Claude asks before starting too many sub-agents.
AgentGuard is free on one machine. No account or key.
Measured testOur Claude Code run, Sep 23, 2026
15sub-agents launched in 36.6 seconds.
Recorded before AgentGuard asked first, so it shows launch speed, not today's prompt.
Install on the computer where you use Claude Code or Codex.
Run the commands in your computer's terminal, then start a new session.
At the limit, interactive Claude Code waits for your yes. Where no prompt can appear, including Codex, the launch is refused.
Install on your computer
Pick Claude Code or Codex. Run the commands one at a time in your terminal.
AgentGuard installs on your computer. Send yourself the link and open it where you use Claude Code or Codex.
claude plugin marketplace add agentguard-run/agentguard-codex-pluginclaude plugin install agentguard@agentguard
That is the whole install: Claude Code installs the plugin's dependencies by itself. Then start a new session.
Claude Code may warn that one option is not set. That option is the license key for paid plans. Free needs no key, so skip it. To check the install, run claude plugin list: agentguard@agentguard shows as enabled.
codex plugin marketplace add agentguard-run/agentguard-codex-plugincodex plugin add agentguard@agentguardcd ~/.codex/plugins/cache/agentguard/agentguard/*/ && npm ci
Codex doesn't install the plugin's dependencies. The third command runs npm ci in the plugin's version folder under ~/.codex/plugins/cache/agentguard/agentguard/. Then start a session and trust the plugin's hooks in /hooks.
In Codex and ChatGPT, AgentGuard runs on your computer in the Codex CLI and in local tasks in the ChatGPT desktop app. It does not run in Cloud Work, on the web or mobile, in Codex cloud or in the Codex IDE extension.
Use Node.js 22 on macOS or Linux. Setup help
What happens at the limit
In interactive Claude Code, the 16th sub-agent Claude tries to start within 15 minutes of work waits for your yes in Claude Code's own prompt, which the agent cannot answer. In print mode, with bypass permissions, and in Codex, that launch is refused.
AgentGuard keeps a signed record of every decision on your computer.
The docs explain policy files and how to verify a record.
See it work
What comes with it
What you see in Claude Code
In Claude Code 2.1.287 and later, AgentGuard Live puts a band above the prompt with sub-agents, tokens and plan use. Each sub-agent launch gets a stamp under it. An /agentguard pane lists the signed decisions.
Burn comes with it
In one long Claude Code session of ours, on Oct 3, 2026, 10 of 154 sub-agents ended without finishing yet still used 194.7 million tokens.
Need more than one machine?
AgentGuard is free on one machine. You pay when you need it on more than one.
- Free
- One machine. Full enforcement, local signed receipts and Burn. No account or key.
- Solo
- $19 per month or $190 per year. A license key for up to three machines, with the policy synced across them, the dashboard and receipts export.
- Team
- $19.90 per seat per month or $199 per seat per year. Starts at three seats.
Setup help
Claude Code and Codex
If AgentGuard ever says its dependencies are missing, run npm ci in the folder it names, then start a new session.
Use Node.js 22 on macOS or Linux.
Codex and ChatGPT
In Codex and ChatGPT, AgentGuard runs on your computer in the Codex CLI and in local tasks in the ChatGPT desktop app. It does not run in Cloud Work, on the web or mobile, in Codex cloud or in the Codex IDE extension.
If you set $CODEX_HOME, the plugin folder is under it instead of ~/.codex.