Head-to-head · Terminal Emulators
Tabby vs Ghostty
Tabby leads on 0 checks, Ghostty 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 scoreTabby · 9.4/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresTabby · 5 of 5
Tabby scores higher on our rubric for terminal emulators: 9.4 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #10.
Tabby is the better fit for power users needing SSH and extensive automation. Ghostty is the better fit for macOS and Linux users wanting a modern GPU terminal.
- Tabby fits best
Power users needing SSH and extensive automation
- Ghostty fits best
macOS and Linux users wanting a modern GPU terminal
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Side by side
| Feature | Tabby 9.4/10 Visit ↗ | Ghostty 8.3/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.4 | 8.3 |
| Ranking | #1 in Terminal Emulators | #10 in Terminal Emulators |
| Best for | Power users needing SSH and extensive automation | macOS and Linux users wanting a modern GPU terminal |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Desktop, Self-hosted | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | macOS, Linux |
| Features Tabby 5/5 · Ghostty 4/5 | ||
| Split panes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Session sync | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| GPU acceleration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scripting API | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSH support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Supported platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | macOS, Linux |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Tabby is an open-source terminal emulator for developers and system administrators who work across local shells, remote servers, serial connections, and Telnet. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and also offers a self-hosted web… Read the review → |
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 → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Tabby — where it wins
- Integrated SSH includes jump hosts, forwarding, and connection management
- Nested split panes, GPU rendering, and extensive customization
- Documented TypeScript plugin API supports automation-focused extensions
Where it doesn't
- Session sync depends on a plugin using Gist or Gitee
- Its broad feature set may exceed simple local-shell needs
- The web application is available through self-hosting
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
- Tabby9.4/10 · Free plan
A versatile open-source terminal for power users who automate across systems.
Visit TabbyFull verdict → - Ghostty8.3/10 · Free plan
A free, open-source GPU terminal with strong macOS and Linux workflows.
Visit GhosttyFull verdict →
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All terminal emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update