Fazm vs Claude Cowork
A free, open-source AI agent for your real desktop vs a paid sandboxed VM. Both use Claude - but the approach to controlling your computer could not be more different.
Real desktop vs sandboxed VM
Claude Cowork runs inside a Linux VM on your Mac. It can install packages and run scripts inside that sandbox, but it cannot touch your real desktop. Fazm controls your actual macOS environment - your real apps, your real browser, your real files.
Claude Cowork
Sandboxed, limited, paid
- Runs in a Linux VM - not your real macOS
- Cannot open or control native apps like Figma, Slack, or VS Code
- No access to your real browser sessions or cookies
- Only sees folders you explicitly mount
- Cannot move your mouse or type on your keyboard
- Text-only - no voice commands
- Requires $20+/month Anthropic subscription
- Proprietary and closed source
Safe, but isolated.
Cowork keeps you in a sandbox. Great for safety, but it cannot actually control your computer or automate your real workflow.
Fazm
Native, full-access, free
- Runs directly on your real macOS desktop
- Controls any native app - Figma, Slack, VS Code, Finder
- Uses your real browser with existing logins and cookies
- Full file system access with knowledge graph indexing
- Controls your real mouse and keyboard
- Voice-first with push-to-talk
- Completely free - no subscription needed
- Fully open source on GitHub
Your real desktop. Full control.
Fazm operates on your actual Mac - real apps, real files, real browser. Voice-activated, open source, and free.
Feature-by-feature comparison
How Fazm and Claude Cowork stack up across every dimension.
Your real desktop, not a sandbox
Cowork spins up a sandboxed Linux VM on your Mac - safe, but isolated from your actual workflow. Fazm runs natively on your real macOS desktop, controlling the apps and files you actually use every day.
- Controls your real macOS desktop
- Works with any installed app
- Uses your actual browser sessions
- Interacts with system features
- Runs inside a sandboxed Linux VM
- Cannot control native macOS apps
- No access to your real browser
- Isolated from your desktop
Talk to your computer. Fazm listens.
Fazm is built around voice - push-to-talk with one keyboard shortcut. Cowork requires you to type every instruction into the Claude desktop app. No hands-free option.
- Push-to-talk voice input
- Natural language commands
- One keyboard shortcut to activate
- Instant transcription
- Text-only interface
- No voice input
- Type every instruction
- No hands-free option
All your files. No mounting required.
Fazm sees your entire file system and builds a persistent knowledge graph. Cowork can only touch folders you explicitly mount into the VM - everything else is invisible to it.
- Full file system access
- Persistent knowledge graph
- Indexes files for context
- No setup required
- Only mounted folders visible
- Must pre-select directories
- No file indexing
- Manual folder configuration
Open source and free. Inspect everything.
Fazm is completely open source - inspect the code, verify privacy claims, contribute improvements. Cowork is a proprietary product behind a paid subscription with no way to audit what happens inside.
- Fully open source on GitHub
- Free to use - no subscription
- Community-driven development
- Transparent and auditable
- Proprietary and closed source
- Requires $20+/month subscription
- Anthropic-controlled development
- No code inspection possible
About each product
Claude Cowork
by Anthropic
Launched January 2026 as part of Anthropic's Claude desktop app. Cowork spins up a sandboxed Linux VM on your Mac where Claude can autonomously complete multi-step tasks - organizing files, analyzing datasets, writing code, and coordinating workflows. You mount specific folders into the VM, and Claude works within that isolated environment. Requires a Pro ($20/mo), Max ($100-$200/mo), Team, or Enterprise subscription. Supports MCP connectors for Google Workspace and DocuSign.
Fazm
Open source
An AI computer agent for macOS that goes beyond sandboxes. Controls your mouse, keyboard, browser DOM, and native apps - all triggered by voice. Indexes local files, builds a knowledge graph, and integrates with Google Workspace. Screen analysis runs locally for privacy. The entire project is open source. No subscription required - completely free.
When to use which
Choose Fazm if you...
- Need your AI to control real desktop apps, not just a sandbox
- Want voice-first control over your computer
- Need full file system access without mounting folders
- Want to automate workflows in your actual browser with real logins
- Prefer free, open-source software you can inspect and modify
- Want screen analysis that runs locally for privacy
Choose Cowork if you...
- Want a safe sandbox where AI mistakes cannot affect your real system
- Work mainly with documents and data analysis, not desktop automation
- Already pay for Claude Pro or Max and want agentic capabilities
- Need multi-step file processing in an isolated environment
- Prefer text-based interaction over voice commands
Ready for an AI that controls your real desktop?
Download Fazm for macOS and see what a native AI agent can do. Free, open source, and voice-first.