Verified project record

different-ai/openwork

OpenWork is an open-source desktop application in which AI agents work on your own local files, with any model and team-shared skills/MCP servers. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux and supports 50+ providers, user-supplied API keys, or local models via Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible server.

Project overview

It offers an open-source alternative to closed, subscription-based agent workspaces such as Claude Cowork: agents operate on files the user owns, model choice is not constrained, and no OpenWork account is required for local use.

Project type: MCP · AI Agent
Use cases: Coding & Development · Automation
Deployment: Refer to project documentation
License: License pending

Best for

Developers and teams who want AI agents to work on their own files and to choose their own model, including local models via Ollama, rather than a closed subscription workspace.

Key capabilities

Electron desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux where AI agents operate on the user's local files.
Works with 50+ providers using user-supplied API keys, or local models via Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible server.
Teams can share skills and MCP servers, reusable across agents via the OpenWork MCP.

Limitations and risks

The hosted OpenWork MCP service (api.openworklabs.com/mcp/agent) and OpenWork Den cloud are optional external services; adopting them means data or agent traffic leaves the purely local setup.
When connecting 50+ providers with user-supplied API keys, inference depends on those external services; local inference requires using Ollama or an OpenAI-compatible local server. Paid model services are an optional cost dependency.
Paid services are an optional cost dependency rather than a fully free arrangement in all scenarios: production use beyond the free terms requires a paid path, so teams should verify the cost terms that apply to their usage before adopting.
GPU requirements, minimum hardware, coding requirements, and telemetry practices are not documented in the available sources.

Getting started

Download OpenWork from openworklabs.com/download or GitHub releases, install the desktop app on macOS, Windows, or Linux, and connect a model via API key, ChatGPT sign-in, or Ollama. Setup difficulty is documented as easy.

Evidence and sources

GitHub project description: The open-source alternative to Claude Cowork (powered by opencode)
README: OpenWork is the free, open-source alternative to Claude Cowork and Codex: a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux where AI agents do real work on your own files. It is built o…
README: - **Free and open source.** The desktop app is MIT-licensed; no OpenWork account is required to use it locally. - **Any model.** Bring your own API key, sign in with ChatGPT, or r…
README: The OpenWork MCP brings your assigned skills, plugins, MCP connections, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365 capabilities into any compatible agent.
README: Production use requires an OpenWork subscription, except that it is free for organizations with up to 5 users, free to evaluate for 30 days at any size, and always free for develo…

Source updated at: 2026-10-27T18:08:14Z

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