PortBayvsConductor
Conductor is a polished Mac app for running Claude Code and Codex in parallel, each agent in its own git worktree, with a diff-first review flow. It's excellent at that one job. PortBay overlaps on dispatching agents but adds a structured Kanban board (assign, move, comment, @mention) and — the real difference — a live local dev environment, so the agent works against a running database and a real HTTPS domain instead of a bare checkout.
Which one is right for you
You want the full stack, open source.
You want a real task board (Pending → Todo → In Progress → Done) with comments and @mention dispatch, more than two agents (Cursor and Antigravity too), open source, and an agent that works inside a running environment with a database, HTTPS and a shareable tunnel.
It already fits your workflow.
Your whole need is running Claude Code and Codex in parallel git worktrees with a fast diff-and-merge review UI, you're on an Apple Silicon Mac, and you don't need a task board or a provisioned dev environment. Conductor is purpose-built and very good at exactly that.
Feature by feature
Every row sourced from the live product page. We mark partial support honestly — including where the other side wins.
Coming from Conductor
Conductor and PortBay can run side by side. Keep Conductor for fast parallel-worktree review of Claude Code and Codex; reach for PortBay when a card needs the app actually running — a database to migrate, a page to load over HTTPS, a tunnel to send a client. PortBay also covers Cursor and Antigravity, which Conductor does not.
- Install PortBay and add your project — it provisions the runtime, database and HTTPS.
- Create a card and assign an agent; move it to Todo to dispatch it against the running app.
- Keep Conductor for parallel diff-and-merge runs where you don't need the environment.
PortBay vs Conductor, in plain terms
Does Conductor have a Kanban board?
Not in the task-board sense. Conductor shows your parallel agent workspaces and a diff-first review UI, but it isn't a Kanban board with Pending/Todo/In Progress/Done columns, card comments and @mention dispatch. PortBay is a full board: you move a card to Todo to dispatch an agent, it comments what it did, and the card advances to Done.
What does PortBay add over Conductor?
A real task board and a running dev environment. PortBay gives the agent a managed runtime, a per-project database, trusted HTTPS on a real .test domain and a one-click public tunnel, plus a Kanban board with comments and @mention dispatch. Conductor focuses on running Claude Code and Codex in parallel git worktrees with a review-and-merge flow.
Does Conductor work on Intel Macs or Windows?
No. Conductor is macOS on Apple Silicon only. PortBay is also Apple Silicon today, with an Intel build coming soon. Neither targets Windows or Linux today.
Is Conductor open source?
No. Conductor is a closed-source Mac app (free to use; you pay for agent usage through your own Claude Code or Codex access). PortBay's desktop app is open source under AGPL-3.0.
Which should I choose?
Choose Conductor if your single need is parallel Claude Code and Codex worktrees with a great diff-and-merge review on an Apple Silicon Mac. Choose PortBay if you want a structured task board, more agents, open source, and an agent that works inside a real running environment.
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