Both can see and control your screen. One runs locally for free. The other costs per API call and requires cloud processing.
Claude Computer Use is Anthropic's API for AI screen control — powerful but requires cloud, costs money per call, and sends your screenshots to Anthropic's servers. Nova does the same thing locally: screenshot, analyze, click, type — all on your Mac with a local AI model. Zero cost, zero data leaving your device. Nova also adds 50+ pre-built automations that Claude Computer Use doesn't have.
| Feature | Nova | Claude Computer Use |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshots + analysis | ||
| Mouse click/move/drag | ||
| Keyboard typing | ||
| Runs locallyClaude CU sends screenshots to cloud | ||
| Privacy (data stays on device) | ||
| Free to useClaude CU charges per action | ||
| Works offline | ||
| iMessage integration | ||
| Spotify/music control | ||
| 50+ pre-built automations | ||
| Ambient screen observation | ||
| Marketplace | ||
| UI element understanding qualityCloud models can handle more complex UIs | ||
| Multi-OS supportNova: Mac + Windows. Claude: any | ||
| API for developers |
Free download. No signup required. Runs locally on your Mac.
Download Nova FreemacOS 12+ · Apple Silicon · No cloud required
For daily tasks (clicking buttons, typing, navigating apps), Nova is comparable. For complex UI understanding (reading dense spreadsheets, identifying tiny icons), Claude Computer Use may be more accurate since it uses a large cloud model. But Nova is free and private — your screenshots never leave your Mac.
Nova is completely free for local use. Claude Computer Use charges per action (screenshot + analysis + click), which adds up quickly for multi-step tasks. Multi-step automations can get expensive on Claude vs $0 on Nova.
Never. Nova processes all screenshots locally using its on-device AI engine. The image never leaves your Mac. Claude Computer Use sends every screenshot to Anthropic's servers for analysis.
Yes! Nova supports cloud models for enhanced reasoning. You can use the free local AI model for daily tasks and switch to a cloud model (via API key or Nova Pro) for complex reasoning — while keeping all screen control local.