Best Terminal Emulators in 2026
Updated
38 terminal emulators ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
38ranked
0free plans on this page
4 Oct 2026last checked
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 26 xterm No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.8 Supported platforms: linux, macos, windowsSplit panes: No
- 27 QTerminal No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.7 Supported platforms: linux, macosSplit panes: Yes
- 28 Guake No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6 Supported platforms: linuxSplit panes: Yes
- 29 Yakuake No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Supported platforms: LinuxSplit panes: Yes
- 30 Tilda No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: Linux
- 31 mintty No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Supported platforms: WindowsSplit panes: No
- 32 Xfce Terminal No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1
- 33 GNOME Console No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1 Supported platforms: linux
- 34 Sakura No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.0 Supported platforms: Linux
- 35 Cool Retro Term No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.0 Supported platforms: linux, macos
- 36 LXTerminal No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.0 Supported platforms: linuxSplit panes: No
- 37 Terminology No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 4.9 Supported platforms: LinuxSplit panes: Yes
- 38 st No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 4.7
Compare all 13 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Split panes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | xterm | 5.8 | No | Yes | — | linux, macos, windows | No |
| 27 | QTerminal | 5.7 | No | Yes | — | linux, macos | Yes |
| 28 | Guake | 5.6 | No | Yes | — | linux | Yes |
| 29 | Yakuake | 5.5 | No | Yes | — | Linux | Yes |
| 30 | Tilda | 5.4 | No | Yes | — | Linux | — |
| 31 | mintty | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Windows | No |
| 32 | Xfce Terminal | 5.1 | No | — | — | — | — |
| 33 | GNOME Console | 5.1 | No | Yes | — | linux | — |
| 34 | Sakura | 5.0 | No | Yes | — | Linux | — |
| 35 | Cool Retro Term | 5.0 | No | Yes | — | linux, macos | — |
| 36 | LXTerminal | 5.0 | No | Yes | — | linux | No |
| 37 | Terminology | 4.9 | No | Yes | — | Linux | Yes |
| 38 | st | 4.7 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
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