Idle-time background agent
Fabric installs as a lightweight agent that runs quietly in the background and is designed to use resources only when the computer is idle.
Carmel Labs
Fabric from Carmel Labs lets device owners earn money by contributing idle computer power through a lightweight agent. It supports Mac, Windows, and Linux and emphasizes sandboxed execution, transparent earnings, and user control.
Overview
Fabric from Carmel Labs is a distributed compute network that lets device owners earn money by contributing idle computer power. The site frames it as a way to turn spare compute into passive income while the device remains under the owner’s control.
The product works through a lightweight agent that installs on Mac, Windows, or Linux machines. Jobs are sent to the device only when it is idle, run inside isolated containers, and are tracked in a dashboard with transparent earnings and payouts through Stripe.
What Fabric includes
Sandboxed job execution
Jobs run in isolated containers with end-to-end encryption and no access to files, photos, or browser data on the device.
Real-time earnings dashboard
Users can monitor earnings, job activity, and payout progress in a dashboard with transparent per-job tracking.
User-controlled scheduling
The device owner can pause Fabric anytime, control when the device shares resources, and stop or uninstall without commitments.
Cross-platform setup
Fabric supports Mac, Windows, and Linux, and the site says installation is quick and requires no technical knowledge.
Resource-aware operation
The product emphasizes low overhead by limiting resource use when idle and automatically pausing when the computer needs full power.
Where Fabric fits
Earning from an underused personal computer
People with a laptop or desktop they leave on during the day can install the agent and let the machine contribute idle compute when it is not in use.
Using a device without giving up control
Users who want to keep control over their machine can pause sharing resources instantly when they need full performance for work or entertainment.
Low-friction setup for non-technical users
People who want a simple setup can create an account, install the agent, and monitor earnings without needing technical configuration.
Privacy-conscious idle compute sharing
Owners who care about privacy and safety can use Fabric because the site says jobs are sandboxed and cannot access local files or browsing data.
Monitoring earnings and payouts
People who want to track payment progress can use the dashboard to watch job completion and earnings toward the $10 payout threshold.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Uses idle compute rather than requiring dedicated hardware.
- Runs jobs in isolated containers with no access to personal files or browser data.
- Lets users pause, quit, or uninstall at any time.
- Provides transparent job-level earnings tracking and a payout threshold.
- Supports Mac, Windows, and Linux with a lightweight agent.
Cons
- Earnings vary by device and availability, so the site does not present a fixed income amount.
- The product is only described for Mac, Windows, and Linux computers, with no broader platform support stated.
FAQ
How do I set up Fabric?
Yes. The Fabric agent is designed to run on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and the site says installation takes under five minutes.
Is my data safe while Fabric is running?
Fabric runs jobs in isolated containers and says they cannot access your files, browser data, or other personal information on your device.
Will Fabric slow down my computer?
The agent only runs when your computer is idle and pauses when you need full power, so it is meant to fit around normal computer use.
How does earning and payout work?
Fabric says you can track earnings in a dashboard, with monthly payouts through Stripe and a $10 minimum payout threshold.
What devices are supported?
Fabric works on any Windows, Mac, or Linux computer made in the last 5 to 7 years, according to the product FAQ.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Distributed compute / passive income
- Brand
- Carmel Labs
- Source domain
- carmel.so
- Platforms
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Primary users
- Device owners
- Payout minimum
- $10 minimum threshold
Alternative a Carmel Labs
AakarDev AI
AakarDev AI helps teams manage AI provider access, project-level setups, logs, and analytics from one dashboard. It supports BYOK workflows and lists providers including OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, Groq, Mistral AI, and Perplexity AI.
ByteAsk
ByteAsk is a terminal-first AI coding agent for C and C++ that edits repositories and verifies changes with the real compiler, debugger, sanitizers, and tests before showing a diff. It offers a free tier plus paid plans, with editor connectors and zero-retention handling described in the source.
CreateOS Sandbox
CreateOS Sandbox is an isolated compute environment for running code and agent workloads inside Firecracker micro-VMs. It is designed for workflows that need machine-level isolation, private networking between sandboxes, and programmatic control through SDK, CLI, or MCP.
Hype
Hype is a web tool for finding trending YouTube topics by category, time range, and scoring mode. It helps creators spot emerging ideas, inspect source videos, and decide what to cover next.
hob
hob is an independent workspace for coding agents that keeps agent sessions, terminals, history, and follow-up work organized around the tools and providers you already use. It is aimed at developers who want local control over routing, history, and workspace structure rather than a bundled model stack.
Ably Chat
Ably Chat is a chat API platform for building custom realtime chat applications. It supports room-based messaging, typing indicators, presence, reactions, and message updates, with usage-based pricing options for different deployment stages.