Honest comparison
HumanLayer is now CodeLayer, an open-source IDE built on Claude Code, plus a developer SDK for builders. Pushary keeps your current agents and adds phone approval, per-tool policy, and an audit trail, with no code and no new editor.
If you are a builder embedding approvals into your own agent, or a team adopting a new IDE built on Claude Code, HumanLayer and CodeLayer are built for you. If you just want to keep your current agents and approve them from your phone under rules you set once, Pushary is the better fit.
HumanLayer routes approvals to channels like Slack and email, so being mobile means scrolling your Slack app. Pushary sends a native push to your lock screen with the exact question and tool, and you approve, deny, or answer in place. It is built for the phone, not bolted onto a chat app.
HumanLayer is either an SDK you embed in your own agent or CodeLayer, a new IDE you adopt. Both ask you to change how you work. Pushary adds one hook to the agent you already run and gives you a policy editor in the browser. One command, about two minutes, and you keep your tools.
CodeLayer is built specifically on Claude Code. Pushary is one policy and one audit trail across Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Hermes, Windsurf, and any MCP client. If your stack is more than one vendor, you do not want a Claude-only tool.
HumanLayer and CodeLayer are open source under Apache-2.0, the SDK is framework-agnostic for builders embedding approvals into their own products, and CodeLayer orchestrates parallel Claude Code sessions as a full IDE. If you are building agents or you want to adopt that IDE, HumanLayer goes deeper. Pushary is for keeping your current setup and adding control on top.
| Feature | Pushary | HumanLayer |
|---|---|---|
| Native push approval on your phoneMOBILE | ||
| Per-tool permission policies without writing codePOLICY | ||
| Works with Codex, Cursor, Hermes, Windsurf (any MCP) | ||
| Works with Claude Code | ||
| Keep your current editor (no new IDE) | ||
| Ready to use without writing code | ||
| Available now (no waitlist) | ||
| Public, self-serve pricing | ||
| Audit trail of approvals | ||
| Open source | ||
| Framework-agnostic SDK for builders | ||
| IDE orchestration of parallel Claude sessions | ||
| Price | $9.99/mo | Waitlist / contact sales |
HumanLayer began as a human-in-the-loop SDK that developers embed in their own agents to route approvals to Slack or email. In late 2025 it pivoted to CodeLayer, an open-source IDE under Apache-2.0 built on Claude Code, with the tagline close your editor forever. CodeLayer is currently early access via a waitlist.
HumanLayer is for builders and teams: either embed its SDK in your code, or adopt CodeLayer as your IDE. Pushary keeps your existing setup, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and more, and adds phone approval, per-tool policies, and an audit trail, with no code to write and no new editor to learn.
Not a dedicated one. HumanLayer routes approvals to Slack and email, so mobile means whatever those apps give you on your phone. Pushary sends a native push to your lock screen and lets you approve, deny, or answer in place.
HumanLayer and CodeLayer do not publish pricing; access is via a waitlist and contact-sales. Pushary's Agent plan is $9.99/mo with a 7-day free trial, fully self-serve.
CodeLayer is built on and around Claude Code. The legacy HumanLayer SDK is framework-agnostic but requires writing code. Pushary works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Hermes, Windsurf, and any MCP client, out of the box.
No new editor, no code to write. Approve from your phone, set guardrails once, and keep an exportable audit trail. Works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Hermes, and any MCP client. 7-day free trial.
