Rift

Rift vs Claude Managed Agents

Managed Agents gives hosted Claude agents a shared memory directory. Rift gives any agent, on any machine, the same files.

Claude Managed Agents

Youlaptop
work
api
billing
runs
.env
Anthropic
It stores your files and can read them.
work
api
billing
runs
.env
a workspace API key
OpenClawOpenClawanother company's agent
uses a workspace API key
work
api
billing
runs
.env

Rift

Youlaptop
work
api
billing
runs
.env
Rift Cloud
It cannot read your files. It holds only ciphertext.
Fv+a8LdicjU6ce
efFPD/W3GEGTbB
FFu91EY6OfuOIc
j3iz+iV3W5kvab
1hZDb7nJAxjHmy
one folder, read
OpenClawOpenClawanother company's agent
holds its own key
apiread

What Claude Managed Agents is

Claude Managed Agents is Anthropic's hosted agent runtime. A memory store is a set of text documents that mounts as a directory in every session it is attached to, and it persists across sessions with nothing to operate. Every write is versioned and attributed to the session that made it. Files uploaded through the Files API are mounted into a session as read-only copies. It is in beta.

How they differ

A memory store lives inside one Anthropic workspace and holds small text documents. Rift holds files of any size, on machines you choose, for agents from any vendor.

Claude Managed AgentsRift
IdentityClaude Managed AgentsThe agent has none. It uses an Anthropic API key, which can be limited to one workspace.RiftA key that each machine and agent makes for itself. No account.
Smallest shareClaude Managed AgentsA whole memory store, attached to a session as read-only or read-write, inside one workspace.RiftA folder, a subfolder or one file, as read or write.
Who checks accessClaude Managed AgentsAnthropic's platform.RiftEach machine that receives a file checks the grant itself.
Who can read your filesClaude Managed AgentsAnthropic stores memory on its servers. We found no documented option for customer-held keys.RiftOnly the machines you shared with. Rift Cloud holds ciphertext.
When your machines are offClaude Managed AgentsMemory stays available from Anthropic.RiftFiles stored in Rift Cloud stay available.

Which to choose

Choose Claude Managed Agents when

  • All your agents are Claude agents on Anthropic's platform.
  • The shared state is notes and small documents.
  • You want nothing to operate.

Choose Rift when

  • Agents from several vendors need the same files.
  • The files are large, or have to be on your own machines.
  • Another company's agent needs some of the files.

Based on Anthropic's documentation, read in October 2026. Sources: memory, files, overview.

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