At a glance
| Tool | Where you chat | Platforms | Price / licence | Other agents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codex / ChatGPT desktop app | Is the official app | macOS, Windows, Linux | Included with ChatGPT plans (see OpenAI) | Codex only |
| Pairbar | In the Codex and Claude apps, which you keep (complements them: an overlay over their sidebars) | macOS 26+, Apple silicon | $49/year, $9/month or $129 lifetime; 7-day trial; closed source | Claude Code |
| Conductor | In Conductor's isolated workspaces (you chat there instead of in the app; bundles its own Codex) | macOS | Free plan; Pro $50/month | Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode |
| Superset | In Superset's terminals and worktrees (you chat there instead of in the app) | macOS; Linux (experimental) | Free plan; Pro from $15/user/month (yearly); Elastic License 2.0 | Any CLI agent |
| Paseo | In Paseo's own desktop, mobile, web or CLI clients, with the codex CLI (you chat there instead of in the app) | macOS, Linux, Windows; iOS, Android; web | Free; Apache-2.0 | Claude Code, OpenCode, Pi; more via ACP |
| Claude Squad | In tmux sessions behind a terminal UI (you chat there instead of in the app) | Not stated explicitly (Homebrew install) | Free; AGPL-3.0 | Claude Code, Gemini, Aider and others |
| CCManager | In its CLI session manager (you chat there instead of in the app) | macOS, Linux, Windows | MIT | Several CLI agents (see its README) |
| Nimbalyst | In its own visual workspace (you chat there instead of in the app) | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS | Free for individuals; MIT | Claude Code; more via ACP (alpha) |
| cmux | In a Mac-native terminal, with the codex CLI (you chat there instead of in the app) | macOS | Free (optional Founder's Edition); GPL-3.0 client | Any terminal agent |
Replace or complement?
Most tools in this space are alternatives: they run Codex's command-line agent inside their own window or terminal, usually one worktree per task, and you stop using the Codex app for that work. A companion, or overlay sidebar, keeps the app as the place you chat and adds something around it. Pairbar is the only companion here: none of the other tools we checked say they overlay or integrate with the official Codex or Claude desktop apps.
The Codex app itself
Before adding anything, check what the app already does: projects that group chats, notifications, an integrated terminal, PR integration, worktrees, a usage and rate-limit display, cloud environments, and Automations that run on a schedule or on events from Gmail, Slack or GitHub (on eligible plans) while the app is running. It's included with ChatGPT plans.
Companion
Pairbar
Pairbar sits over the Codex app's sidebar (and Claude's) and lists Codex threads and Claude Code sessions together. It adds Codex cloud tasks in the same list, search inside conversations, usage rings for both plans, a Tasks view that groups chats by branch or worktree with PR checks, a basket that docks Codex and Claude side by side, optional live status through Codex's hooks, handoff to Claude, queued follow-ups with codex queue, workflows that can mix Codex and Claude steps, and agent actions: a Codex chat can ask for a second opinion or review from Claude, which runs only once you approve it in Pairbar. Codex chats still open in the Codex app. It needs macOS 26 on Apple silicon, is paid after a 7-day trial, and reads Codex's undocumented local database, so a big Codex update can need a Pairbar update. Suits: people who use the Codex and Claude apps together.
Alternatives
Conductor
Runs Codex, Claude Code, Cursor and OpenCode agents in parallel on your Mac, each task in its own workspace with a branch, terminal, diff and review path. It bundles its own Codex installation and uses your existing sign-in. Suits: a workspace per task, free to start.
Superset
An agentic IDE that runs Codex and any other CLI agent in parallel worktrees, with a diff viewer and browser preview; Pro adds remote workspaces and scheduled Automations. Suits: many agents at once, and teams.
Paseo
A free, open-source (Apache-2.0) daemon that runs Codex through the codex CLI and its app-server, with your existing sign-in, alongside Claude Code, OpenCode, Pi and ACP agents. You drive it from desktop, iOS, Android, web or CLI clients, with worktrees, schedules and heartbeats. Its docs note that the ChatGPT desktop app and the codex CLI are separate installs. Suits: running Codex on your own machine and checking on it from your phone. See Pairbar vs Paseo.
