Frequently asked questions
The questions people ask before they download. For setup steps, concepts, and troubleshooting, see the docs.
Is Orb free?
Yes. Orb is free to download and use today. If a paid tier ever arrives, everything you use now stays free.
What makes Orb different?
Orb is not another terminal. It is a native menu bar dock that holds your running agent sessions: live, isolated when you want, and one keystroke away on every screen.
Does it replace Claude Code or Codex?
No. Orb runs the CLI you already have and never installs or updates it. Your agent, your login, your settings.
Which agents does it support?
Claude Code and OpenAI Codex, chosen per profile. Each profile has its own command, model, and permissions.
Why snapshots instead of worktrees?
A snapshot freezes a fully set up filesystem as your baseline. New sessions boot from it in seconds as copy-on-write clones, so you skip branch and worktree juggling entirely.
Does my data leave my Mac?
No. Orb has no backend and collects nothing. Pairing with your iPhone is end to end encrypted with no relay in between. Read the security page.
Can I check on sessions from my phone?
Yes. Pair Orb Mobile and your sessions appear on your iPhone: live terminal, prompts, approvals. See the mobile page.
Is Orb accessible?
Orb honors Reduce Motion, Reduce Transparency, Increase Contrast, and Dynamic Type in the app, and the site respects the same preferences.