cmder Alternatives
cmder alternatives for Windows: Windows Terminal, WezTerm, and Tabby compared by shells, multiplexing, SSH, and configuration.
Updated
short verdict
Pick Windows Terminal if you want to stay Windows-only and run PowerShell, CMD and WSL in tabs and panes. Pick WezTerm for Lua configuration and a built-in multiplexer across operating systems, or Tabby if you SSH into servers often. Alacritty and Hyper suit narrower cases.
cmder bundles ConEmu with Git, clink and Unix tools into a portable Windows console package. The alternatives here are standalone terminal emulators rather than bundles. They differ in how they handle multiple shells, tabs and splits, remote connections, and configuration, and most of them run on Linux and macOS as well.
this page is for
- Windows users who want a terminal with tabs and panes for PowerShell, CMD and WSL
- Developers who want one terminal setup on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Admins who SSH into servers or connect to serial devices from the terminal
Windows-only like cmder, but a single terminal application that hosts PowerShell, CMD, WSL and Azure Cloud Shell instead of a ConEmu bundle.
best for
- Windows developers switching between PowerShell, CMD and WSL
- Users who want GPU-accelerated rendering on Windows
strengths
- Tabs and panes with one profile per shell, including PowerShell, CMD and WSL
- GPU-accelerated rendering with Unicode and emoji support
- Themes, backgrounds and key bindings are configurable
weaknesses
- Windows only, so your setup does not carry over to macOS or Linux
- Does not bundle Git or Unix tools the way cmder does
Replaces cmder's customization with a Lua config file and adds a native multiplexer, and it also runs on Linux and macOS.
best for
- Users who want to script their terminal in Lua
- People who want tabs, panes and workspaces without a separate multiplexer
strengths
- Full Lua configuration instead of a settings panel
- Built-in tabs, panes and workspaces
- Multiplexer works over SSH
- Ligatures and image support with GPU-accelerated rendering
weaknesses
- Configuration means writing Lua, which is more work than cmder's themes and aliases
- Does not ship Git or Unix tools on Windows
Goes beyond a local console by adding an SSH client with a connection manager, serial port support and SFTP, plus plugins.
best for
- Sysadmins who SSH into many hosts
- Users who need serial device access from the terminal
strengths
- Built-in SSH client with connection manager
- Serial port support and built-in SFTP file transfer
- Plugin system for extending behavior
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
weaknesses
- Written in TypeScript, so it is a heavier app than the GPU-rendered terminals here
- Broader scope than you need if you only open local shells
Drops cmder's bundled tooling and tabs entirely in favor of a minimal OpenGL terminal configured through a TOML file.
best for
- Users who value rendering speed and a small feature set
- People already using a separate terminal multiplexer
strengths
- OpenGL GPU-accelerated rendering
- TOML-based config file
- Vi mode for scrollback navigation
- Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS and BSD
weaknesses
- No tabs or splits; it expects a window manager or a separate multiplexer
- No bundled Git, aliases or Unix tools
Replaces cmder's themes and aliases with HTML/CSS/JS theming and npm-based plugins in an Electron app.
best for
- Web developers who want to theme the terminal with CSS
- Users who want npm-installable plugins
strengths
- Plugin library distributed through npm
- Theming with HTML, CSS and JS
- Same look on Windows, macOS and Linux
weaknesses
- Electron-based and not the fastest option
- No bundled Git or Unix tools as in cmder
Why look beyond cmder
- cmder is a Windows-only package, so your terminal setup does not follow you to macOS or Linux.
- It is a bundle of ConEmu, Git, clink and Unix tools rather than a single terminal application.
- Tabbed shells in Windows Terminal or workspaces in WezTerm replace what you would otherwise assemble inside ConEmu.
- Remote work such as SSH connection management, SFTP or serial access is not part of what cmder lists; Tabby includes all three.
Stay with cmder if
- You want a portable package that arrives with Git, clink and Unix commands already included.
- You rely on its bundled themes and aliases and do not want to rebuild them elsewhere.
- You only use Windows and have no need for SSH management or a scripting-based configuration.
When not to use these
- You need a terminal multiplexer that keeps sessions running on a remote server; that is a separate tool from any emulator listed here.
- You only need a shell inside an editor or IDE, where a standalone terminal adds nothing.
FAQ
- What is the closest replacement for cmder on Windows?
- Windows Terminal is the closest in scope: it is Windows-only and hosts PowerShell, CMD and WSL in tabs and panes. Unlike cmder, it does not bundle Git or Unix tools.
- Is there a cmder alternative that works on macOS and Linux too?
- Yes. WezTerm, Tabby, Alacritty and Hyper all run on Windows, macOS and Linux, and Alacritty also supports BSD.
- Which cmder alternative has built-in SSH?
- Tabby has a built-in SSH client with a connection manager, plus serial port support and SFTP. WezTerm's multiplexer also works over SSH.
- Which alternative is configured with a scripting language?
- WezTerm is configured in Lua. Alacritty uses a TOML file, and Hyper uses web technologies and npm plugins.