Claude Squad
Despite the name, it manages Codex too, in tmux sessions and worktrees from one terminal UI. Free and AGPL-3.0. Suits: terminal users.
CCManager
A CLI session manager without tmux, showing Idle, Busy or Waiting per session, managing worktrees, and running hooks on status changes. MIT. Suits: scripting-minded CLI users.
Nimbalyst
A free, open-source visual workspace for Codex and Claude Code with a kanban board, optional worktrees, inline diff review and editors, on desktop platforms and iOS. It replaced Crystal. Suits: people who want a cross-platform GUI other than the Codex app.
cmux
A Ghostty-based macOS terminal for any terminal agent, with notification rings and sidebar badges. Run the codex CLI in it instead of the app. Suits: people who prefer the CLI but want to see which pane needs them.
Who each is best for
- Codex / ChatGPT desktop app: Codex users on any desktop platform who want OpenAI's own interface, automations and cloud environments.
- Pairbar: Keeping the Codex app while adding Claude Code chats, search, limits and handoffs across both, on macOS 26.
- Conductor: An isolated workspace per task on a Mac, with Codex bundled.
- Superset: Many CLI agents in parallel worktrees, with team plans.
- Paseo: A free, open-source daemon for Codex and other CLI agents, with phone, web and desktop clients.
- Claude Squad: A free terminal manager built on tmux.
- CCManager: A small CLI manager with status hooks, no tmux.
- Nimbalyst: A free, cross-platform visual workspace.
- cmux: Running the
codexCLI in a Mac-native terminal.
Sources
Facts about other products come from their public pages, checked September 2026. Products change quickly: check the source before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there an app that works with the Codex desktop app rather than replacing it?
- Pairbar does: it draws a sidebar over the official Codex and Claude desktop apps and opens every chat in them. The other tools listed here run Codex in their own window or terminal.
- Why is the Codex app called the ChatGPT desktop app?
- OpenAI's current docs title the app page "ChatGPT desktop app", with a choice between ChatGPT and Codex. The Codex docs moved to learn.chatgpt.com.
- Which alternatives are free?
- Conductor and Superset have free plans; Paseo, Claude Squad, CCManager and Nimbalyst are open source, and cmux is free with an optional paid edition. Pairbar is paid after a 7-day trial.
- Can I use Pairbar without the Codex app?
- Yes, with the Claude desktop app instead: Pairbar lists whichever of the two apps you have, and shows Get Codex when Codex isn't installed.
Related
- ComparisonPairbar vs the Codex desktop app's own chat listThe Codex app's own list handles Codex well; Pairbar adds Claude Code chats, one window spot, cross-app search and handoff to Claude.
- ComparisonPairbar vs Paseo: keep the official apps, or run agents from anywherePaseo is a free, open-source daemon and apps that run CLI agents from anywhere; Pairbar is a paid overlay that keeps the official Claude and Codex apps.
- AlternativesClaude Code session managers for Mac (2026)A neutral round-up of Mac tools for running and tracking many Claude Code sessions, from the Claude app itself to terminal managers.
- GlossaryOverlay sidebarA separate app that draws a panel over another app's window and adds to it, leaving the original app unchanged.
- Use caseHand off a coding task from Claude Code to Codex (and back)Hand a chat to the other app with its whole conversation and repo state, in a private handoff file the new chat reads first.
- Use caseDecide whether to start a task in Claude Code or CodexThe composer marks Claude or Codex with a green dot based on limit headroom, where you've worked in the project and a typical chat's cost; ⓘ explains why.
- GlossaryCodex threadOne conversation with OpenAI's Codex agent, made of turns and stored locally as a rollout file in ~/.codex/sessions.
Try Pairbar free for 7 days
One sidebar for the Claude and Codex desktop apps. Everything on for 7 days, no card needed; then $49/year ($39 first year with LAUNCH), $9/month or $129 lifetime (first 200 buyers). macOS 26 or later, Apple silicon.