Tabby vs kitty

Tabby9.4Visit kitty9.0Visit

Higher score Tabby #1 in Terminal Emulators 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Tabby

vs

kitty #4 in Terminal Emulators 9.0/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 5 features Visit kitty

• Tabby fits best

  Power users needing SSH and extensive automation

• kitty fits best

  Linux and macOS power users needing SSH tooling

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Side by side

Feature	Tabby 9.4/10 Visit ↗	kitty 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.0
Ranking	#1 in Terminal Emulators	#4 in Terminal Emulators
Best for	Power users needing SSH and extensive automation	Linux and macOS power users needing SSH tooling
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Open source
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Self-hosted	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux, macOS
Integrations	10 integrations	3 integrations
Features Tabby 5/5 · kitty 4/5
Split panes	✓	✓
Session sync	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
GPU acceleration	✓	✓
Scripting API	✓	✓
SSH support	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux, macOS
Our review
Pros	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	GPU-accelerated rendering with tabs, windows, and split layouts SSH connection reuse plus remote file editing, opening, and downloading Programmable kittens, scripting, remote control, and saved sessions
Cons	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	Documented directory support is limited to Linux and macOS Its extensive controls and extensions may require configuration effort No cross-device session synchronization is documented
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 →	kitty is a GPU-based terminal emulator for power users and developers who need more than a basic command-line window. It combines tabs, windows, split layouts, configurable keyboard controls, terminal graphics, ligatures, hyperlinks, shell… 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

• kitty — where it wins

  • GPU-accelerated rendering with tabs, windows, and split layouts
  • SSH connection reuse plus remote file editing, opening, and downloading
  • Programmable kittens, scripting, remote control, and saved sessions

  Where it doesn't

  • Documented directory support is limited to Linux and macOS
  • Its extensive controls and extensions may require configuration effort
  • No cross-device session synchronization is documented

• Tabby9.4/10 · Free plan

  A versatile open-source terminal for power users who automate across systems.

  Visit TabbyFull verdict →
• kitty9.0/10 · Open source

  A programmable terminal with strong SSH workflows, graphics, layouts, and session control.

  Visit kittyFull verdict →