# OpenWork vs Claude Cowork: the open-source system your team owns

> OpenWork is a desktop app where agents work on your own files. Claude Cowork is closed and runs on Anthropic's cloud. Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System that puts your agents, skills, memory and connectors in one repo you own.

URL: https://openworkalternative.com/openwork-vs-claude-cowork

## OpenWork vs Claude Cowork vs Kortix, row by row

Every rival cell comes from that rival's own page, and the plans and prices were checked in October 2026.

| | Kortix (recommended) | Claude Cowork | OpenWork |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Open source | Yes. Open source. Read it, fork it, audit it. | Closed. No self-host. | Yes for the app and core; the Den control plane is source-available. |
| Models | Any model provider with your own keys. | Claude models only. | Any model OpenCode supports, 50+ providers or local models. |
| Where it runs | An isolated sandbox per session, self-hosted or on the managed cloud. | Anthropic's cloud, or your own Bedrock, Google Cloud or Microsoft Foundry account. | A desktop app on your own machine for macOS, Windows and Linux. |
| Your configuration | Files in a git repo you own. | In Claude's product. | In the desktop app, shared with teammates as a link. |
| Access and price | Self-host free. Managed cloud from $40 per seat per month. | Paid plans: Pro $17/mo, Max $100 or $200/mo, Team $20/seat/mo. | Free desktop app. Team: 5 seats free, then $10/seat/mo. |

Claude Cowork facts come from claude.com/product/cowork and claude.com/pricing. OpenWork facts come from openworklabs.com and github.com/different-ai/openwork. Plans and prices checked October 2026.

## Which one fits whom

### Pick OpenWork for one person on their own files
OpenWork is a free, open-source desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, built on OpenCode. Agents work on the files on the machine in front of you, and you bring your own model keys from 50+ providers or run a local model. Teams share skills and MCP servers as a link a teammate imports in one click. Choose it when the work stays on one machine and local-first matters more than company-wide reach ([openworklabs.com](https://openworklabs.com)).

### Pick Claude Cowork when you already work inside Claude
Claude Cowork is the agent tab beside Claude's chat: it reads, edits and creates files in the folders you point it at, and it runs across your files, connectors and tools. It uses Claude models only, is included in the Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, and runs on Anthropic's cloud or your own Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud or Microsoft Foundry account. There is no self-host option ([claude.com/product/cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork)).

### Pick Kortix when the team wants one system it owns
Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System: your agents, skills, company memory and connectors live in one git repo you own. Each session has its own isolated machine and branch, and you can bring any model provider with your own keys. Session work reaches main through a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents. Run it on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network. Self-host is free. Choose it when the configuration has to be a file you can diff and the work has to span more than one machine ([Kortix on GitHub](https://github.com/kortix-ai/suna), [OpenWork vs Kortix](/openwork-vs-kortix), [OpenWork alternatives](/openwork-alternatives)).

## Why owning the configuration matters

One git repo holds the agents, skills, memory and connectors, and you choose where it runs.

### Repo: one git repo is the company

Agents, skills, memory and connector config are files you can grep, diff and roll back like code.

```yaml
# kortix.yaml
agents:
  support-triage:
    file: agents/support-triage.md
```

### Host: run it where the data has to live

Run it on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network. Self-host is free.

```sh
kortix self-host init
kortix self-host start
```

### Review: nothing merges itself

Session work reaches main through a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents.

```sh
kortix cr ls
fix-checkout-expiry open
```

## OpenWork vs Claude Cowork, answered

### Is Claude Cowork open source?

No. Claude Cowork is a closed product on Anthropic's paid plans, and it runs on Anthropic's cloud or your own Bedrock, Google Cloud or Microsoft Foundry account with no self-host option ([claude.com/product/cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork)).

### Is OpenWork open source?

Yes, with one split. The desktop app and core are open source, while OpenWork Den, the organization control plane, is a separate source-available layer that is free for teams up to five users and under subscription terms beyond that ([openworklabs.com](https://openworklabs.com), [github.com/different-ai/openwork](https://github.com/different-ai/openwork)).

### Which should a team pick, OpenWork or Claude Cowork?

OpenWork suits one person working on local files. Claude Cowork suits a knowledge worker already inside Claude. For a team that wants one owned system, with agents, skills, memory and connectors in one git repo, that is Kortix, the open-source AI Operating System.

### Can a team self-host any of them?

Kortix self-hosts the whole platform for free, and OpenWork ships a desktop app plus a self-hostable control plane. Claude Cowork has no self-host. See [self-hosting Kortix](/self-hosting) and [OpenWork for teams](/openwork-for-teams).

## Run the whole company from one repo you own.

Kortix is open source, free to self-host, and runs with any model on your own keys.

[Try Kortix](https://kortix.com) · [Self-hosting](https://openworkalternative.com/self-hosting)

Open source · Any model, your keys · Self-host, VPC, or on-prem