# What is Herdbell?

> Herdbell is a Mac menu bar app that watches Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Antigravity so you can approve, reply and hand off from your cursor.

Canonical: https://herdbell.com/blog/what-is-herdbell
Last updated: 2026-10-27

Herdbell is a small Mac menu bar app for developers who use AI coding agents. It watches Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor and Google Antigravity. When one needs you, a shortcut opens a bar right over your work, so you can approve a command, reply, or hand the chat to another agent.

## What it does

- **Tells you** when an agent needs a permission, asks a question, finishes or fails: a coloured glow at your pointer, and optional sound and notifications.
- **Lets you answer** from a popup: allow or deny a command, tap a choice, or send a reply.
- **Keeps every chat in one list** with status, project and what each agent did.
- **Hands a chat to another agent** with Context Bridge, for example when you hit a usage limit.

## What it is not

- It is not an AI model and does not write code.
- It does not sign in to your AI accounts or ask for API keys.
- It does not send your chats anywhere. It uses the network only to check your license and for updates.

## Who it is for

Developers who run one or more of Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Antigravity on a Mac, especially several at once, and who are tired of finding out late that an agent has been waiting.

## Requirements and price

- macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and at least one supported agent installed.
- One payment with no subscription. A license works on as many Macs as you bought (1, 3 or 5), with lifetime updates and a 7-day money-back guarantee.
- The first 20 buyers get a launch price. See [pricing](https://herdbell.com/#pricing) for today's price.

## How it connects

Through each agent's own hooks, after backing up that agent's settings. You can disconnect any agent and Herdbell removes only its own hooks. Learn more in [Claude Code hooks, explained](https://herdbell.com/blog/claude-code-hooks-explained).

## Common questions

### Is Herdbell free?
No. It is a paid app with a one-time price and no subscription, and there is a 7-day money-back guarantee.

### Who makes Herdbell?
Herdbell is an independent Mac app. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic, OpenAI, Cursor or Google.

## Related
- [Herdbell: pricing](https://herdbell.com/#pricing)
- [All posts](https://herdbell.com/blog)
- [A Mac menu bar app for AI coding agents: what to look for](https://herdbell.com/blog/mac-menu-bar-app-for-ai-coding-agents)
- [How to approve Claude Code permissions without switching windows](https://herdbell.com/blog/approve-claude-code-permissions)