev) | [cmux.com](https://cmux.com) |
| Documentation | [herdr.dev](https://herdr.dev/docs/) | [cmux.com](https://cmux.com/docs/getting-started) |
| Last verified | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09-30 |
| MCP support | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) | [Yes (checked 2026-09-30)](https://cmux.com/docs/computer-use) |
| A2A support | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) |
| AG-UI support | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) | Unknown (checked 2026-09-30) |
| Install verified | Not yet | Not yet |

## Choose Herdr if

- You work over SSH or on Linux or Windows, and need agents to keep running when the client disconnects.
- You want a CLI and socket API that scripts, or an agent with the skill file, can use to start and prompt other agents.
- You want a single Apache-2.0 licensed binary.

## Choose cmux if

- You are on macOS 14 or later and want a native app with sidebar status, unread badges and a feed that collects permission requests and plan approvals.
- You want a scriptable browser pane next to the agent terminals.
- You already use a Ghostty config; cmux reads it for themes and fonts.

## Migration notes

Neither tool owns your work: agents are ordinary processes in terminals and the code stays in your repository, so switching means re-creating layouts. Things that differ: Herdr marks a pane blocked by reading the screen, which its docs say can misjudge unusual prompts; cmux relies on wrappers, notification sequences and hooks installed with `cmux hooks setup`. After a restart, Herdr restores the layout but not the processes, and cmux restores layout and best-effort scrollback but does not checkpoint live process state. Worktree handling: Herdr has `herdr worktree` commands; cmux describes no worktree manager. Licensing: Herdr is Apache-2.0; cmux is GPL-3.0-or-later with some server directories under the Business Source License, and its cloud plans are paid.

## FAQ

### Do Herdr or cmux review diffs or merge branches?

No. Both records note that no built-in diff review or merge flow is documented; you use the agent and your own git tools.

### Which agents do they work with?

Both are agent-agnostic because agents run as normal CLI programs. Their records list Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode and Hermes as documented.

### Is cmux free?

The macOS app is open source and free according to its pricing page; cloud VMs, the iOS app and team administration are on paid plans.

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Data as of 2026-09-30. Not affiliated with listed projects. HTML version: https://multiagentguide.top/compare/herdr-vs-cmux