Head-to-head · Terminal Emulators
Ghostty vs Contour
Ghostty leads on 0 checks, Contour on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreGhostty · 8.3/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresContour · 5 of 5
Ghostty scores higher on our rubric for terminal emulators: 8.3 against 7.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #10 and #24.
Ghostty is the better fit for macOS and Linux users wanting a modern GPU terminal. Contour is the better fit for users needing persistent sessions across platforms.
- Ghostty fits best
macOS and Linux users wanting a modern GPU terminal
- Contour fits best
Users needing persistent sessions across platforms
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Side by side
| Feature | Ghostty 8.3/10 Visit ↗ | Contour 7.1/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.3 | 7.1 |
| Ranking | #10 in Terminal Emulators | #24 in Terminal Emulators |
| Best for | macOS and Linux users wanting a modern GPU terminal | Users needing persistent sessions across platforms |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Platforms | macOS, Linux | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Features Ghostty 4/5 · Contour 5/5 | ||
| Split panes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Session sync | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| GPU acceleration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scripting API | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSH support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Supported platforms | macOS, Linux | Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Windows |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Ghostty is a free, open-source terminal emulator for macOS and Linux. It is aimed at developers, system administrators, and command-line users who want a native terminal with GPU-accelerated rendering and a modern workspace layout. The… Read the review → |
Contour is an open-source terminal emulator for developers and other power users. It combines GPU-accelerated rendering with tabs, split panes, configurable profiles, Unicode support, image protocols, vi-like input modes, runtime… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Ghostty — where it wins
- GPU rendering with Metal on macOS and OpenGL on Linux
- Tabs, windows, split panes, themes, ligatures, and Kitty graphics
- Shell integration, SSH environment forwarding, and macOS AppleScript automation
Where it doesn't
- Supports macOS and Linux, but not Windows
- Session synchronization is not a verified capability
- AppleScript automation is limited to macOS
Contour — where it wins
- Persistent sessions can reattach locally or over an encrypted network connection
- GPU rendering, tabs, split panes, and configurable terminal profiles
- Broad Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD support with SSH and tmux interoperability
Where it doesn't
- Daemon mode, central to persistent sessions, is experimental
- Powerful configuration and command-line controls favor experienced users
- Focused on terminal workflows rather than a broader remote-development suite
- Ghostty8.3/10 · Free plan
A free, open-source GPU terminal with strong macOS and Linux workflows.
Visit GhosttyFull verdict → - Contour7.1/10 · Free plan
A cross-platform terminal with strong persistent-session and tmux support.
Visit ContourFull verdict →
All terminal emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update