# Vellum vs Claude Cowork > Personal AI assistant vs agentic AI for knowledge work > Last updated: May 28, 2026 > Comparison: https://www.vellum.ai/compare-assistants/vellum-vs-claude-cowork ## Overview Vellum is a personal AI assistant that runs as a native Mac app on your machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams surfaces that share one memory. Claude Cowork is Anthropic's agentic mode inside the Claude desktop app that runs multi-step tasks against local files and connected applications during a sandboxed working session. ## The contenders ### Vellum Website: https://vellum.ai Vellum is a personal AI assistant that runs as a native Mac app on your own machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web, Slack, and Telegram surfaces in sync across both. It builds a persistent, structured memory of your work and people automatically, and executes real actions across 50+ services through managed OAuth. Why choose Vellum: - Runs as a native Mac app on your own machine or in Vellum Cloud, with iOS, web, Slack, and Telegram surfaces in sync across both - Persistent, structured memory that builds itself as you go, with no uploading, tagging, or training required - One-click managed OAuth across 50+ services like Google, Slack, Notion, GitHub, and Linear, executing real actions on your behalf - Free Base plan, with Pro from $50/mo for pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain ### Claude Cowork Website: https://claude.com/product/cowork Claude Cowork is Anthropic's agentic AI mode for knowledge work, accessed inside the Claude desktop app on all paid Claude plans. It runs multi-step tasks against local files and connected applications like Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, and Chrome inside a sandboxed working session, with the user steering each step before significant actions. Why choose Claude Cowork: - Built on Anthropic's Claude models with native access to Claude's reasoning and tool use - Runs tasks inside an Apple VZVirtualMachine sandbox with explicit folder permissions - Available on every paid Claude plan with no separate subscription or setup - Native connectors for Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, DocuSign, FactSet, Linear, Jira, and Chrome ## The scorecard ### channels Vellum: 7 native surfaces, one memory iOS, native Mac app, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Every surface shares one memory. Vellum runs natively on Mac, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Every surface shares the same memory and thread history, so you can start a task on your Mac and pick it up on your phone or in a chat. Claude Cowork: Channels Claude desktop app on Mac and Windows, with mobile entry through the Claude app on iOS and Android. Chrome via connector. ### hosting Vellum: On-device, managed cloud, or self-hosted Run on-device as a native Mac app, on Vellum's managed cloud, or self-host on your own VPS. Vellum gives you the full range: run the native Mac app entirely on your own hardware, use Vellum Cloud for managed uptime and cross-device sync, or self-host on your own VPS for full infrastructure control. Claude Cowork: Hosting Runs locally inside the Claude desktop app. Models served from Anthropic's infrastructure. No self-host option. ### integrations Vellum: 50+ managed OAuth integrations Native agent skills plus 1-click integrations with 50+ services through managed OAuth. Vellum connects to 50+ services through managed OAuth: Google, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, and more. Your assistant acts in real services on your behalf without you handling tokens or API keys. Claude Cowork: Integrations & Skills Native connectors for Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, DocuSign, FactSet, Linear, Jira, and Chrome. Custom MCP support. ### memory Vellum: Persistent, structured personal memory Builds a persistent, structured memory of your work and people that gets sharper with every conversation and correction. Vellum builds a structured memory graph of your projects, people, and preferences across every surface. It compounds over time through use and explicit corrections, so each conversation picks up where the last left off. Claude Cowork: Memory Each Cowork task is a working session you steer. No persistent personal memory layer across tasks or sessions. ### modularity Vellum: Adapts to you personally Builds its own skills, learns your tone, and adapts based on what you reward and correct. Vellum adapts at the individual level: it learns your communication style, builds custom skills from your instructions, and updates its behavior based on your feedback. Each assistant is shaped by the specific person using it. Claude Cowork: Modularity Skills system and customizable plugins. Plugins encode workflows for domains like finance, engineering, or