Tabby Alternatives
Tabby alternatives: WezTerm, Kitty, Windows Terminal and Wave compared by platform, scripting, SSH handling and plugin support.
Updated
short verdict
WezTerm is the closest cross-platform swap: Lua configuration, a built-in multiplexer that works over SSH, and GPU rendering. Pick Windows Terminal if you only use Windows, Kitty if you are on Linux or macOS and want speed and scripting, and Wave if you want connection management in a graphical-block interface. None of them bundle serial port support or SFTP the way Tabby does.
Tabby combines a terminal with an SSH client and connection manager, serial port support, SFTP and a plugin system, and it runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. The alternatives below split that scope differently. Some are plain terminals with deeper scripting, some are tied to one OS, and some add their own take on remote connections or AI.
this page is for
- Tabby users who want deeper scripting than plugins
- Developers who only need a local terminal and find Tabby's SSH tooling unused
- Windows or macOS users who want a terminal tied to their OS
Covers the same three platforms as Tabby, but you configure it in Lua and its multiplexer runs over SSH instead of using a connection manager.
best for
- Cross-platform users who want config as code
- People who SSH into servers and want persistent workspaces
strengths
- Lua configuration file with a full programming language
- Native tabs, panes and workspaces built in
- Multiplexer works over SSH
- GPU-accelerated, written in Rust, with ligatures and image support
weaknesses
- No SFTP or serial port support is listed, both of which Tabby includes
- Customization is through Lua scripting, not a plugin library
A Windows-only terminal that hosts PowerShell, CMD, WSL and Azure Cloud Shell in tabs and panes, rather than bundling an SSH client like Tabby.
best for
- Windows developers who switch between PowerShell and WSL
- Users who want GPU rendering and Unicode support on Windows
strengths
- Runs PowerShell, CMD, WSL and Azure Cloud Shell side by side
- GPU-accelerated rendering
- Themes, backgrounds and key bindings are customizable
- Tabs and panes built in
weaknesses
- Windows only, so it cannot replace Tabby on Linux or macOS
- No built-in SSH connection manager, serial support or SFTP is listed
A GPU-accelerated terminal for Linux, macOS and BSD that you extend with kittens, where Tabby uses plugins and has Windows support.
best for
- Linux and macOS users who want speed and scripting
- People who display images in the terminal
strengths
- OpenGL-based GPU rendering
- Image display protocol in the terminal
- Scripting through kittens and custom keyboard shortcuts
- Built-in window and tab management, plus ligatures
weaknesses
- No Windows support; platforms are Linux, macOS and BSD
- No SSH connection manager, serial support or SFTP is listed
Closest to Tabby in spirit: a cross-platform terminal with graphical blocks for file previews and connection management, plus AI assistance.
best for
- Users who want connections and file previews inside the terminal window
- Developers who want AI assistance in the terminal
strengths
- Graphical blocks for previewing files and managing connections
- Tabs and splits on macOS, Linux and Windows
- GPU-accelerated, written in Go
- Built-in AI assistance
weaknesses
- The block-based interface differs from a conventional terminal layout
- Serial port support and a plugin system are not listed
A macOS-only terminal with a long feature list (triggers, regex search, shell integration) in place of Tabby's SSH and serial tooling.
best for
- Mac users who want the most feature-complete native terminal
- People who use a separate terminal multiplexer and want native integration
strengths
- Split panes and search with regex support
- Triggers that run actions based on output
- Shell integration and command and path autocomplete
- Native control mode for a separate terminal multiplexer
weaknesses
- macOS only
- No built-in SSH connection manager, serial support or SFTP is listed
Another cross-platform terminal written in TypeScript, but customized with npm plugins and HTML/CSS/JS theming, with no SSH tooling built in.
best for
- Web developers who want to theme and extend the terminal with familiar tools
- Users who want a plugin ecosystem like Tabby's
strengths
- npm-based plugin library
- Theming with HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Runs on Linux, macOS and Windows
weaknesses
- The project itself says it is not the fastest
- No built-in SSH client, serial support or SFTP is listed
Why look beyond Tabby
- Scope: SSH client, serial and SFTP are bundled, which is extra if you only need a local shell.
- Customization: extension is through a plugin system, while WezTerm offers Lua scripting and Kitty offers kittens.
- Window management: no built-in multiplexer is described, while WezTerm has native workspaces that work over SSH.
- Rendering: GPU acceleration is not listed for Tabby, but WezTerm, Kitty, Windows Terminal and Wave list it.
Stay with Tabby if
- You connect to servers often and want a built-in SSH client with a connection manager.
- You need serial port access or SFTP file transfer inside the same app.
- You want the same terminal on Linux, macOS and Windows, with plugins for customization.
When not to use these
- You need serial port access and SFTP in one app; none of these tools list either, so Tabby is the better fit.
- You only want a minimal shell host with no extras; your OS's default terminal may already cover that.
Also worth a look
FAQ
- What is the closest alternative to Tabby on all three platforms?
- WezTerm and Wave both run on Linux, macOS and Windows. WezTerm adds Lua configuration and a multiplexer that works over SSH. Wave adds graphical blocks for file previews and connection management.
- Is there a Tabby alternative with a built-in SSH client?
- Wave lists connection management, and WezTerm's multiplexer works over SSH. Neither lists the SFTP transfer or serial port support that Tabby includes.
- Which Tabby alternative is best on Windows?
- Windows Terminal is Windows-only and runs PowerShell, CMD, WSL and Azure Cloud Shell in tabs and panes with GPU rendering. cmder is another Windows option, bundling ConEmu with Git, clink and Unix tools.
- Which alternative has a plugin system like Tabby's?
- Hyper has an npm-based plugin library and HTML/CSS/JS theming. Like Tabby, it is written in TypeScript and runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.