Windows Terminal Alternatives
Windows Terminal alternatives compared: WezTerm, Tabby, Alacritty, cmder, Hyper and Contour, with platform, config and multiplexing differences.
Updated
short verdict
WezTerm is the closest replacement if you want tabs, panes and GPU rendering with scriptable Lua config, and it also runs on Linux and macOS. Pick Tabby if you SSH or use serial devices often, and Alacritty if you want a fast, minimal window and already use a separate terminal multiplexer. cmder fits Windows-only setups that want bundled Unix tools.
Windows Terminal hosts PowerShell, CMD, WSL and Azure Cloud Shell in tabs and panes, with GPU-accelerated rendering, but it runs only on Windows. The alternatives below differ mainly in three ways: whether they run on other operating systems, whether they include a multiplexer or SSH client, and how you configure them (Lua, TOML, plugins or a bundled package).
this page is for
- Windows users who also work on Linux or macOS and want one terminal config everywhere
- Developers who SSH into servers or use serial devices from the terminal
- Users who want a lighter, single-purpose terminal window
- People who want Unix tools bundled on a Windows console
Matches Windows Terminal on tabs, panes and GPU rendering, but adds a built-in multiplexer with workspaces, Lua configuration and Linux and macOS builds.
best for
- Users who want scripted config in one language
- Anyone who wants multiplexer features without a separate tool
strengths
- Config is written in Lua, a full programming language
- Native tabs, panes and workspaces; the multiplexer works over SSH
- Ligatures and image support
- Written in Rust, runs on Linux, macOS and Windows
weaknesses
- Lua config takes more effort than Windows Terminal's settings and key bindings
- No listed profile integration for PowerShell, CMD or WSL comparable to Windows Terminal's shell list
Where Windows Terminal is a local shell host, Tabby adds an SSH client with a connection manager, SFTP, serial port support and a plugin system.
best for
- Sysadmins who connect to many servers
- Developers working with serial devices
strengths
- Built-in SSH client with connection manager
- Serial device connections
- Built-in SFTP file transfer
- Plugin system; runs on Linux, macOS and Windows
weaknesses
- Written in TypeScript, so it is not a native C++ or Rust application like Windows Terminal or WezTerm
- Broader scope than a plain terminal if you only need local shells
Drops tabs and splits entirely in exchange for an OpenGL-rendered, single-window terminal configured through a TOML file.
best for
- Users who prefer speed and minimal features
- People who already run a separate terminal multiplexer
strengths
- OpenGL GPU-accelerated rendering
- TOML-based configuration file
- Vi mode for scrollback navigation
- Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows and BSD
weaknesses
- No tabs or splits; it expects a window manager or a separate multiplexer
- Loses the multi-shell tab workflow Windows Terminal provides out of the box
Windows-only like Windows Terminal, but it is a portable package bundling ConEmu, Git, clink and Unix tools rather than a standalone terminal app.
best for
- Windows users who want Unix commands available in the console
- Portable setups carried between machines
strengths
- Bundles ConEmu with Git, clink and Unix tools
- Portable package
- Themes and aliases for customization
weaknesses
- Windows only, so no shared setup with Linux or macOS
- No GPU acceleration listed, unlike Windows Terminal
A GPU-accelerated terminal like Windows Terminal, but it puts VT sequence conformance and sixel graphics first and runs on three operating systems.
best for
- Users who need sixel image output
- Users who care about terminal standards conformance
strengths
- OpenGL rendering
- Sixel graphics support
- Strong VT sequence compliance
- Ligature support on Linux, macOS and Windows
weaknesses
- Much smaller user base than Windows Terminal
- Built-in multiplexing and SSH features are not documented by the project
Themed and extended with HTML, CSS, JS and npm plugins, Hyper trades Windows Terminal's native rendering for an Electron-based app.
best for
- Web developers who want to customize with familiar web technologies
strengths
- npm-based plugin ecosystem
- Theming with HTML, CSS and JS
- Same look on Linux, macOS and Windows
weaknesses
- Electron-based and described by the project as not the fastest
- No GPU-accelerated rendering listed, unlike Windows Terminal
Why look beyond Windows Terminal
Windows Terminal is the default on Windows, but its scope has limits.
- It runs only on Windows, so your config does not carry to Linux or macOS machines
- It is a local shell host with no built-in SSH client, SFTP or serial port support
- Customization is through themes, backgrounds and key bindings, not a scripting language
- Windows Terminal lacks a bundled Unix toolset, which cmder packages with ConEmu
Stay with Windows Terminal if
- You work mostly in PowerShell, CMD, WSL or Azure Cloud Shell and want them in one tabbed window
- You only use Windows and have no need for a cross-platform terminal config
- Tabs, panes, Unicode and emoji support, and themes already cover your needs
When not to use these
- You need only the default Windows shell experience with PowerShell, CMD and WSL profiles, where Windows Terminal already fits
- You want a full session-persistence multiplexer workflow; a separate terminal multiplexer may suit you better than any of these terminal emulators
FAQ
- What is the closest alternative to Windows Terminal?
- WezTerm. It has tabs, panes and GPU-accelerated rendering like Windows Terminal, adds a built-in multiplexer and Lua configuration, and also runs on Linux and macOS.
- Which Windows Terminal alternative has a built-in SSH client?
- Tabby includes an SSH client with a connection manager, SFTP file transfer and serial port support. WezTerm's multiplexer can also work over SSH.
- Is there a Windows Terminal alternative without tabs?
- Alacritty has no tabs or splits. It is meant to be used with a window manager or a separate terminal multiplexer, and it configures through a TOML file.
- Is Windows Terminal available on Linux or macOS?
- No. It is listed for Windows only. WezTerm, Tabby, Alacritty, Hyper and Contour run on Windows, Linux and macOS.