HR. ### open-source Vellum: Open source under MIT Open source under MIT license. Full codebase available on GitHub. Vellum is open source under the MIT license. The full codebase is on GitHub and can be self-hosted, audited, and extended. Claude Cowork: Open Source Proprietary. Closed-source SaaS from Anthropic. Source code not available. ### pricing Vellum: Free Base, Pro from $50/mo Free Base with 10 free credits + referral credits. Pro from $50/mo with configurable compute, storage, and assistant email. Vellum offers a free Base plan with 10 credits and a referral credit system. Pro starts at $50/mo and comes with configurable compute, configurable storage, and a personal assistant email and subdomain. Claude Cowork: Pricing Included on Claude paid plans: Pro $20/mo, Max $100 to $200/mo, Team about $25/seat, Enterprise custom. Usage caps apply. ### privacy Vellum: Local or cloud, always yours Run locally on Mac, in Vellum Cloud, or self-host. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path. Vellum gives you three deployment paths: native Mac app on your own hardware, Vellum Cloud with per-customer isolation, or self-hosted on your own infrastructure. On every path, Vellum never has access to your data. Claude Cowork: Privacy Runs on your local machine but processes through Anthropic's infrastructure under its enterprise data policies. ### schedules Vellum: Built-in scheduling, always running Built-in scheduling for daily briefings, weekly reports, and hourly checks that just run on a cadence. Vellum has native scheduling for recurring tasks: daily briefings, weekly reports, hourly checks. Scheduled tasks run in the cloud whether or not you have a session open. Claude Cowork: Schedules Recurring tasks supported. Define cadence once and Claude runs it on schedule, like a weekly Slack digest. ### security Vellum: Isolated credential vault Credentials live in an isolated vault and never enter the language model, so prompt injection can't exfiltrate keys. Vellum stores every connected service credential in an isolated vault that never touches the LLM inference layer. Prompt injection attacks cannot reach your API keys or OAuth tokens. Claude Cowork: Security Sandboxed via Apple VZVirtualMachine with explicit folder permissions. Audit logs and Compliance API not yet captured. ### setup Vellum: Up in 5 to 10 minutes Up and running in 5 to 10 minutes: Web app and/or download the Mac app, sign in, connect your tools. No terminal needed. Vellum setup takes 5 to 10 minutes: use the Web app and/or download the Mac app, create an account, and connect your tools via one-click OAuth. No terminal, no config files, no infrastructure to provision. Claude Cowork: Setup Available immediately on any paid Claude plan. Sign in, select a folder for sandboxed access, start tasks. ### storage Vellum: Storage Vellum Cloud: 3 GB RAM and 4 GB storage by default. Mac app runs on standard Mac hardware. Claude Cowork: Storage Runs inside the Claude desktop app. No published minimum specs for Cowork specifically. ## Where they split ### Always-on hosting Cowork runs tasks during a steered desktop session inside the Claude app. When you close the session or step away, the work pauses. Vellum is fully managed cloud. No session to keep open, no laptop to babysit. Scheduled jobs and background tasks run in Vellum Cloud whether you are at your desk or asleep, and you wake up to work that already shipped. ### Works across every surface Cowork lives in the Claude desktop app on Mac and Windows, with mobile entry through the Claude app on iOS and Android. Vellum ships as a native Mac app, an iOS app, and a web app, with voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces. Every surface shares one memory and identity, so you can switch from desktop to phone without losing a beat. ### Memory that compounds Each Cowork task is a working session you steer to completion. The next task starts fresh, without inherited context. Vellum builds a structured, persistent memory of your work, people, and patterns automatically. Every conversation makes the next one sharper, and that memory follows you across every surface. ### Data privacy Cowork processes actions through Anthropic's infrastructure, with files accessed inside an Apple VZVirtualMachine sandbox on your machine. Audit logs and Compliance API are not yet captured. Vellum is available as both Vellum Cloud and a native Mac app on your own machine, and Vellum never has access to your data on either path. Credentials live in an isolated vault the model never sees, so prompt injection cannot exfiltrate keys. ## Lingering questions ### When should I choose Vellum over Claude Cowork? Choose Vellum if you want a persistent personal AI assistant that builds memory of your work and people over time, runs proactively in the background, and shows up across