Claude Cowork vs QuickDesk
Claude Cowork
claude.comQuickDesk
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Claude Cowork | QuickDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · AI Computer Use Agents | 6.5 (#22) | 7.7 (#10) |
Plans
In their own words
Claude Cowork
Claude Cowork has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
QuickDesk
QuickDesk is an open-source remote desktop application with an MCP server for AI agents to see and control remote computers. Its MCP tools include screenshots, mouse and keyboard control, clipboard actions, OCR and UI element detection. The server supports stdio and HTTP/SSE connections; HTTP/SSE can serve multiple AI clients. The README names Cursor, Claude Desktop and VS Code as compatible clients. For remote control, QuickDesk includes keyboard and mouse mapping, cursor synchronization, two-way clipboard sync, adaptive frame rate and bitrate, and performance statistics. Devices connect with a 9-digit Device ID and temporary access code; refresh settings range from every 30 minutes to 24 hours or never. Users can host their own signaling and TURN servers. Its self-hosted admin panel lists TOTP two-factor authentication, audit logs and CIDR-based IP whitelisting. QuickDesk's own code is MIT-licensed and free for commercial use; its bundled remoting component uses BSD 3-Clause. The README lists Windows x64 and macOS ARM64 downloads. Linux and iOS/Android clients are described as roadmap items.