The Best Terminal Multiplexers in 2026
We researched terminal multiplexers through official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Products are ranked on the category’s core job, value for money, and verified features such as persistent sessions, pane management, collaboration, platform access, and extensibility.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
Zellij#1 of 299.4/10A free, open-source multiplexer with layouts, plugins, persistence, and collaboration.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
tmux#2 of 299.2/10A free, scriptable way to manage persistent local terminal sessions across Unix platforms.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
muxel#3 of 299.0/10A free, open-source workspace for managing multiple local and remote coding sessions.
Free plan
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The full ranking 29 tools, best first
-
Best forFeature-rich cross-platform terminal multiplexing
A free, open-source multiplexer with layouts, plugins, persistence, and collaboration.
- Session synchronization
- Plugins or extensions
- Collaboration features
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Zellij -
Best forProven Unix terminal session management
A free, scriptable way to manage persistent local terminal sessions across Unix platforms.
- Collaboration features
- Custom pane layouts
9.2/10★★★★★Visit tmux -
Best forCross-platform developers and coding agents
A free, open-source workspace for managing multiple local and remote coding sessions.
- Session synchronization
- Custom pane layouts
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit muxel -
Best forPersistent tiled terminal workflows
An open-source multiplexer with workspaces, persistence, layouts, scripting, and web terminal access.
- Custom pane layouts
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit TUIOS -
Best forMulti-device terminal workspaces
A free, open-source workspace for managing persistent terminal projects across devices.
- Custom pane layouts
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Okena -
Best forAutomation-heavy multiplexing teams
RMUX combines tmux-compatible workflows with automation, local persistence, and browser sharing.
- Collaboration features
- Custom pane layouts
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit RMUX -
Best forEncrypted peer-to-peer collaboration
A free, open-source multiplexer for encrypted collaborative terminal sessions.
- Session synchronization
- Collaboration features
- Custom pane layouts
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit p2pmux -
Best forSelf-hosted web terminal operations
A broad, open-source terminal manager for persistent sessions across devices and users.
- Collaboration features
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit TermStation -
Best forAI-agent terminal workspaces
A focused open-source workspace for persistent, AI-assisted terminal work.
- Session synchronization
- Plugins or extensions
- Custom pane layouts
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Quil -
Best forPlugin-enabled macOS and Linux sessions
A feature-rich terminal multiplexer for local, persistent, plugin-enabled workflows.
- Plugins or extensions
- Custom pane layouts
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Ferrix -
Best forAgent-focused cross-platform sessions
An open-source multiplexer for persistent, agent-aware terminal workflows.
- Session synchronization
- Plugins or extensions
- Collaboration features
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Herdr -
Best forProgrammable and federated terminal sessions
A free, open-source multiplexer for programmable local and SSH-federated sessions.
- Session synchronization
- Collaboration features
- Custom pane layouts
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit amux -
Best forLocal terminal multiplexing on Linux and macOS
A capable local multiplexer for persistent sessions, recovery, layouts, and pane workflows.
- Collaboration features
- Custom pane layouts
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit TermDock -
Best forPersistent browser-accessible workspaces
A strong choice for persistent, browser-accessible terminal workspaces on macOS and Linux.
- Custom pane layouts
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit muxterm -
Best forMature tmux or Screen users
A free, mature terminal multiplexer with persistent sessions, layouts, and configurable status indicators.
- Custom pane layouts
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Byobu -
Best forClassic Unix persistent sessions
A free, open-source multiplexer for persistent local shell sessions.
- Collaboration features
- Custom pane layouts
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit GNU Screen -
Best forBrowser access to Herdr or tmux
A focused self-hosted bridge for browser access to Herdr, tmux, and multiple machines.
- Collaboration features
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Terminalz -
Best forWindows users wanting tmux compatibility
A free, open-source Windows multiplexer for persistent local sessions and flexible pane control.
- Plugins or extensions
- Custom pane layouts
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit wtmux -
Best forTiling-focused macOS and Linux users
A free, open-source multiplexer for persistent, tiled terminal workflows.
- Custom pane layouts
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit openmux -
Best forStraightforward desktop multiplexing
A focused open-source choice for keeping local terminal work organized and alive.
- Custom pane layouts
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit WMUX -
Best forSimple Unix terminal persistence
A focused open-source choice for persistent local Unix terminal sessions.
- Custom pane layouts
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Plux -
Best forNative Windows process supervision
A focused, open-source multiplexer for supervising persistent Windows CLI sessions.
- Plugins or extensions
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Conmux -
Best forMinimal persistent SSH sessions
A focused open-source option for persistent SSH sessions without panes or layouts.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Shpool -
Best forFree Windows-native multiplexing
A capable free Windows multiplexer for persistent, pane-based terminal workflows.
- Plugins or extensions
- Custom pane layouts
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit psmux -
Best forLightweight tiled console management
A capable free console tiler for POSIX users who can manage sessions separately.
- Custom pane layouts
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit dvtm -
Best forMinimal Unix pane splitting
A focused terminal splitter for users who want essential panes without workspace extras.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit mtm -
Best forLinux AI coding-agent sessions
A focused, open-source workspace for tracking AI coding agents on Linux.
- Plugins or extensions
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Séance -
Best formacOS AI-agent terminal workflows
A focused macOS workspace for running, recovering, and organizing coding-agent sessions.
- Plugins or extensions
- Custom pane layouts
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit qmux -
Best forResource booking rather than multiplexing
A resource reservation system, not a terminal multiplexer.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit LibreBooking
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Persistence scope | Collaboration features | Custom pane layouts | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zellij | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | tmux | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 3 | muxel | Yes | Free | Both | No | Yes | 9.0 |
| 4 | TUIOS | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Okena | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 6 | RMUX | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 8.7 | |
| 7 | p2pmux | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
| 8 | TermStation | Free | Local | Yes | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | Quil | Yes | Free | Local | No | Yes | 8.4 |
| 10 | Ferrix | Yes | Free | Local | No | Yes | 8.3 |
| 11 | Herdr | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 12 | amux | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 8.1 |
| 13 | TermDock | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 14 | muxterm | Free | Local | Yes | 7.9 | ||
| 15 | Byobu | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | 7.8 | |
| 16 | GNU Screen | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | Yes | 7.7 |
| 17 | Terminalz | Free | Local | Yes | 7.6 | ||
| 18 | wtmux | Free | Local | Yes | 7.5 | ||
| 19 | openmux | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | 7.4 | |
| 20 | WMUX | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | 7.3 | |
| 21 | Plux | Yes | Free | Local | No | Yes | 7.2 |
| 22 | Conmux | Yes | Free | Local | 7.1 | ||
| 23 | Shpool | Free | Local | No | No | 7.0 | |
| 24 | psmux | Yes | Free | Local | Yes | 6.8 | |
| 25 | dvtm | Yes | Free | Yes | 6.6 | ||
| 26 | mtm | Yes | Free | 6.5 | |||
| 27 | Séance | Yes | Free | Local | No | 6.4 | |
| 28 | qmux | Yes | Free | Local | No | Yes | 6.3 |
| 29 | LibreBooking | Yes | Free | 6.0 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- Zellij vs tmux
- Zellij vs muxel
- Zellij vs TUIOS
- Zellij vs Okena
- Zellij vs RMUX
- Zellij vs p2pmux
- Zellij vs TermStation
- tmux vs muxel
- tmux vs TUIOS
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How we rank terminal multiplexers
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update