If you’re trying to run multiple coding agents in parallel, you’re likely staring down three options: Herdr, T3 Code, or Amp. A new test published on November 2, 2026, put all three through a 'software factory' scenario—opening GitHub issues and letting agents turn them into merged pull requests that deploy to GitHub Pages. All three tools successfully shipped five issues in under eight minutes using Claude Opus 5.5 on free plans, but the experience of managing those agents differed wildly.

The Tools Are Not Interchangeable

The core distinction lies in architecture. Herdr and T3 Code are control surfaces for agents you already have. Herdr is a terminal workspace manager written in Rust, functioning like tmux but with agent-awareness (working, blocked, done). T3 Code, from Theo Browne and Ping.gg, is a desktop, web, and mobile app that manages existing Claude Code or Codex threads via git worktrees. Amp is different: it is a coding agent with its own cloud machines ('orbs') and a manager agent called Puck. In this test, Amp ran in 'Claude Code mode' on a local Mac runner to keep costs at zero.

Performance and Pain Points

T3 Code was the fastest to get every issue to a pull request, but it suffered from significant friction. The dispatcher marked threads as 'completed' while they were still waiting for CI, leading to redundant messages and confusion. Herdr provided the clearest real-time view of agent states through its terminal panes, though it required manual setup of agent integrations. Amp’s free Hobby plan failed to activate Puck, forcing the tester to use a standard Amp thread as a dispatcher. Notably, none of the tools automatically detected new issues without a manual prompt or paid webhook configuration.

The GitHub Suspension

The test hit a hard wall when GitHub suspended the user’s account roughly an hour in. The activity was intense: three new public repos, 21 issues, and 19 agent-merged pull requests from a single personal account. The suspension cut off access to the live Pages sites mid-test. The takeaway for builders is clear: if you are spinning up a factory with multiple agents, use a dedicated GitHub organization or account and ramp up activity slowly to avoid triggering anti-bot defenses.

Key Takeaways

  • Herdr is best for terminal-native developers who want granular, real-time visibility into agent states without leaving the CLI.
  • T3 Code offers the best mobile/web experience for managing existing subscriptions but is currently 'very very early' (v0.1.5) and prone to workflow logic errors.
  • Amp is the only tool capable of autonomous operation via webhooks and scheduled orbs, but those features require a paid plan.
  • Cost: All three tools can drive Claude agents for free if you link an existing subscription, but Amp’s automation features are paywalled.

The Bottom Line

There is no free lunch for autonomous software factories. Herdr and T3 Code are excellent for human-in-the-loop parallelism, but if you want agents to keep working after you close your laptop, you have to pay for Amp’s infrastructure or build your own trigger system.