Grain / Compare / Grain vs LobeHub
Comparison
LobeHub is the better choice when you want an AI workspace that runs its own agents on dozens of model providers, with Pages, schedules, marketplaces and native apps on every platform. Grain is the better fit when Claude Code, Codex or Cursor already does the work and the result needs a lasting URL, real files, Postgres and scheduled jobs. Both publish their source: Grain under AGPL-3.0 with two added terms, and LobeHub under its Community License, which is Apache 2.0 with added conditions.
LobeHub, formerly LobeChat, is an agent platform. You build agents from a sentence, run them on cloud credits or your own provider keys, group them into teams, and keep their writing in Pages. It can also drive Claude Code, Codex and other coding agents on a machine you keep online. Grain does not run agents. Your agent writes files, Grain publishes them at a URL that stays up after the session, and an app can add Postgres, logins and scheduled jobs. Choose LobeHub for an all-in-one assistant workspace. Choose Grain for a home for what your coding agents build.
| Dimension | LobeHub | Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Individuals and teams who want one app for AI agents across many model providers | Developers and small teams whose coding agents build pages, reports and apps that others need to open |
| Job | Build, run and schedule agents, and keep their output in chats and Pages | Keep agent-made artifacts at a URL as files, with data, sharing and comments |
| Control | Self-hostable under the LobeHub Community License; the cloud runs on credits | Open source under AGPL-3.0; you choose the agent |
| Friction | Sign up at app.lobehub.com or install a native app; self-host with Docker | Download the Mac app and run grain init, or connect the hosted MCP server from your AI tool |
| Economics | Free tier; paid cloud plans sell monthly credits for model usage | Free tier; Grain sells no model usage, so you keep your agent plan; Pro is $65 per user per month for more always-on workspaces, team seats and custom domains |
| Dimension | LobeHub | Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free $0; Starter $12.9, Premium $24.9 and Ultimate $49.9 per month, lower when billed yearly; team plans on a waitlist; Enterprise by contact | Free tier; Pro $65 per user per month; Enterprise by contact |
| Free tier | 500,000 credits a month, 15 MB of file storage and unlimited Pages | Unlimited published artifacts, ten sleeping sandboxes and one always-on workspace, no card required |
| Bring your own agent | Runs built-in agents on its credits or your provider keys; connects Claude Code, Codex, Cursor CLI and 12 more through its desktop app or CLI on your own computer | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and any MCP client, including Claude and ChatGPT through the hosted MCP server |
| Persistence after the session | Cloud content and scheduled runs continue while you are away; external coding agents need their device online; sandbox files are temporary | Published artifacts stay published after the agent session and after a user stops paying |
| Sharing | Read-only public links for conversations; team roles on a waitlist; share links for Pages not documented | Public, password-protected or invite-only links, plus comments that an agent can read and act on |
| Database | Knowledge base with vector storage and agent memory; a database for apps you build is not documented | Apps can use Postgres, logins and scheduled jobs |
| Custom domain | Not documented for shared output; a self-hosted instance can use your own domain | CNAME custom domains on Pro |
| Export | Conversations export as image, text, PDF or JSON; an account data export exists; a file export for Pages is not documented | Artifacts are files: grain pull, grain checkpoint and grain restore |
| Platform | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android; self-host with Docker and other hosts | Mac app, CLI, and a hosted MCP server that works from any operating system |
| Source code and hosting | LobeHub Community License: Apache 2.0 plus conditions; distributing a derivative work needs a separate license from LobeHub | AGPL-3.0 on GitHub with two added terms: keep Dcouple attribution in the UI, and do not use the Grain name to promote forks |
grain init in that folder so Claude Code, Codex and Cursor get the MCP config for Grain.grain push, grain checkpoint -m "import from LobeHub" and grain share --public, or --password <pw> for a private link. Agent memory, schedules, Agent Groups, channel connections and credits stay in LobeHub.grain pull, then paste content into a Page or add files to a LobeHub knowledge base. Grain's database, logins, scheduled jobs, share links and custom domains do not carry over.LobeHub's source is on GitHub under the LobeHub Community License, which is Apache 2.0 with added conditions. You can run it unmodified, including commercially, but distributing a derivative work needs a separate license from LobeHub. Grain is AGPL-3.0, with two added terms: keep Dcouple attribution in the UI, and do not use the Grain name to promote forks.
The cloud Free plan includes 500,000 credits a month, 15 MB of file storage and unlimited Pages. Paid plans start at $12.9 a month. Self-hosting costs your infrastructure and model keys.
Yes. LobeHub connects Claude Code, Codex, Cursor CLI and other coding agents that run on your own computer through its desktop app or CLI. The device has to stay online.
LobeHub documents read-only public links for conversations. Public share links for Pages are not documented. Grain publishes pages and apps with public, password or invite-only links.
For publishing what an agent builds, yes. Grain does not run agents or chat. It keeps your coding agent's work as files at a URL, with Postgres, logins and scheduled jobs for apps.
Download Grain for Mac, or connect the hosted MCP server from the AI tool you already use.
Download for MacFree forever. No card. Bring your own agent.