Written by the team building Shepherd. Competitor capabilities are based on the official sources linked below, checked September 8, 2026; this is a documentation comparison, not a hands-on benchmark.
If an available mobile client is your deciding requirement, Paseo is the option to evaluate today. Shepherd’s public website lists iOS as coming soon. Shepherd remains a candidate for a Mac workspace centered on persistent terminals and agent reviews.
For desktop work, compare how the two products organize a task and connect you to the machine that executes it. Both belong in a discussion about managing coding work; describing Paseo as only a phone chat interface would miss its workspace model.
Projects, workspaces, and sessions
Paseo’s workspace documentation describes projects containing workspaces, with multiple sessions inside a workspace. Sessions can include agents and other development surfaces. Local and worktree isolation modes distinguish a shared checkout from a separate task directory.
Shepherd presents work through tabs and panes with agent status and continuity. Its review workflow connects the running task to files and changes. When trying the two products, pay attention to whether the project, branch, and active agent remain clear as you switch between tasks.
| Question | Shepherd | Paseo |
|---|---|---|
| Current public entry point | Apple silicon Mac download | Desktop app and server/CLI setup |
| Mobile availability | iOS listed as coming soon | Mobile clients available |
| Workspace emphasis | Persistent terminals with agent and review context | Task workspaces containing multiple sessions |
| What to evaluate | Moving from live output to status and review | Moving between task workspaces and clients |
Paseo’s installation and client options are described in its getting-started guide. Shepherd’s availability is shown in the download section.
Put the execution host in the plan
Choose whether the task runs on your Mac, another computer, or an always-on server. This choice affects availability more than the client interface does. If work must continue while your laptop sleeps, place the workload on a host that remains awake and connected.
Paseo’s connectivity documentation distinguishes desktop/CLI SSH transport from mobile relay or direct connectivity. Its SSH connection expects an existing daemon on the remote host. Shepherd’s desktop remote-development flow brings remote terminals, files, and forwarded services into the workspace.
During a trial, write down the installation and connection steps on both ends. Include any network route you need outside your home or office. Do not infer that because both products mention remote access, they use interchangeable setup or transports.
Compare a review handoff
Start with one modest change and a known expected result. Ask an agent to implement it, keep a test command visible, then inspect the diff before accepting the work. Record how you move from a completion indication to the relevant files and test output.
For Paseo, repeat the parts of the task you need from your phone. Check whether you can read enough context to make a decision and return to the same task at your desk. For Shepherd, evaluate the available Mac workflow; an upcoming mobile release cannot substitute for that test.
Switch projects without assuming session import
Start a new task in a separate checkout or at a clear stopping point. Existing provider history, running processes, and workspace identity are different kinds of state. Reusing the same repository does not establish that all three transfer between products.
Choose Paseo when its available clients and task model meet your immediate requirements. Evaluate Shepherd when the main goal is the Mac terminal-to-review experience. If you are still deciding what kind of mobile workflow you need, start with Paseo alternatives.
Your next workspace
Put it to work.
Try Shepherd on an Apple silicon Mac. The iOS app is currently listed as coming soon.
Get Shepherd for Mac