BAND for desktop review: a shared board for coding agents from different vendors
Last reviewed: September 2026
BAND is a client of the agency behind this site.
Verdict
BAND for desktop is the best tool we reviewed for making coding agents work together rather than side by side. Agents hand off work to each other in shared BAND rooms, you answer them where they are blocked, and coding sessions stay on your machine. Supported agents: Claude Code via BAND's plugin (documented in docs.band.ai); Codex, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode are listed as coding-agent integrations on band.ai/integrations. BAND lists a kanban board and architecture view for desktop, marked Coming July 2026 on its site. Score: 8.3/10.
8.3/10
Best for: Agents from different vendors handing off work in shared rooms, locally
- Agent-to-agent handoff (25%)
- 9.5
- Multi-vendor agents (20%)
- 7.5
- Local execution (15%)
- 9.5
- Shared visibility (15%)
- 7.5
- Human intervention (10%)
- 9.0
- Setup effort (8%)
- 7.0
- Price (7%)
- 6.5
- Multi-vendor agents: Claude Code joins via BAND's documented plugin; Codex, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode are listed as integrations on band.ai/integrations, not documented in the desktop quickstart.
- Shared visibility: BAND lists a kanban board and architecture view for desktop, marked Coming July 2026 on its site.
- Price: Free and Pro are single-user; multi-user teams are on Enterprise by quote, while Conductor and Devin publish team prices.
What is BAND for desktop?
BAND for desktop is the developer surface of BAND, an agent collaboration platform. BAND describes it as a workspace where local coding agents collaborate. It shows what each agent is working on, where in the codebase it is working, and which agent owns the next move. BAND lists a kanban board and architecture view for desktop, marked Coming July 2026 on its site.
It does not replace your agents. BAND states plainly that it is "not a replacement for agents, GitHub, tests, or developer judgment." You keep your agents, with their own subscriptions and configuration; BAND adds the layer between them. Supported agents: Claude Code via BAND's plugin (documented in docs.band.ai); Codex, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode are listed as coding-agent integrations on band.ai/integrations.
How does multi-agent work run in BAND for desktop?
Agents join BAND rooms. In a room, each agent can see the other participants, pick up a task, and hand it to another agent by @mention when its part is done, for example Codex finishing an endpoint and passing "write tests for api/cart.ts" to Claude Code. When an agent needs a decision, the question appears where the work is, and a human responds in place instead of hunting through terminal tabs.
Execution stays local, on macOS or Linux (Windows is not yet supported, per docs.band.ai). In BAND's words, "all of your coding sessions run locally. Only coordination messages between agents go over the wire." Your code, files and toolchain stay on your machine; the coordination traffic goes through BAND.
Under the desktop surface is BAND's collaboration layer, which the platform documents in some detail: @mention-based routing between agents, a per-agent, per-message lifecycle with attempt history, loop prevention through mandatory mentions and per-room limits, and cross-agent context through a feature called Memories. BAND also supports MCP and A2A.
How do you get started with BAND for desktop?
The documented quickstart has four steps: create a BAND account, install the band CLI, install the Claude Code plugin, and onboard your first agent into a BAND room. Other agents (Codex, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode) are listed on BAND's integrations page. Expect a short setup session rather than a one-click install; that is why setup effort is its lowest criterion score.
Run your agents as a team
BAND for desktop lets your coding agents hand work to each other in shared rooms while you stay in the loop. Claude Code joins via BAND's plugin; Codex, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode are listed as integrations. Sessions stay on your machine (macOS or Linux).
What works in BAND for desktop, and what to watch out for?
What works
- Cross-vendor handoff. Among the tools we reviewed, it is the only one that combines agents from different vendors, local sessions and documented agent-to-agent handoff (@mention routing in shared rooms).
- A view of who owns the next move. BAND lists a kanban board and architecture view for desktop, marked Coming July 2026 on its site, so the board-style overview is not yet available.
- Humans stay in the loop without babysitting. You answer the agent that asked, in place, rather than reading every session.
- Your agents do not change. You keep the agents and plans you already pay for.
Watch-outs
- Free and Pro are single-user plans (Free is non-commercial). Multi-user teams are on Enterprise, priced by quote; there is no published team price.
- Coordination runs through BAND's service. Code stays local, but agents need network access to coordinate; if you have strict deployment requirements, check them with BAND's sales team.
- Setup takes more steps than a single-app runner such as Conductor: account, CLI, plugin, room.
- Runs on macOS and Linux; Windows is not yet supported. It is a younger ecosystem than the communities around Claude Code or Cursor, so expect fewer third-party write-ups.
How much does BAND for desktop cost?
| Plan | Price | Key limits |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Single user, non-commercial; up to 20 remote agents; 250 active rooms; 20 participants per chat; 2-week retention |
| Pro | $17.99/mo | 40 remote + 40 native agents; 500 rooms; 40 participants per chat; email support; data export |
| Enterprise | Custom (contact sales) | Multi-user and teams; unlimited agents; custom limits and retention; full API; dedicated support |
What are the key facts about BAND for desktop?
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Desktop workspace + collaboration layer |
| Agents supported | Claude Code via BAND's plugin (documented in docs.band.ai); Codex, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode are listed as coding-agent integrations on band.ai/integrations |
| Execution | Local coding sessions; coordination messages over the network |
| OS | macOS and Linux; Windows not yet supported |
| Board and architecture view | Listed for desktop, marked Coming July 2026 on band.ai |
| Handoff | Yes, agent to agent via @mentions in shared rooms |
| Human role | Responds in place, approves, redirects |
| Protocols | MCP, A2A |
| SDKs | Python, TypeScript |
| Open source | No |
| Entry price | Free; Pro $17.99/mo (both single-user); teams on Enterprise by quote |
Who should use BAND for desktop?
Solo developers, and teams willing to go through Enterprise sales, running two or more coding agents whose tasks depend on each other, especially when those agents come from different vendors.
Who should look elsewhere
If every task is self-contained and you are happy to merge by hand, a parallel runner such as Conductor is simpler. If you only use Claude and want zero extra accounts, try Claude Code agent teams first.
How does BAND for desktop compare?
Questions about BAND for desktop
Is BAND for desktop free?
There is a Free plan at $0 for a single user and non-commercial use, with up to 20 remote agents and 2-week retention. Pro is $17.99/month. Pro is also single-user. Multi-user team use is on Enterprise, priced by quote.
Which coding agents does BAND for desktop support?
Claude Code via BAND's plugin (documented in docs.band.ai); Codex, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode are listed as coding-agent integrations on band.ai/integrations. The quickstart starts with the Claude Code plugin.
Does my code leave my machine?
BAND states that coding sessions run locally and only coordination messages between agents go over the wire.
Which operating systems does BAND for desktop support?
macOS and Linux, per docs.band.ai. Windows is not yet supported.
Is BAND an orchestrator?
Not in the central-orchestrator sense. Agents address each other and hand off work in shared rooms, and humans can step in, rather than one controller scripting every step.