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iTerm2: Pricing, Features & Alternatives

iTerm2 has been the first thing many developers install on a new Mac for well over a decade. Split panes, a hotkey window, search, autocomplete from history, triggers that react to output, shell integration that marks each command, and a native tmux mode (`tmux -CC`) that turns remote tmux sessions into real macOS tabs and windows. It is free, GPL-licensed, and funded by donations. It is macOS only, and its preferences window is famously deep, which is both the appeal and the complaint.

Category

Terminals & CLI Tools

Pricing

Free tier available

Free tier

Yes

Best for

Terminals & CLI Tools — terminal, macos

iTerm2 Pricing Plans (2026)

PlanPrice
FreePopular$0 (GPL, donation-supported)

Pricing summary: Free. Always confirm current pricing on the official site.

Key iTerm2 Features

  • Split panes, hotkey window, profiles
  • Native tmux integration
  • Triggers and shell integration

Pros

  • +Mature and extremely configurable
  • +Best-in-class tmux integration
  • +Free with no account or telemetry

Cons

  • −macOS only
  • −Not as fast as GPU-first terminals like Ghostty
  • −Settings sprawl can be overwhelming

Best iTerm2 Alternatives

Compare all

iTerm2 Compared

iTerm2 FAQ

What is iTerm2 used for?⌄

iTerm2 is a terminals & cli tools tool. The long-standing default terminal on macOS for developers. It is free, GPL-licensed and has deep tmux integration.

Is iTerm2 free?⌄

Yes — iTerm2 has a free tier you can start with, and paid plans for more usage and features.

How much does iTerm2 cost?⌄

iTerm2 is free to use.

What are the best iTerm2 alternatives?⌄

Popular iTerm2 alternatives include Ghostty, Windows Terminal, Warp. Compare pricing and features on our iTerm2 alternatives page.

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