Orkas
Free, open-source desktop app for Mac and Windows where a lead AI agent directs specialist agents to deliver research, docs, slides, video, code and SEO work on a schedule.
From $5.99/mo Free tier API
Bottom line
Orkas is a free, open-source desktop app where one lead agent directs a team of specialist AI agents to produce research, reports, slides, videos and code, and repeat that work on a schedule. It suits a small recruiting agency or solo recruiter who wants recurring research and client reports without a subscription; paid plans start at $5.99 a month for extra credits and sync.
Stands out for: It is a team, not a single chatbot: a Commander hands one goal to specialist agents and returns finished files (a deck, a video, a spreadsheet), and any request can become a scheduled job. The desktop app is MIT open source, keeps files and chat history on your computer by default, and can pull in Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw and Hermes as team members.
Watch out for: Nothing in it is built for recruiting: there is no sourcing, outreach or ATS agent, so you set up those workflows yourself. The company is based in China, and work that runs on Orkas's built-in models goes through its servers; connect your own model key if that matters. It is a desktop app, so jobs run only while your computer is on.
Overview
Orkas is a multi-agent desktop app for macOS and Windows; Linux users can build it from the open-source code on GitHub.
You give a goal in chat and a Commander agent assigns it to specialists such as DeepResearcher, ContentWriter, PptMaker, ImageStudio, VideoStudio, OfficeWorker, ProductDeveloper, UIDesigner and SeoGeoAgent. You can also describe a missing role and Orkas writes that agent's workflow for you.
Requests can be saved as automations that run on a schedule, and a to-do list lets the team keep working between check-ins. Memory stores preferences and facts per project, which you can review and delete.
Files, chats, memory and API keys stay on your computer by default; cloud sync and shared projects are optional. Orkas connects to outside tools as an MCP client and offers an API for using its credits in other products.
Who it's for
Best for
- Solo recruiters and small agencies doing their own marketing
- Recurring research and weekly client reports
- Teams that want to bring their own model key
- Users who want open-source, local-first AI
Not ideal for
- Sourcing, outreach or ATS work out of the box
- Teams that need a US-based vendor
- Jobs that must run while the laptop is off
Key features
Commander plus specialist agents. A lead agent splits a goal across specialists for deep research, writing, slides, images, video, voice, office work, UI design, coding and SEO.
Scheduled automations. Turn any request into a recurring job, such as a Monday report or a Friday client deck; a missed run catches up when the computer wakes.
Bring your own model. Use Orkas's built-in models or connect OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek, Kimi, OpenRouter and others by OAuth or API key.
Local coding agents. Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, OpenClaw and Hermes can join the same team.
Shared projects. Teammates and agents work from the same goals, files and to-do list, with memory of your preferences per project.
Publish web apps. Small tools such as a quote calculator can be published to a public link on paid plans.
AI features
| What the AI does | Plan |
|---|---|
| Commander agent splits a goal across specialist agents and assembles the output | Free |
| Builds a new custom agent from a plain-language role description | Free |
| Saves preferences and facts per project and applies them to later tasks | Free |
| Generates videos, images, slide decks and web pages from a chat request | Credits |
Only features named in the vendor's own documentation. Anything sold separately is marked as an add-on.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 500 lifetime credits, 5 shared projects |
| Lite | $5.99/mo | 1,000 credits a month, 1 GB storage |
| Pro | $16.99/mo | 5,000 credits a month, 5 GB storage |
| Max | $29.99/mo | 10,000 credits a month |
The Orkas desktop app is free and open source, and new users get 500 lifetime credits for its built-in models. Paid plans add monthly credits, cloud sync across devices, more cloud storage and up to 50 shared projects with 50 members each: Lite is $5.99 a month with 1,000 credits, Pro is $16.99 a month with 5,000 credits, and Max is $29.99 a month with 10,000 credits. Each plan's price moves with the monthly credit allowance you pick, and a single month can be bought without auto-renewal for $1 more. Using your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or other model key costs no Orkas credits; that provider bills you directly. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 8 Nov 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is Orkas expensive?
Orkas starts at $5.99/mo. We list 30 AI assistants tools in total. 25 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $20 a month.
- 1 quote-based
- 25 free tier
- 21 public price
Worked out automatically from every AI assistants listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free, open-source desktop app
- Specialist agents return finished files
- Works with your own model keys
Cons
- No recruiting-specific agents
- China-based vendor
- Runs only while your computer is on
Integrations
OpenAI Anthropic Google Gemini DeepSeek OpenRouter Claude Code Codex OpenClaw
What's new at Orkas
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How Orkas compares
See all Orkas alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | ✓ | $5.99/mo | – | ✓ | |
 OpenClaw OpenClaw is also free and open source, but it is a single self-hosted agent you message from WhatsApp, Slack or Telegram rather than a desktop team of specialists. | ✓ | Quote | – | – | Compare |
 Hermes Agent Hermes Agent is another open-source personal agent, and Orkas can run it as a team member; choose it on its own if you want one agent instead of a coordinated team. | ✓ | Quote | – | – | Compare |
| | ✓ | $17/mo | – | ✓ | Compare |
OpenClawQuote Free tier
OpenClaw is also free and open source, but it is a single self-hosted agent you message from WhatsApp, Slack or Telegram rather than a desktop team of specialists.
Hermes AgentQuote Free tier
Hermes Agent is another open-source personal agent, and Orkas can run it as a team member; choose it on its own if you want one agent instead of a coordinated team.
$17/mo Free tier API
Claude is one hosted assistant from a US vendor rather than a multi-agent desktop app, so it suits teams that want the vendor to be outside China.
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