#Paseo vs Codex App

Codex App is OpenAI's desktop app for working with Codex threads in parallel. It runs on macOS and Windows, with local, worktree, and cloud modes.

Paseo is an app for orchestrating coding agents, with native clients on desktop, mobile, web, and the CLI. Open source (AGPL-3.0).

#When to pick what

Pick Codex App if you want OpenAI's first-party app for Codex, with Codex-specific features like cloud threads, appshots, image generation, and computer use on macOS.

Pick Paseo if you want:

• Linux alongside macOS and Windows
• A native iOS and Android app
• Codex, Claude Code, OpenCode, Copilot, Pi, and 30+ more agents in one interface
• A self-hosted daemon you can run on a laptop, VM, or dev server
• A CLI and MCP server for scripting and multi-agent workflows
• Open source you can audit and fork

#Architecture

Paseo runs a daemon on your machine. Desktop, web, mobile, and CLI clients connect to it over a websocket. The daemon launches Codex and other providers as local processes, using your installed CLIs and credentials.

Codex App is a desktop app for Codex. It can run local and worktree threads on your computer, and cloud threads on OpenAI-managed infrastructure.

#Providers

Codex App runs Codex.

Paseo runs Codex too, plus Claude Code, OpenCode, and Pi natively, plus 30+ more agents through the in-app catalog including GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, and Amp. Paseo speaks the Agent Client Protocol, so any ACP agent works. Custom providers run any CLI agent. See Supported providers.

#Desktop platforms

Codex App is available on macOS and Windows. OpenAI lists Linux as not available yet.

Paseo ships on macOS, Linux, and Windows.

#Mobile

Paseo ships native iOS and Android apps with the same agent workflow as the desktop app.

Codex can be controlled remotely through OpenAI's mobile surfaces, including ChatGPT mobile remote connections. Codex App itself is a desktop app.

#Worktrees and local setup

Both tools support Git worktrees for parallel work.

Codex App creates Codex-managed worktrees under $CODEX_HOME/worktrees and supports local environment setup scripts and project actions through .codex configuration.

Paseo creates worktrees under $PASEO_HOME/worktrees, runs setup and teardown hooks from paseo.json, and gives each worktree its own dev server URLs like web.fix-auth.my-app.localhost so parallel services don't fight for ports.

#GitHub and review

Both tools support reviewing diffs, committing, pushing, and opening pull requests from the app.

Paseo also surfaces PR checks and reviews in the app, and exposes the same workflow through the CLI and MCP server.

#CLI and automation

Codex has its own CLI, IDE extension, web app, automations, and SDK.

Paseo's CLI controls the same daemon as the app:

paseo run --provider codex "implement OAuth"
paseo run --provider claude --worktree refactor-auth "refactor auth"
paseo run --host devbox:6767 "run the test suite"
paseo ls
paseo send <agent-id> "add tests"
paseo schedule create --cron "0 9 * * 1" "audit the codebase"

paseo run --host connects to a remote daemon. paseo schedule runs an agent on a cron. paseo loop retries an agent until a verification command passes. The MCP server lets other agents create worktrees, launch agents, open terminals, and send prompts.

#Voice

Codex App supports voice dictation.

Paseo supports dictation and realtime voice mode. Speech-to-text and text-to-speech can run locally on your device.

#Comparison

See also: Paseo vs Claude Desktop, Paseo vs OpenCode Desktop, Supported providers.