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Their viewers must log in. Ours open a link.
Sauce Labs' 2026 move is the most interesting legacy play: a Real Device Access API (programmable devices over HTTP, ADB/xcrun commands, 24h sessions) with a hosted MCP server and IDE plugins. For agent-adjacent device control on real hardware, they're ahead of every other legacy cloud.
But it's an add-on on private devices at enterprise pricing, viewers still log in, there's no build step, no TV/Roku, no share-with-the-world links — and Live starts at $39 for one parallel.
$ sidekick agent-setup # skill + MCP, one command $ sidekick xcode build . --scheme MyApp # no Mac needed $ sidekick ios create # agent drives, you watch in the browser
| What you are deciding | Sidekick | Sauce Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Build | ||
| Remote Xcode build (no Mac needed)Sidekick: Claim-logs-finish loop unit-tested (fakeRunner); no Mac fleet witnessed | 🛣️ Roadmap | ❌ No |
| Signing handled (certs, profiles, keystores)Sidekick: No signing code yet | 🛣️ Roadmap | ❌ No |
| Store submit from terminal (TestFlight + Play)Sidekick: Play dry-run validated in unit tests only; no live upload witnessed | 🛣️ Roadmap | ❌ No |
| Devices | ||
| iOS simulatorsSidekick: Provision/verb loop unit-tested (fakeDevice); needs a Mac fleet | 🛣️ Roadmap | ✅ Yes |
| Android emulators + adb tunnel | ✅ Yes | ➖ Partial |
| Apple TV / tvOS + Android TVSidekick: No TV code yet | 🛣️ Roadmap | ❌ No |
| Roku (real hardware)Sidekick: Backlog: needs real hardware pool | 🛣️ Roadmap | ❌ No |
| Foldables (posture + rotate verbs) | ➖ Partial | ❌ No |
| Real physical devices | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Agent control | ||
| CLI with device verbs (tap, type, screenshot) | ✅ Yes | ➖ Partial |
| Agent skill file (skill install) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| MCP server | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| UI / accessibility tree reads | ✅ Yes | ➖ Partial |
| Batch actions (ms precision) | ➖ Partial | ❌ No |
| Session video recording | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| App logs + network capture | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Sharing | ||
| Live share links (no login needed) | ➖ Partial | ❌ No |
| Embeddable player (iframe / SDK)Sidekick: No iframe/SDK implemented | 🛣️ Roadmap | ❌ No |
| Live collaboration + human takeoverSidekick: Not implemented | 🛣️ Roadmap | ➖ Partial |
| Testing | ||
| Record once, replay everywhere | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Visual regression per step | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| AI / plain-English testing | ✅ Yes | ➖ Partial |
| CI runner + GitHub checksSidekick: Actions + checks | 🛣️ Roadmap | ✅ Yes |
| Platform | ||
| Self-hostable (BYO Mac minis) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Source-available (FSL → Apache-2.0) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Public pricing + free tier, no card | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Devices | ||
| Labels + reuse-if-exists (idempotent reattach) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Session timeouts (idle + hard cap, auto-reap) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Sharing | ||
| Build artifact registry (upload once, install by name) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Platform | ||
| Health + region discovery (no auth) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Instance lifecycle webhooks (push, HMAC-signed) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Audit logs + export (CSV/JSON) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| SSO (OIDC connection + domain allowlist) | ➖ Partial | ➖ Partial |
| Agent control | ||
| Per-instance MCP server (scoped to one device) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Build | ||
| Gradle cloud build (assembleDebug default) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Sharing | ||
| Live device stream (HLS + MJPEG fallback) + click-to-tap relay | ➖ Partial | ❌ No |
| Devices | ||
| Camera/mic simulation (media push) | ➖ Partial | ❌ No |
| Testing | ||
| Maestro / Appium / XCTest harness verbs | ➖ Partial | ❌ No |
| Platform | ||
| Per-instance sandbox tokens + region pin | ✅ Yes | ➖ Partial |
Sidekick 22 Yes · 9 Roadmap · 7 Partial · 1 No · Sauce Labs 7 Yes · 0 Roadmap · 7 Partial · 25 No. ✅ Yes · 🛣️ Roadmap = public, lands in the open (self-host nightlies available) · ➖ Partial · ❌ No. Last updated 27 Sep 2026 — Sauce Labs claims checked at https://saucelabs.com. Sauce Labs pricing: Live $39/mo · Virtual $149/mo · Real $199/mo per parallel.
The Access API exposes ADB/xcrun, files, video and logs over HTTP with MCP surroundings. The closest any legacy vendor gets to 'the device as a tool' — on real hardware, which we don't offer.
SSO, IPSec proxy, private clouds, analytics, frameworks from Appium to Robotium. Regulated-industry checkboxes we haven't printed yet.
You need real hardware with API-level control: Sauce Access API on private devices. If scripts must touch real sensors via HTTP today, that's the product.
A designer must open the session without a login: Sidekick share links need no account. Sauce viewers log in — the whole argument of this page.
An agent must build from source first: Sauce takes binaries. Sidekick compiles on hosted Macs, then drives.
Budget is one parallel or less: Sauce Real starts at $199/mo per parallel. Sidekick Team is $39/mo for the org with 500 minutes included.
Yes — a hosted MCP server plus IDE plugins arrived with the 2026 Access API. Sidekick also ships MCP (stdio + HTTP) but pairs it with builds, share links and a skill file, not just device control.
Viewers need Sauce logins. Sidekick generates signed stream URLs anyone can open — the PR-reviewer use case both vendors describe, only one delivers without seats.
No. Sidekick's loop starts at git push: build, install, drive, verify, submit.
Published Sep 2026 · Sauce Labs homepage and docs verified 27 Sep 2026 ·t Scores count roadmap as delivered because every roadmap item is public and source-available.