Factory AI alternative for AI-native engineering teams
Factory runs agent workflows.
Hyrax architects the codebase.
Factory AI coordinates agents across tickets, docs and repositories, which is a strong fit for teams that want delegated execution at scale. Hyrax governs the codebase those agents change: six audit domains, and a 13-step verification on every fix.
Hyrax audits roughly 400 of its own repositories.
Free plan: full access, up to 100 PR reviews a month, a $30 starter credit, and $10/month ongoing.
[Hyrax] Refresh session token before expiry
hyrax-bot wants to merge · +24 −6
Why teams switch
What changes when Hyrax runs above the tools.
Judgment above the agents
Factory AI executes the task it is given. Hyrax decides what is worth doing and whether the result fits the system it lands in.
Verified before review
Every fix runs the project baseline tests, build and lint, and passes a second reviewer agent, before the pull request exists.
Context that compounds
The map of the codebase lives in the repository and improves with every merge, so the next decision starts from everything learned before it.
Comparison
How Hyrax and Factory AI make decisions.
Workflow
Comments on a diff, or a verified pull request.
- 01A developer assigns Factory AI a task.
- 02Factory AI writes code for that task and stops when the task is done.
- 03The team decides whether the change fits the wider system, then merges.
- 01Maps the codebase and keeps the map in the repository
- 02Applies architectural judgment across six domains
- 03Opens a verified pull request that a human merges
Getting started
From install to the first verified pull request.
Install the GitHub App
Grant read access to the repositories in scope. No card is required to start.
Hyrax maps the repository
Discovery writes HYRAX.md and .hyrax/discovery into the repository, so humans and AI tools read the same context.
Review the first pull request
Approved improvements arrive as verified pull requests. A human merges every one.
The honest verdict
Both tools solve real problems.
Choose Factory AI if
The aim is to move a lot of delegated work through agents with a shared operating surface. Factory AI is designed for that throughput.
Choose Hyrax if
More agent throughput raises the value of a standard above it. Hyrax audits the codebase continuously and verifies every fix against the project tests before review.
Per seat plus agent usage.
Free plan with a $30 starter credit and $10/month ongoing. Paid is $30 per user per month, and each paid user gets $30/month of credits.
FAQ
Questions about Factory AI and Hyrax.
Yes, and most teams run both. Factory AI keeps doing its job. Hyrax works at the level of the whole codebase, decides what is worth changing, and delivers verified pull requests. Nothing about the Factory AI setup has to change.
Discovery writes HYRAX.md and a .hyrax/discovery directory, which document the architecture, conventions and risk areas of the codebase. Everything else arrives as a normal pull request on its own branch. Hyrax has no write access to the default branch.
The free plan includes full access, a $30 starter credit and $10/month of credits ongoing, with no card required. The paid plan is $30 per user per month, and each paid user gets $30/month of credits. Pull request reviews are included on every plan.
Installing the GitHub App and granting access to a repository takes a few minutes. Hyrax maps the codebase, then runs the first audit and returns findings ranked by severity and effort. The first verified pull requests follow once an audit is approved.
Build what you're proud to ship.
GitHub-native. Human-controlled. Verified before merge.