Highwind vs Orca
Dev server workspace vs free open-source agent app on worktrees
Quick summary
Orca is a free, MIT-licensed app for running coding agents in parallel, each on a git worktree. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, and has a browser pane per worktree, an iOS Simulator and Android pane, a diff viewer, a code editor and phone companion apps. It covers more than most apps in this group, for free.
Highwind is a native Swift app built around the servers a project runs. It restarts crashed servers, starts required services first, and starts servers again at launch, including after a reboot. Orca’s documentation describes setup scripts and startup tabs rather than server supervision.
Choose Orca if you want parallel agents on worktrees, need Windows or Linux, or don’t want to pay. Choose Highwind if your work depends on dev servers staying up and you want a native Mac app.
Who should choose Highwind, and who should choose Orca?
Choose Highwind if
- You want dev servers restarted on crash and started in the order they need.
- You want servers running again after a reboot, without starting them yourself.
- You want a native Mac app rather than Electron.
- You want an MCP server that any MCP client can use to control services, logs, tasks, the browser and devices.
Choose Orca if
- You want a free, open-source app.
- You want each agent on its own git worktree, with a diff viewer, inline comments, commits and PRs in the app.
- You want a code editor in the app.
- You want agents to keep running while the app is closed.
- You need Windows or Linux, or want phone companion apps.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Highwind | Orca |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac app for dev servers, CLI agents, browsers and phone simulators, grouped by project | A free, open-source app for parallel coding agents on git worktrees |
| Runs your dev servers | Each service has a command, a folder and a port | Setup script and startup tabs; no run-script feature documented |
| Restarts a server when it crashes | Per service, up to 3 attempts, 2 seconds apart | Not documented for dev servers |
| Starts the services a server needs first | Starts each required service and waits until its port accepts connections | Only “wait for setup” before an agent starts |
| CLI agents from several vendors | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, OpenCode, Copilot and pi, plus any CLI added with a JSON file | 41 listed, plus any CLI |
| Agent conversations resume after a restart | Each agent pane resumes its own session at launch | Restart relaunches an agent; resuming the conversation varies by agent |
| Servers run again after you quit or reboot | Services that were running start again at the next launch, agents resume and browser tabs reopen. Launch at login is optional | Daemon keeps agents running across a quit; a reboot ends them |
| Built-in browser with DevTools | WebKit pane with the Chrome DevTools frontend beside the page | Chromium pane per worktree with DevTools |
| Agents can use the built-in browser | 21 browser tools over MCP, with an approval policy per action | Agents click, fill and take snapshots through the orca CLI |
| Phone simulator or emulator in a pane | iOS simulator, Android emulator or Android phone in a pane. No physical iPhones. Needs Xcode tools or the Android SDK installed | iOS Simulator, Android emulator or Android phone in a pane |
| Agents can use the simulator or emulator | 13 device tools over MCP: tap, swipe, type, screenshot, UI tree, logs and crash reports | orca emulator commands: tap, type, gesture, rotate, accessibility tree |
| MCP server that controls the app | More than 70 tools for services, logs, views, tasks, the browser and devices. Off until you turn it on | orca CLI and skills control the app; an MCP server is not documented |
| Shell commands as buttons | Per project, run in their own pane | Saved terminal commands in the tab bar |
| Split panes | Views with split panes, layout presets and floating windows | Split panes |
| Task board | Kanban board per workspace that agents can read and update | Drawers for Linear, Jira and GitHub items; no board documented |
| Git worktrees and diff review | No worktree management or diff view | Worktree per task, diff viewer, inline comments, commit and PR |
| Code editor | Plain text editor and sidebar, no syntax highlighting | Monaco editor with autosave |
| Configuration as plain files | Plain files in a .highwind folder | orca.yaml and .worktreeinclude in the repo |
| Built with | Native Swift | Electron (TypeScript), open source (MIT) |
| No account needed | No account | None for local use; Relay and sharing need sign-in |
| Platforms | macOS 14 and later | macOS, Windows, Linux; iOS and Android companion apps |
| Price | Free during the public beta | Free |
“Not documented” means we found no mention of it in Orca’s documentation.
What happens to running processes in Orca and Highwind?
Orca’s terminals run in a daemon, so agents keep running when you close the app, and layout and scrollback return when it opens. Its documentation says the daemon dies when the host does, so after a reboot you re-run the agent in each tab. It offers Quit Completely to end everything.
Highwind’s processes stop when you quit. At the next launch, including after a reboot, it starts the services that were running and resumes each agent’s conversation. If you turn on launch at login, this happens without you opening the app. Orca keeps processes alive through a quit, which Highwind doesn’t. Highwind brings servers back after a reboot, which Orca’s documentation doesn’t describe.
Phone simulators in Orca and Highwind
Both apps show an iOS simulator, an Android emulator or a physical Android phone in a pane, and both let agents tap and type in it. Orca’s agents use its orca CLI. Highwind’s use 13 MCP tools, which also cover logs and crash reports. Orca’s Android support is documented in its repository rather than on its website.
Where Orca is ahead
Orca is free and open source, runs on three operating systems, gives each task a git worktree with a diff viewer and pull requests, has a code editor, connects to Linear, Jira and GitHub, and has phone companion apps. Highwind has none of these, runs only on macOS and will charge after the beta.
Frequently asked questions
Is Highwind an Orca alternative?
For Mac users whose work centres on dev servers, yes. If you mainly want parallel agents on worktrees at no cost, Orca does that and Highwind doesn’t.
Does Orca need an account?
Not for local use. Orca’s telemetry documentation says it has no account system, and its mobile documentation describes sign-in for its Relay. Highwind needs no account.
Try Highwind
A native Mac app for your dev servers, CLI agents and browser panes. Requires macOS 14 or later.
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Last reviewed November 2, 2026. Product features and prices change; tell us on the contact page if something here is out of date.