Alternatives
Best Hyper alternatives in 2026
Hyper is extensible terminal app with plugins, themes and a config file. These 9 alternatives come from the same rankings, ordered by editorial score. Connected products carry a small, disclosed lift.
Ranked alternatives
- 1
WezTerm
Also runs on Linux. A cross-platform terminal and multiplexer with SSH, serial ports and copy mode built in, under the MIT license. Its configuration surface is large, so the first setup takes time.
Best for One cross-platform terminal with multiplexing
WindowsmacOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
- 2
iTerm2
A long-standing macOS terminal with split panes, profiles and shell integration, free under the GPL v2. It runs only on macOS, so it cannot cover a mixed set of computers.
Best for Power features on a Mac
macOSFree and open sourceOpen source
- 3
Ghostty
Also runs on Linux. A fast, native terminal for macOS and Linux with GPU acceleration and search through scrollback, under the MIT license. Its download page lists no Windows build, and it is a younger project.
Best for Fast native terminal on macOS and Linux
macOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
- 4
Windows Terminal
Microsoft's MIT-licensed terminal for Windows, free from the Microsoft Store and built to host cmd, PowerShell and WSL sessions. It runs only on Windows.
Best for Windows, WSL and command-line work
WindowsFree and open sourceOpen source
- 5
kitty
Also runs on Linux. A GPU-based terminal for Linux and macOS with window layouts, a remote control protocol and image display. It has no Windows build, and its GPL-3.0 license requires shared source for modified distributions.
Best for Scripting and layouts on Linux or macOS
LinuxmacOSFree and open sourceOpen source
- 6
Warp
Also runs on Linux. A modern terminal with built-in AI agents, available for macOS, Linux and Windows, with a Free plan. Paid plans bill extra agent usage, and its focus on agents differs from a plain terminal.
Best for Terminal work with built-in AI agents
macOSLinuxWindowsFree plan, paid upgradesOpen source
- 7
Tabby
Also runs on Linux. MIT-licensed terminal with a built-in SSH client, a serial terminal, plugins and themes for Windows, macOS and Linux. It ranks above Alacritty here for its built-in SSH and serial tools.
Best for SSH and serial work in one desktop terminal
WindowsmacOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
- 8
Alacritty
Also runs on Linux. A fast, minimal OpenGL terminal for BSD, Linux, macOS and Windows under Apache-2.0 or MIT. It has no built-in tabs or splits, and the project describes itself as beta-level software.
Best for Minimal, fast terminal with a multiplexer
LinuxmacOSWindowsFree and open sourceOpen source
- 9
Terminator
Also runs on Linux. GPL-2.0 Linux terminal that combines and recombines several terminals in one window, aimed at people with many shells open. It is Linux-only and narrower than the cross-platform terminals here.
Best for Several shells side by side on a Linux desktop
LinuxFree and open sourceOpen source
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