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Comparison · Terminal emulators

Warp vs Windows Terminal: which is better in 2026?

Warp82.5#6 in best terminal emulatorsWindows Terminal86.5#4 in best terminal emulators

Windows Terminal ranks higher in our list of terminal emulators (#4 against #6, score 86.5 against 82.5).

  • 82.5
    Editorial score
    86.5
  • 3
    Platforms
    1
  • Yes
    Free to use
    Yes
  • Yes
    Open source
    Yes

Which should you choose?

Choose Warp if you want

Terminal work with built-in AI agents.

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.

Choose Windows Terminal if you want

Windows, WSL and command-line work.

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.

The main differences

  • Only Warp runs on Linux.
  • Only Warp runs on macOS.
  • Warp is free plan, paid upgrades; Windows Terminal is free and open source.

Side by side

WarpWindows Terminal
Score82.586.5
Rank in list#6 of 7#4 of 7
PriceFree plan, paid upgradesFree plan; Build $20 a month; Max $200 a month; Business and Enterprise on requestFree and open sourceFree from the Microsoft Store; MIT-licensed source on GitHub
Free to useYesYes
Open sourceYesYes
PlatformsmacOSLinuxWindowsmacOS, Linux, WindowsWindowsWindows
Made byNot statedMicrosoft
Built-in tabs and splitsYesYes
Best forTerminal work with built-in AI agentsWindows, WSL and command-line work
Strengths
  • Free plan for the terminal
  • Source code published on GitHub
  • Free and open source under the MIT license
  • Supports WSL distributions
Limits
  • Paid plans bill for agent usage beyond the included amount
  • Its focus on AI agents differs from a plain terminal
  • Windows only
  • Its code shares a repository with the Windows console host
LinksVisit site Visit site

Questions about Warp vs Windows Terminal

Is Windows Terminal better than Warp?
Windows Terminal ranks higher in our list of terminal emulators (#4 against #6, score 86.5 against 82.5). Warp is best for: terminal work with built-in AI agents. Windows Terminal is best for: windows, WSL and command-line work.
Which is cheaper, Warp or Windows Terminal?
Warp: Free plan; Build $20 a month; Max $200 a month; Business and Enterprise on request. Windows Terminal: Free from the Microsoft Store; MIT-licensed source on GitHub.
Do Warp and Windows Terminal run on the same platforms?
Warp supports macOS, Linux, Windows. Windows Terminal supports Windows.