termic.dev

Termic vs Superset

Superset is a serious competitor. It is the bigger product: editor, host server, CLI, MCP, remote workspaces, automations, ports, browser, teams.

Termic is intentionally less of a platform. One local app. Real PTYs. Git worktrees when you need them, main checkout when you do not, and a sandbox for the agent process.

01

Superset is a platform

Desktop app, host server, cloud/org records, relay, automations, MCP and CLI. That is useful when you need those pieces.

02

Termic is a local tool

No account. No app backend. No host daemon. It runs the CLIs you already installed, in the repo you already have.

03

License is not a footnote

Superset is ELv2 source-available. Termic is AGPL-3.0. If forkability matters, that is a real product difference.

feature by feature

What changes in practice

Short version: Superset wins on platform surface. Termic wins on simplicity, license, Linux builds, main checkout work and sandboxing.

Best fit

Termic A small local desktop workbench: real terminals, worktrees, diffs, scripts and sandboxing.
Superset A bigger AI-agent code editor: desktop app, host server, CLI, MCP, remote hosts, automations and team features.

License

Termic Open source, AGPL-3.0.
Superset Source-available under Elastic License 2.0 (ELv2).

Pricing

Termic Free. No account, plan or license key.
Superset Free for one user/local workspaces. Pro adds remote workspaces and team features.

Account / backend

Termic No Termic account. No Termic backend. Local app state on disk.
Superset Has org/account state, cloud project records, relay, API keys and hosted MCP for connected features.

Local daemon

Termic No separate host server to start, expose or keep healthy.
Superset Desktop starts a host server automatically; CLI/headless setups use superset start --daemon.

Platforms

Termic macOS and Linux release builds; Windows builds from source today.
Superset macOS today. Windows and Linux are documented as coming soon.

Agent support

Termic Built-in claude, codex, Grok, Antigravity, Copilot and opencode. Any PTY command can be registered.
Superset Claude Code, Codex, Cursor Agent, Gemini, OpenCode, Amp, Copilot, Pi and other terminal agents.

Runs the real CLI

Termic Yes. Termic spawns the binary in a PTY and stays out of the agent loop.
Superset Yes. Superset launches CLI agents through terminals, presets and host-server actions.

Git worktrees

Termic Yes. One task per worktree, plus setup/run scripts and diff review.
Superset Yes. One branch maps to one isolated workspace/worktree.

Main checkout

Termic Yes. Open the live checkout when a branch would be overkill.
Superset No equivalent documented. Superset's FAQ says one branch equals one workspace.

Multi-repo projects

Termic Yes. Put backend, frontend and infra repos in one task.
Superset Monorepos are documented. Separate repos in one workspace are not the same thing.

Remote workspaces

Termic No. Termic is local desktop software.
Superset Yes. Pro remote workspaces route through Superset Relay and host servers.

Scheduled jobs

Termic Completion-triggered message queues and bounded repeats. Good for supervised follow-ups, not cron.
Superset Recurring automations using schedule rules. Runs create reviewable workspaces.

CLI / MCP

Termic No Termic control CLI or hosted MCP server.
Superset Beta CLI, host server commands, API keys and hosted MCP tools for projects, workspaces, agents and automations.

Ports and browser

Termic Project run/open flow with preview URLs. Simple and local.
Superset Port discovery, port labels, kill/open actions and an in-app browser with DevTools.

Security boundary around agents

Termic Optional per-task macOS Seatbelt sandbox plus network allowlist.
Superset Docs mention inline permission prompts for files outside the workspace. I did not find a documented equivalent to Termic's OS sandbox plus network allowlist.

Last reviewed: 2026-06-09. Superset claims are based on the public sources linked below. If something changed, file an issue.

pick superset

Use Superset when you want the bigger machine

Superset has a lot of machinery Termic does not try to have: remote hosts, recurring automations, hosted MCP, organization state, a beta CLI, port discovery, an in-app browser and team pricing.

If you want agents running on another machine, scheduled on a recurring rule, exposed to other agents through MCP, and visible to teammates, Superset is aiming straight at that job.

pick termic

Use Termic when you want fewer moving parts

Termic does not need an account to open your repo. It does not create an organization record for your project. It does not start a separate host server. It does not send commands through a relay.

It opens a local repo, spawns the terminal agent, watches the work, shows the diff, and can cage the process with macOS Seatbelt and a network allowlist.

Boring by design. That is the pitch.

automations

Automations vs queued turns

Superset has real recurring automations. They dispatch agent sessions on a schedule to a device. That is useful for daily summaries, release notes, audits and dependency sweeps.

Termic's queue is different. It sends the next message only after the current agent turn finishes. Good for supervised follow-ups and Ralph-style loops. Not a cron replacement.

Read the docs: scheduled messages, repeated messages and Ralph-style loops.

questions

Comparison FAQ

Is Termic a Superset alternative?

Yes, for the local worktree-agent part. Superset is a full AI-agent code editor with a host server, remote workspaces, CLI, MCP and team features. Termic is the smaller local desktop shape: PTYs, worktrees, diffs, scripts and a sandbox.

When should I pick Superset?

Pick Superset if you want a larger platform: remote hosts, recurring automations, hosted MCP, a beta CLI, in-app browser, port discovery, team/org features, Linear integration or a code-editor-like surface around agents.

When should I pick Termic?

Pick Termic if you want the thing to stay boring: no account, no backend, no host server, AGPL source, macOS and Linux builds, main checkout, multi-repo projects and a real OS boundary around the agent process.

Is Superset open source?

Superset's docs and site use "open source" language. The GitHub repo license is Elastic License 2.0, which is source-available with restrictions. Termic is AGPL-3.0.

Does Termic have Superset-style automations?

No cron scheduler. Termic has scheduled messages, repeated messages and Ralph-style loops inside a visible agent tab. Superset has recurring automations that dispatch agent sessions to a chosen device.

Does Superset have Termic's sandbox?

Superset documents permission prompts for files outside a workspace and recommends careful remote-host setup. I did not find a documented equivalent to Termic's per-task macOS Seatbelt sandbox and network allowlist.

Can both run Claude Code, Codex and Grok?

Yes. Both are built around real terminal agents. Superset lists a broader set of built-in agents. Termic exposes an editable PTY registry, so any terminal command can be an agent.

Can I use both?

Yes. Use Superset when you want its platform pieces. Use Termic when you want the local, no-account, sandbox-first desktop app.

sources

What I checked

Public Superset docs, pricing page and repo, reviewed on 2026-06-09. No vibes.

Superset homepage Overview Pricing Workspaces AI Agents Remote workspaces Automations CLI MCP License

Install Termic

Free. AGPL-3.0. macOS and Linux releases now.

Direct .dmg download / Linux .AppImage / More comparisons