SpeakCode vs Maestri: two agent canvases for macOS
Updated 2026-09-13 · competitor facts verified 2026-09-13
Verdict
Pick Maestri if…
Pick Maestri if you want a free solo canvas or $18 one-time Pro with whiteboard tools on an Apple Silicon Mac.
Pick SpeakCode if…
Pick SpeakCode if an agent inbox, turn-triggered belts, and shared terminals with roles justify a subscription on macOS 26+.
A native agent canvas with whiteboard tools, PTY piping, and a free tier.
Platforms: macOS 15.4+ on Apple Silicon; Windows, Linux, and Remote pages also linked. · Pricing: Free: 1 workspace; Pro: $18 one-time, up to 2 Macs, 7 days free; also on Setapp. · License: Closed source; no license published.
Maestri and SpeakCode, feature by feature
| Feature | Maestri | SpeakCode |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS 15.4+ (Apple Silicon); Windows and Linux pages listed | macOS 26+ only |
| Price | Free tier; Pro $18 one-time | $20/month or $200/year; no free trial |
| License / source | Closed source; no license published | Closed source |
| Terminal engine | Native Swift/SwiftUI; PTY piping | Native SwiftTerm, VT100/xterm |
| Layout model | Infinite canvas and whiteboard | One infinite canvas per project |
| Agent status | Ombro activity summaries on macOS 26+ | idle / working / waiting / exited |
| Agent inbox | not listed on their site | Cross-node queue of waiting agents |
| Agent hand-offs | PTY piping between terminals | Belts fire when a source turn finishes |
| Git worktree management | Floors: APFS copies; git not listed on their site | No; create worktrees yourself |
| Live collaboration | not listed on their site | Real terminals; roles and typing grants |
| Notes / browser / editor | Sticky notes; Device Portals; open external editors | Note, browser, and editor cards |
Maestri facts verified 2026-09-13 from their public site. Spotted an error? Email info@speakcode.ai.
What Maestri offers
Maestri is a native Swift and SwiftUI app that places agent terminals on an infinite canvas. Its custom canvas engine uses Metal, and its listed Mac requirement is macOS 15.4 or later on Apple Silicon. Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, and plain shells are named options. Maestri also links Windows, Linux, and Maestri Remote pages; specific requirements for those offerings are not listed on their site.
The free tier includes 1 workspace, unlimited agents, and all core features. Pro costs $18 once, adds unlimited workspaces, and covers up to 2 Macs, with 7 days free before payment. Maestri is also on Setapp. For someone who wants a solo agent canvas at little or no software cost, those terms are a substantial reason to choose it.
What SpeakCode offers
SpeakCode is a closed-source native macOS app that requires macOS 26 or later. It costs $20/month or $200/year, with every feature in one plan and no free trial. You bring your own Claude Code or Codex accounts. The app hosts the real CLIs in SwiftTerm terminals that support VT100/xterm behavior.
Each Workspace has one project folder and one infinite 2D canvas, with tabs across the top. Terminal, agent, task, note, browser, and editor cards can sit together. That single-canvas-per-project model is a real constraint if you want several independent canvases for the same project. SpeakCode also has no built-in git worktree management: you create worktrees yourself and point terminals at their directories.
Where the canvases overlap
Both apps let you arrange Claude Code and Codex sessions spatially, pan around the work, and keep written context nearby. Maestri has markdown and sticky notes that agents can write into. SpeakCode has note and doc cards beside terminal sessions. For example, put an implementation session next to a review session, with a note describing the acceptance criteria between them.
Maestri includes shapes, arrows, freehand drawing, and Partituras workspace templates. SpeakCode offers task cards with a dependency graph and Blueprints that fan out a saved set of headless agents. The parallel agents overview describes how SpeakCode combines the canvas with status and waiting-agent controls.
Where the workflow differs
Whiteboard tools and terminal views
Maestri's Device Portals embed websites, an iOS Simulator, or an Android emulator. It also offers one-click opening in VS Code, Zed, and Xcode. Those are concrete reasons to favor Maestri if sketching and device previews belong beside your agents. SpeakCode has no simulator or emulator embedding; it offers browser and editor cards only.
SpeakCode uses level-of-detail rendering: below a zoom threshold, live terminals become placeholder cards. Zooming out gives you an overview, while reading terminal output requires returning to a closer view. Card spacing has Small, Medium, and Large settings. Decide whether this overview fits how you inspect several sessions during a long task.
Piping, belts, and attention
Maestri connects terminals through PTY piping so agents can prompt each other. Its Ombro companion uses Apple Foundation Models on macOS 26+ to summarize agent activity. A four-state agent indicator or cross-agent waiting inbox for Maestri is not listed on their site.
SpeakCode shows idle, working, waiting, and exited phases, plus an Activity feed per node. Detection works without configuration, with opt-in Claude Code Stop/Notification hooks or Codex notify for exact signals. Its Agent inbox gathers agents waiting on you. Belts fire when the source finishes a turn, with Press Enter, Run command, and Deliver output modes. Deliver output captures the last 40 non-blank screen lines; delivery is dropped if the target is not running and does not wait for a busy target. The belts guide explains those delivery limits.
Isolation and shared work
Maestri's Floors are APFS copy-on-write copies of a workspace; git worktree management is not listed on their site. SpeakCode explicitly does not manage worktrees. If branch-per-task work is required, account for how you will create and maintain those directories before picking either app.
Multiplayer collaboration is not listed on Maestri's site. SpeakCode shares real terminals and workspace state, with a waiting room, editor/viewer/blocked roles, and separate typing grants per terminal. LAN sharing works out of the box. Internet sessions require a self-hosted LiveKit server and token service configured in Settings → Collaboration. This is useful for a shared review, but it adds setup beyond buying the app.
Who should pick which
Pick Maestri if the free 1-workspace tier covers your work, if $18 one-time Pro is preferable to recurring billing, or if whiteboard drawing and Device Portals are central to your day. An Apple Silicon Mac on macOS 15.4 also meets its listed minimum while falling below SpeakCode's macOS 26 requirement.
Pick SpeakCode if your recurring problem is finding waiting agents, delivering output after a turn, or letting a teammate use a particular terminal with an explicit role and grant. Those features must earn the $20/month or $200/year cost. For a solo developer who mainly wants to place terminals on a canvas, Maestri's free tier is a strong fit; a SpeakCode subscription should follow a specific need for its additional workflow controls.
Questions
Is Maestri cheaper than SpeakCode?
Maestri lists a free tier and $18 one-time Pro, while SpeakCode costs $20/month or $200/year with no free trial. Maestri Pro lists 7 days free before payment.
Do Floors mean Maestri manages git worktrees?
Maestri's Floors are APFS copy-on-write workspace copies; git worktree management is not listed on their site. SpeakCode does not manage git worktrees either.
Can I share a SpeakCode canvas with a teammate?
Yes, with real terminals, workspace roles, and per-terminal typing grants. LAN sharing works out of the box; internet sharing requires your own LiveKit server and token service.
Sources
Run Multiple Claude Code Sessions | SpeakCode · All comparisons