Switch from OpenWork to Task Machine
OpenWork keeps work in chats, reusable skills and scheduled Automations. Task Machine gives people and agents owned Tasks with reviewed plans and one Inbox for decisions.
Prefer the side-by-side comparison?Why people switch
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Desktop schedules need availability
Desktop Automations need the app open and signed in or a scheduled run can be missed. Cloud Automations can run with your computer off, but moving an existing Automation means creating a new one.
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Recall has context limits
Cross-chat recall searches sessions loaded in the current app and workspace context. Transcript reads return recent messages, so an older part of a long conversation may not be returned.
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Central permissions are rolling out
Organization Agent permissions are an Enterprise feature that is rolling out and requires the OpenCode v2 engine. While Den is unreachable, desktop apps keep their latest cached rules rather than receiving new changes.
What maps to what
Every answer links to its source and shows when we last checked it. The oldest check on this page was November 15, 2026.
| Area | In OpenWork | In Task Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Work records |
In OpenWork
Pin, rename and group chats in the sidebar. Archive finished chats and restore them when you need to continue. |
In Task Machine
Every job is a Task that a person or an agent owns. Its plan, discussion, decisions, runs and history stay together, so people and agents can hand work to each other on the same record. |
| Recurring work |
In OpenWork
Automations run once, daily, weekly, every few hours or around accepted Google Calendar meetings. Each run is a chat with a run receipt and result. |
In Task Machine
Start a Task or Workflow once or on a schedule in your timezone. A recurring job keeps one stable root Task, with each occurrence's own status and history. |
| Reusable instructions |
In OpenWork
Turn completed chat work into a reusable skill. Keep it as a local workspace file or a private Cloud plugin, then choose whether to share it. |
In Task Machine
Agents keep lessons from your corrections, such as an accepted example or a mistake to avoid. You can read, correct and restore the notes that carry into later work. |
| Workflows |
In OpenWork
Save a successful Code Mode script as a reusable Workflow. Running an exact saved version uses live tools and validates its input and output schemas. |
In Task Machine
A Workflow repeats explicit steps with branches, human questions and approvals. Verifier checks judge a result against its requirements and send failed work back with feedback. |
| Connections |
In OpenWork
Add an app from the connector list or paste its Model Context Protocol address. Choose who can use it and whether each person connects an account or uses a shared one. |
In Task Machine
Install services from the Connectors catalog or add a custom connection through an API, a command-line tool or Model Context Protocol. Assign it to the agents that need it. |
| Local files |
In OpenWork
The desktop app reads and writes in folders you authorize. You can supply an API key, a ChatGPT sign-in or a local model. |
In Task Machine
Run agents in Managed Cloud with nothing to install, or connect a Local Worker for files, tools and accounts on a computer you control. Choose where each agent runs. |
| Pricing |
In OpenWork
Desktop is free with your own model. Team is $10 per user a month, billed monthly. On Team and Enterprise, Cloud Computer adds $50 per member a month and OpenWork models add $10 per user a month, before tax. |
In Task Machine
Usage based, from $29 a month before tax. The whole payment becomes usage that your workspace shares, with no base fee. |
A fact we cannot find or cannot check is left out, and prices can change after the date shown. Task Machine publishes this comparison and is an interested party. OpenWork is named only to identify it, and there is no relationship between the two companies. Has something changed? Tell us.
You may stay with OpenWork if
You may stay with OpenWork if you want a free desktop app for your folders and already have a model account. This is OpenWork by OpenWork Labs, built on OpenCode. Its licensing guide also offers self-hosting and a Free organization plan for up to five users. Keeping a working local setup can be a better fit than moving it into shared Tasks.
What you give up
Task Machine's docs do not describe a signed-out desktop app, local model hosting or an importer for OpenWork's configuration files. A Local Worker connects your computer to a workspace and uses Task Machine's own agent runtime. You rebuild instructions, permissions and workflows, then test them against the files and services the job needs.
There is no trial. Your first payment funds usage, and ordinary unsuccessful attempts still consume it. Read Usage and fees before moving a recurring job.
How the switch works
- Keep your source folders and finished outputs. For an organization, use OpenWork's configuration export under Settings, Config, Export as a reference archive. Secret values are excluded. Copy the instructions you need from skills and retain important chat decisions before removing anything.
- Create your workspace. Use Managed Cloud for connected-service work, or set up a Local Worker for work that needs your computer. Reconnect the required accounts through Connectors, rather than treating the OpenWork export as an import.
- Choose a Playbook or rebuild the selected job in the Workflow builder. Transfer the intended steps and expected outputs, then review the agent's plan and acceptance criteria.
- Set autonomy so unfamiliar actions ask first. Add a Human approval step before sending a report or changing a shared record, and test with copied inputs.
- Match the schedule and timezone. Deactivate the original OpenWork Automation before enabling the replacement's live actions, then check its first result in Run history.
Common questions
Can I import my chats and configuration?
OpenWork documents a JSON organization configuration export, with placeholders instead of secret values. Treat it as a setup reference, not a transcript archive or a Task Machine workflow. Task Machine's docs do not describe an OpenWork importer. Keep original files and put needed reference material in the Library.
How do the costs compare?
OpenWork's desktop app is free with a model you supply, while its organization plans charge by seat with optional add-ons. Task Machine's pricing is usage based, from $29 a month before tax, with no base fee and no trial. Compare the same job's usage rather than equating a seat with a Task. You keep 100% of your revenue, Task Machine takes no cut, and never custodies your accounts.
Can I keep working on my computer?
Yes. A Local Worker gives agents access to local tools, files and accounts. It uses Task Machine's own runtime rather than hosting OpenCode. Check the operating-system account's access before connecting it, and keep the Worker online for local work.
Where do approval requests go?
Decisions that need you arrive in your Inbox with their context. Set each agent's actions to Ask first or Automatic through autonomy, and use a workflow approval step when a person must decide before work continues.