Grass vs Claude Code Remote Control: Which Should You Use?
Claude Code Remote Control is Anthropic's built-in answer to mobile agent access. Grass is the independent alternative. Here's how to choose between them.
Claude Code Remote Control, launched by Anthropic in February 2026, lets you continue a local Claude Code session from your phone using the Claude iOS app or any browser — no extra software required. Grass does the same thing, plus supports OpenCode, handles multiple concurrent sessions, and is free regardless of your Claude subscription tier. If you are on a paid Claude plan and only run Claude Code sessions one at a time, Remote Control is the zero-friction built-in option. If you run OpenCode alongside Claude Code, need resilience for long overnight sessions, or manage multiple concurrent agents, Grass is the stronger fit.
TL;DR
- Claude Code Remote Control is built into Claude Code — run
/rcorclaude remote-controlto generate a QR code, connect from the Claude app or any browser - Remote Control is available on Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans; API keys are not supported
- Grass is free for local use and supports both Claude Code and OpenCode
- Remote Control sessions time out after ~10 minutes of network interruption; Grass reconnects automatically with full output replay
- Grass supports multiple concurrent sessions across multiple machines; Remote Control supports one remote connection per session
What is Claude Code Remote Control?
Claude Code Remote Control is a first-party Anthropic feature that bridges a local Claude Code terminal session with the Claude Code web and mobile interface. You run claude remote-control or /rc inside a Claude Code session, which registers your local session with the Anthropic API and generates a QR code. Scan it with the Claude iOS or Android app, or open the session URL in any browser, and you have a live window into your local session from any device.
The session runs entirely on your machine — files and local tools never leave your environment. Only messages and tool results flow through Anthropic's API over TLS. The terminal must stay open and the machine must stay powered on for the session to remain active.
What is Grass?
Grass is a native iOS app (with an Android PWA) that connects to coding agents running on your machine or a Daytona workspace. You run grass start in your project directory, scan the QR code with the Grass app, and get live output streaming, per-action approval modals, a diff viewer, and bidirectional chat. Grass supports Claude Code and OpenCode. It connects over your local network or Tailscale — no Anthropic API relay involved. Grass is free for local use.
Head-to-head: Claude Code Remote Control vs Grass
| Dimension | Claude Code Remote Control | Grass |
|---|---|---|
| Built by | Anthropic (first-party) | Grass |
| Supported agents | Claude Code only | Claude Code, OpenCode |
| Pricing | Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise plans; API keys not supported | Free for local use |
| Network timeout | ~10 minutes causes session end | No timeout — SSE replay on reconnect |
| Concurrent connections | One remote connection per session | Multiple phones, multiple servers |
| Terminal requirement | Terminal must stay open | grass start must be running |
| Data routing | Anthropic API relay (TLS) | Local network or Tailscale |
| Setup | Built into Claude Code — run /rc |
Install npm install -g @grass-ai/ide |
| Multi-session dashboard | No | Yes — global permission queue across servers |
The most meaningful difference for most workflows is session resilience. Remote Control sessions time out after approximately 10 minutes of network interruption. For overnight runs or commute monitoring where network drops are likely, a 10-minute timeout is a real limitation — the session ends and you have to restart it. Grass reconnects automatically using SSE sequence numbers and Last-Event-ID replay. A network drop causes no data loss and no session termination.
According to Anthropic's research on agent autonomy, Claude Code sessions at the 99.9th percentile now exceed 45 minutes per turn. A 10-minute timeout window is a meaningful constraint for sessions of that length.
The second difference is agent support. Remote Control is Claude Code only. Grass supports both Claude Code and OpenCode from the same app.
When to use Claude Code Remote Control
Remote Control is the right choice when you are on a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise) and want zero-friction mobile access to a single Claude Code session. There is nothing to install, no server to configure, no network setup — run /rc and scan the QR code. It uses the same Claude app you may already have on your phone.
If your workflow is a single Claude Code session at a time, your network is stable, and you are on a paid plan, Remote Control removes all friction. Remote Control is also tightly integrated with the Claude ecosystem — it works with your full local MCP server configuration, CLAUDE.md, custom skills, and project setup. For developers who have invested in that local configuration, Remote Control surfaces it on mobile without any translation layer.
Note: on Team and Enterprise plans, an admin must first enable the Remote Control toggle in Claude Code admin settings before it is available.
When to use Grass
Grass is the right choice in three specific situations:
You run overnight sessions. The ~10-minute network timeout in Remote Control is a genuine limitation for long-running tasks. Claude Code sessions can run 45+ minutes per turn. If your phone loses signal during a commute or overnight, Remote Control ends the session. Grass reconnects automatically and replays missed output — the session keeps running and nothing is lost.
You run OpenCode alongside Claude Code. Remote Control is Claude Code only. Grass supports both Claude Code and OpenCode from the same app. If your workflow spans both agents, Grass is the only mobile interface that covers both.
You run multiple concurrent sessions. Remote Control supports one remote connection per session. Grass's global permission queue and multi-server dashboard surface agent approval gates from any number of running sessions simultaneously. For mobile coding agent orchestration across multiple repos or machines, Grass handles it; Remote Control does not.
The bottom line
Claude Code Remote Control and Grass solve the same problem from different positions. Remote Control is Anthropic's first-party, zero-install answer — ideal for any paid plan user who wants mobile access to a single Claude Code session with no setup overhead. Grass is the independent alternative that covers more agents, more session patterns, and network resilience for long-running tasks.
The practical decision: if you run one Claude Code session at a time and have a stable network, try Remote Control first — it's already available on your Pro or Max plan. If you need OpenCode support, run overnight sessions where network stability matters, or manage multiple concurrent agents, Grass is built for that.
Frequently asked questions
Does Claude Code Remote Control work on Android?
Yes. Remote Control works with the Claude Android app as well as the Claude iOS app. You can also connect from any web browser on any device by opening the session URL generated when you run /rc — no app required.
Does Claude Code Remote Control work with an API key?
No. Remote Control requires claude.ai OAuth authentication — it does not work with API keys, ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variables, or long-lived tokens. Run claude and use /login to authenticate with your claude.ai account before using Remote Control.
What plans include Claude Code Remote Control?
Remote Control is available on Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans. It is not available with API key authentication only. On Team and Enterprise, an admin must first enable the Remote Control toggle in Claude Code admin settings. It is not available on the free tier.
What happens if my network drops during a Remote Control session?
The session tolerates brief interruptions but times out after approximately 10 minutes of sustained network loss. If your machine cannot reach the Anthropic API for that long, the session ends and you have to restart it. Grass handles this differently — it reconnects automatically using SSE sequence numbers and replays any output you missed, with no timeout.
Can multiple people connect to the same Remote Control session?
No. Remote Control supports one remote connection per session at a time. If you connect from a second device, it does not join the existing connection — only one remote window can be active simultaneously.
Does Remote Control work if I close the terminal or put my laptop to sleep?
No. Remote Control runs as a local process — closing the terminal or sleeping the machine ends the session. The machine must stay on and the terminal must remain open for the duration of the session. For overnight runs where you want the machine to sleep, Grass connected to a transient dev server like Daytona is a better fit since the agent runs on remote infrastructure independently of your local machine.
Is there a difference between Claude Code Remote Control and Claude Code on the web?
Yes — they are different products. Claude Code on the web runs sessions on Anthropic-managed cloud infrastructure; your local filesystem and MCP servers are not accessible. Remote Control runs the session on your local machine and uses the web or mobile interface as a window into it — your full local environment, MCP configuration, and project files remain available.