iTerm2 vs Windows Terminal: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between iTerm2 and Windows Terminal? 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 iTerm2 and Windows Terminal are strong terminals & cli tools choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.
iTerm2 vs Windows Terminal — Side by Side
| iTerm2 | Windows Terminal | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Terminals & CLI Tools | Terminals & CLI Tools |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Best for | Terminals & CLI Tools — terminal, macos | Terminals & CLI Tools — terminal, windows |
Pros & Cons
- 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
- Default and well-integrated on Windows 11
- One window for PowerShell, CMD and every WSL distro
- Open source and actively maintained
- Windows only
- Fewer advanced features than iTerm2 or WezTerm
- Settings UI still falls back to JSON for some options
Key Features Compared
iTerm2
- Split panes, hotkey window, profiles
- Native tmux integration
- Triggers and shell integration
Windows Terminal
- Tabs and panes across PowerShell, CMD and WSL
- GPU-accelerated text rendering
- JSON profiles, themes and key bindings
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
Choose Windows Terminal if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Default and well-integrated on Windows 11
- One window for PowerShell, CMD and every WSL distro
- Open source and actively maintained
Frequently Asked Questions
Is iTerm2 better than Windows Terminal?⌄
Both iTerm2 and Windows Terminal are strong terminals & cli tools choices. The right pick comes down to your specific feature needs, existing stack, and team preferences.
What is the difference between iTerm2 and Windows Terminal?⌄
iTerm2 — The long-standing default terminal on macOS for developers. It is free, GPL-licensed and has deep tmux integration. Windows Terminal — Microsoft's open-source, tabbed terminal for PowerShell, Command Prompt and WSL. It is the default on Windows 11 and free. Both are terminals & cli tools tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
iTerm2 vs Windows Terminal: which is cheaper?⌄
iTerm2 pricing: Free. Windows Terminal pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, iTerm2 or Windows Terminal?⌄
In our catalog, iTerm2 rates 4.6 out of 5 and Windows Terminal rates 4.6 out of 5 — they are evenly matched.
See more options in our guide to the best terminals & cli tools tools for startups.
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