Cua alternative
NoMac vs Cua
Cua builds open-source computer-use tooling and a cloud macOS offering for large agent fleets. NoMac gives one developer's agent a Mac today. How to choose.
A Mac for your agent, ready in about a minute.
$9.99/month for 5 hours every week · billed by the second · no overage
7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase. Prices checked 22 September 2026 from public list prices.
What Cua is
An open-source computer-use stack, including the Lume VM manager, and a proprietary cloud macOS platform for computer-use agents, evaluations and data generation. At the time of writing, cloud macOS is a partnership waitlist aimed at fleets of hundreds to thousands of machines.
Cua vs NoMac at a glance
| Cua | NoMac | |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | Fleets, partnership-led | One session per account |
| Availability | Waitlist | Self-serve |
| Pricing | Not public | $9.99 or $29.99/month |
| Focus | Computer use | Developer workflows |
| Open source | Yes, core tooling | No |
Choose Cua when
- ·You need hundreds or thousands of macOS machines for agents or evaluations.
- ·Your workload is computer use: Finder, Safari, native apps, permissions.
- ·You want open-source tooling you can also run on your own Macs.
- ·You can wait for a partnership rather than sign up today.
Choose NoMac when
- ·You need one Mac for one agent, starting now.
- ·The work is Xcode builds, tests and simulators, not clicking a desktop.
- ·You want public, self-serve pricing.
- ·Your agent connects over MCP from the tools you already use.
The verdict
Cua is aiming at the fleet. NoMac is aiming at the developer. If you are running an evaluation lab, talk to Cua; if you are shipping an app this week, start a Mac.
Try it in two minutes
Keep Cua for what it does best, and give your agent a Mac for everything else. From your project directory:
npm install -g @nomac/cli nomac login nomac start --json nomac sync . nomac ssh -- xcodebuild -list nomac stop --json # or let Claude Code drive it claude mcp add nomac -- npx @nomac/cli mcp
Or give your agent nomac.app/install and it sets itself up.
Questions
What is the best Cua alternative for AI agents?＋
NoMac is built for coding agents: a fresh macOS VM with Xcode and root, started and driven over MCP, CLI, REST API or SSH, billed by the second from weekly hours. It is the better fit when an agent needs a Mac in short bursts. Cua is the better fit when you need hundreds or thousands of macOS machines for agents or evaluations.
How much does NoMac cost?＋
$9.99 a month for 5 hours every week, or $29.99 a month for 25 hours every week. Ready time is billed by the second after a one-minute minimum; queue and setup are free. There is no overage. 7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase.
Can Claude Code, Codex or Cursor use NoMac?＋
Yes. Add the MCP server with one command (claude mcp add nomac -- npx @nomac/cli mcp), or use the hosted MCP endpoint from a cloud sandbox. The agent can start a Mac, run commands, read output and stop it.
Do I need an Apple Developer account?＋
Not to start a Mac, compile, run tests or use the iOS Simulator. Signing and TestFlight uploads need your own Apple Developer membership, as on any Mac.
What happens to my files when I stop?＋
The VM and everything on it is deleted, including anything your agent installed and any credentials you sent. Pull what you need first with nomac pull, rsync or scp.
Stop paying for a Mac that waits for you.
Full macOS with Xcode and root, over MCP, CLI, API or SSH. Billed by the second, deleted when you stop. $9.99 a month, or $29.99 for 25 hours a week.
Get your agent a Mac7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase. Cancel anytime.