native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack with one shared memory. Vellum executes real actions through managed OAuth on 50+ services and runs scheduled work continuously in Vellum Cloud, not only during a steered session at your desk. ### When does Claude Cowork make more sense than Vellum? Claude Cowork is Anthropic's agentic mode for knowledge work inside the Claude desktop app. If you already pay for Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise and primarily want to delegate self-contained desktop tasks like reformatting files, drafting reports from source documents, or organizing folders, Cowork covers that working-session pattern well. ### How much does Vellum and Claude Cowork cost? Claude Cowork is included on every paid Claude plan: Pro at $20/mo, Max at $100 to $200/mo, Team at roughly $25 per seat per month, and Enterprise priced custom. Usage limits apply on each tier. Vellum offers a Free Base plan, plus Pro from $50/mo with pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain. ### How does memory work in Vellum vs Claude Cowork? Vellum builds a structured, persistent memory of your work, people, and patterns automatically across every session, shared across native Mac app, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack. Cowork operates as a working session: you describe a task, Claude executes it inside the session, and the next task starts fresh. There is no managed long-term memory of you across Cowork tasks. ### What integrations do Vellum and Claude Cowork support? Vellum connects to 50+ services through managed OAuth with one-click setup and no API keys to handle, including Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, X, and Telegram. Cowork has native connectors for Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, DocuSign, FactSet, Linear, Jira, and Chrome, plus custom MCP support for the broader ecosystem. ### Does Claude Cowork work on iPhone or only desktop? Cowork is primarily a desktop product running inside the Claude desktop app on Mac and Windows, with mobile entry through the Claude app on iOS and Android. Vellum ships as a native Mac app, an iOS app, and a web app, with voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces, all sharing the same memory. ### Where does my data live with Vellum vs Claude Cowork? With Vellum, your data lives on Vellum Cloud with per-customer isolation, encryption at rest, configurable retention, and custom LLM credentials so model API keys stay under your control. Vellum never has access to your data on any deployment path, whether you run the native Mac app on your machine or use Vellum Cloud. With Cowork, files Claude accesses stay on your machine inside an Apple VZVirtualMachine sandbox, and Anthropic processes actions through its infrastructure under its enterprise data policies. ### Is Vellum or Claude Cowork better for non-technical users? Both target non-technical users. Vellum is built for every human, with a native Mac app, an iOS app, and a web app, plus voice, email, Telegram, and Slack, all syncing one persistent memory. Cowork is built for knowledge workers who want to hand off desktop tasks during a working session inside the Claude desktop app. For ongoing personal AI work across surfaces, Vellum is the broader fit. For self-contained desktop deliverables, Cowork is a strong execution layer. ### Can I run Vellum on my own machine like Claude Cowork? Yes. Vellum runs as a native Mac app on your own machine, with iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, and Slack surfaces in sync. If you want continuous 24/7 background work without keeping your laptop open, Vellum Cloud handles it on the Pro plan from $50/mo with pay-as-you-go credits, configurable compute and storage, and your assistant's own email and subdomain. Either path gives you the same assistant and identity. ### Can I use Vellum and Claude Cowork at the same time? Yes. They serve different jobs. Some people use Vellum as their always-on personal assistant across surfaces and use Cowork when they want to hand a sandboxed desktop task to Claude for a single session. Most people consolidate on one over time once they see how Vellum's persistent memory and multi-surface presence cover the day-to-day. ### What's the difference between Vellum's memory and Claude Cowork's working sessions? Vellum's memory is structured, persistent, and assistant-managed: it builds up an understanding of you across every conversation, surface, and action, and that memory is the same whether you reach the assistant from Mac, iOS, web app, voice, email, Telegram, or Slack. Cowork's working session is task-scoped: you define a task, steer it through to completion, and the session ends. Future tasks start fresh, without inherited context. --- Full comparison index: https://www.vellum.ai/compare-assistants Try Vellum: https://www.vellum.ai