Ghostty vs iTerm2: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Ghostty and iTerm2? Both are popular terminals & cli tools tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Both Ghostty and iTerm2 are strong terminals & cli tools choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences. In our catalog, Ghostty rates slightly higher (4.8 vs 4.6 out of 5).
Ghostty vs iTerm2 — Side by Side
| Ghostty | iTerm2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Terminals & CLI Tools | Terminals & CLI Tools |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Best for | Terminals & CLI Tools — terminal, gpu | Terminals & CLI Tools — terminal, macos |
Pros & Cons
- Very fast, with low input latency
- Feels native on each platform
- Sensible defaults with little configuration needed
- Fewer power-user features than iTerm2
- No built-in AI
- Younger project, so plugins and themes are still growing
- Mature and extremely configurable
- Best-in-class tmux integration
- Free with no account or telemetry
- macOS only
- Not as fast as GPU-first terminals like Ghostty
- Settings sprawl can be overwhelming
Key Features Compared
Ghostty
- GPU-accelerated rendering
- Native UI on macOS (SwiftUI) and Linux (GTK)
- Tabs, splits and multi-window
- Embeddable libghostty core
iTerm2
- Split panes, hotkey window, profiles
- Native tmux integration
- Triggers and shell integration
Choose Ghostty if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Very fast, with low input latency
- Feels native on each platform
- Sensible defaults with little configuration needed
Choose iTerm2 if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Mature and extremely configurable
- Best-in-class tmux integration
- Free with no account or telemetry
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ghostty better than iTerm2?⌄
Both Ghostty and iTerm2 are strong terminals & cli tools choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences. In our catalog, Ghostty rates slightly higher (4.8 vs 4.6 out of 5).
What is the difference between Ghostty and iTerm2?⌄
Ghostty — A fast, GPU-accelerated terminal with a fully native UI, from HashiCorp co-founder Mitchell Hashimoto. It is free and MIT-licensed. iTerm2 — The long-standing default terminal on macOS for developers. It is free, GPL-licensed and has deep tmux integration. Both are terminals & cli tools tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Ghostty vs iTerm2: which is cheaper?⌄
Ghostty pricing: Free. iTerm2 pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Ghostty or iTerm2?⌄
In our catalog, Ghostty rates 4.8 out of 5 and iTerm2 rates 4.6 out of 5, so Ghostty has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best terminals & cli tools tools for startups.
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