Orkas

MIT-licensed, local-first desktop AI workspace for Mac and Windows, coordinating agents for research, code, documents and media.

Visit website

AI Automation Devtool

Overview

Orkas is a desktop application that lets solo founders and small teams direct a team of AI specialists to handle research, writing, content creation, and operations work. You describe what you want to accomplish in chat, and the AI team breaks it down, executes the work, and delivers editable results.

The platform is local-first by default—your files, API keys, and outputs stay on your machine. You can use Orkas-managed frontier models (Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, DeepSeek, Kimi) or connect your own provider. It's free to download with 500 bonus credits, and paid plans add cloud sync, multi-device access, and higher monthly credit allowances.

Orkas includes 10+ specialist agents (DeepResearcher, ContentWriter, ImageStudio, VideoStudio, ProductDeveloper, UIDesigner, and others), reusable automations, project collaboration, and an open API for external integrations.

Key features

10+ specialist AI agents (Commander, DeepResearcher, ContentWriter, PptMaker, ImageStudio, VideoStudio, OfficeWorker, ProductDeveloper, UIDesigner, SeoGeoAgent)
Chat-based task direction and workflow orchestration
Local-first architecture with optional cloud sync
Support for frontier models (Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, DeepSeek, Kimi)
Bring-your-own model provider support
Project collaboration with shared workspaces
Scheduled automations and recurring tasks
Reusable skills and custom agents
Open API for external integrations
Credit-based pricing system

Pros

Local-first design keeps data and keys on your machine by default
Free to download with 500 bonus credits; no subscription required to start
Supports multiple frontier AI models and bring-your-own providers
Specialist agents handle complex multi-stage workflows automatically
Open-source codebase (MIT license) available for inspection and self-hosting
Project collaboration with clear member and storage limits
Scheduled automations reduce manual task repetition
Transparent credit pricing tied to actual model usage

Cons

Desktop-only (macOS and Windows); no web or mobile app
Learning curve for new users unfamiliar with agent-based workflows
Credit system requires understanding usage rates across different models and services
Requires API keys or subscription to use frontier models beyond free tier
Project collaboration limited by plan tier (Lite: 1 project, Pro: 3, Max: 5)
Cloud sync is optional and separate from local-first model

Use this if

You need a team of AI agents to handle research, writing, content creation, and operations; you want to keep data and API keys local; you prefer chat-based task direction; you work solo or in a small team; you need scheduled automations or multi-stage workflows.

Skip this if

You need a web-based or mobile app; you prefer a single general-purpose AI assistant over specialized agents; you want unlimited usage without credit tracking; you need real-time collaboration with large teams; you require on-premise deployment without self-hosting.

Best for

Solo founders and small teamsResearch and market analysisContent creation and marketingProduct development workflowsBusiness operations and reportingTeams needing local data control

Alternatives

Claude (Anthropic)ChatGPT (OpenAI)Gemini (Google)Cursor (AI code editor)n8n (workflow automation)Make (no-code automation)

Compare Orkas alternatives

At a glance

Free plan: Yes
Paid plans: Yes
Setup time: 5–10 minutes to download, install, and claim welcome credits; model setup varies
Learning curve: Medium

Get started

Download from orkas.ai for macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel) or Windows; sign in to claim 500 bonus credits.

Free tier includes 500 bonus credits on desktop app login, access to official and custom models, and core features. Lite ($11.99/month, discounted from $17.99) includes 5,000 monthly credits, 1 GB cloud storage, multi-device sync, and 1 shared project. Pro ($19.99/month, discounted from $29.99) adds 10,000 credits, 2 GB storage, and 3 projects. Max ($79.99/month, discounted from $129.99) includes 50,000 credits, 5 GB storage, and 5 projects. Lifetime credit packages available ($8.99–$82.99). Enterprise plans available on request. Monthly credits refresh each cycle and do not roll over; lifetim Source

Curated by Newtools

Added and checked by the editorial team

Sources

More AI

Compare all

You.com Web Search APIs

AI-ready web search APIs delivering real-time results, content extraction, and grounded answers for agents and LLMs.

Amp

Coding agent and development environment that runs autonomous agents in cloud orbs or locally via CLI.

E2B

Isolated cloud machines for AI agents to run code, browse, use tools, and execute tasks at scale.

Browserbase

Cloud infrastructure for AI agents to browse and interact with the web like humans.