ServerCC vs Paseo
Paseo is an open-source (Apache-2.0) agent runner. A daemon on your machine owns the agent processes, git worktrees and dev servers; iOS, Android, web and desktop clients drive the daemon over a websocket. Phones reach it through Paseo's hosted end-to-end encrypted relay or a tunnel you set up. It supports Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Pi, OMP and many more agents through ACP, adds GitHub workflow automation, scheduling and local voice, and is free.
ServerCC does not add a runtime to the machine. The phone opens an SSH connection to the server and runs the agent in a terminal there, inside tmux or herdr. Nothing to install, nothing to keep updated on the host, no relay in the path. This page lists what that changes.
Side by side
| ServerCC | Paseo | |
|---|---|---|
| On the machine | Only sshd and the agents; tmux or herdr optional | Paseo daemon (headless or the desktop app) |
| Path from the phone | SSH direct; Tailscale built into the app for tailnet hosts | Hosted encrypted relay, or your own tunnel (Tailscale, Cloudflare Tunnel, open port) |
| Agents | Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, OpenCode, Kimi Code, Pi, OMP with native session history; any CLI in the terminal | Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Pi, OMP; 30+ more via ACP |
| Interface | Full terminal with a native text field for composing and editing prompts; full-height editor for long ones | Agent panes driven through the daemon; no shell on the phone |
| Parallel sessions | Any number per workspace or worktree; Running tab; Background Run (Pro) switches without stopping any | Multiple agents managed by the daemon |
| Survives app close | tmux/herdr on the server; reattach from any device | Daemon keeps agents running |
| Take over sessions started at the desk | Attach to any existing tmux or herdr session on the host | Sessions started through the daemon |
| Git worktrees | Create and switch worktrees; one agent session per worktree | Managed per task, with per-worktree dev-server URLs |
| GitHub workflow | git diff view; commits and pushes through the agent or the shell | Issues fan out to agents; commit, PR, checks, merge in the app |
| Preview the result | Ports: any host port through the SSH tunnel; VNC remote desktop | Per-worktree dev-server URLs |
| Files | SFTP browser with markdown and image preview, upload and download | Through the agent |
| Skills and MCP | Browse, install and toggle Claude Code skills and MCP servers | Through the agent's own config |
| App in the background on iOS | Location mode keeps the SSH connection alive | Not needed; the daemon holds the session |
| Voice | iOS dictation in the native text field | On-device by default, cloud providers optional |
| Terminal themes | Eight built-in themes | — |
| Sync and backup | iCloud backup of servers and workspaces; optional credential sync via iCloud Keychain | Workspaces live on the daemon, visible from every client |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android | iOS, Android, web; macOS, Linux, Windows desktop |
| Price and source | Free tier; Pro as a one-time purchase or subscription; closed source | Free; Apache-2.0 |
Choose ServerCC if…
- You want to reach a server with what is already on it: sshd, the agents, and tmux
- You do not want a daemon to install, update, or expose, and no relay in the path
- You want a real shell next to the agent, and to take over tmux or herdr sessions you started at the desk
- You use Grok Build or Kimi Code, or want VNC to the machine's desktop from the same app
Stay with Paseo if…
- You want the tool to manage worktrees, dev servers and the GitHub flow (issues in, PRs out) for you
- You need agents beyond the seven ServerCC integrates, through ACP
- You want a desktop app on Linux or Windows, scheduled runs, or Slack and Discord triggers
Setup takes about five minutes: Quick Start. Worktrees shows the per-worktree session flow, and Ports the SSH-tunnel preview. No server yet? The app can claim a free sandbox with the agents preinstalled.