Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Terminal Multiplexers

tmux vs muxel

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score tmux #2 in Terminal Multiplexers 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit tmux
muxel #3 in Terminal Multiplexers 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit muxel

tmux leads on 1 check, muxel on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoretmux · 9.2/10
  • Free planboth

tmux scores higher on our rubric for terminal multiplexers: 9.2 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.

On persistence scope, muxel gives you Both where tmux offers Local. tmux offers collaboration features; muxel doesn't.

tmux is the better fit for proven Unix terminal session management. muxel is the better fit for cross-platform developers and coding agents.

  • tmux fits best

    Proven Unix terminal session management

  • muxel fits best

    Cross-platform developers and coding agents

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature tmux 9.2/10 Visit ↗ muxel 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 9.0
Ranking #2 in Terminal Multiplexers #3 in Terminal Multiplexers
Best for Proven Unix terminal session management Cross-platform developers and coding agents
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Desktop
Platforms Linux, macOS Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features tmux 2/4 · muxel 2/4
Session synchronization Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Collaboration features ✓ (best) —
Custom pane layouts ✓ ✓
Plugins or extensions Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Persistence scope Local Both
Access platforms OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Linux, macOS, and Solaris Linux, macOS, Windows desktop app; remote SSH hosts
Maximum sessions Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Persistent sessions continue running after detaching
  • Flexible sessions, windows, panes, layouts, and key bindings
  • Open-source, free, scriptable, and supports multiple clients
  • Free and open source under GPL-3.0
  • Rich panes, tabs, saved layouts, and persistent sessions
  • Built-in Git worktrees, editor, file browser, and agent tracking
Cons
  • Persistence is local rather than synchronized across devices
  • Requires command-line familiarity and configuration
  • No formal plugin system is part of its documented model
  • No collaboration features
  • GPL-3.0 terms may not suit every commercial use
  • Focused on developers managing multiple coding sessions
Our verdict

tmux is an open-source terminal multiplexer for command-line users on Unix-like operating systems. It creates and controls multiple terminals from one screen, organizing them into sessions, windows, and panes. Users can detach from a…

Read the review →

muxel is a native desktop terminal multiplexer for developers running multiple coding agents and shells at once. It creates tiled and tabbed workspaces on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with resizable horizontal and vertical panes,…

Read the review →
  1. tmuxTerminal Multiplexers 9.2Free plan
  2. muxelTerminal Multiplexers 9.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • tmux — where it wins

    • Persistent sessions continue running after detaching
    • Flexible sessions, windows, panes, layouts, and key bindings
    • Open-source, free, scriptable, and supports multiple clients

    Where it doesn't

    • Persistence is local rather than synchronized across devices
    • Requires command-line familiarity and configuration
    • No formal plugin system is part of its documented model

  • muxel — where it wins

    • Free and open source under GPL-3.0
    • Rich panes, tabs, saved layouts, and persistent sessions
    • Built-in Git worktrees, editor, file browser, and agent tracking

    Where it doesn't

    • No collaboration features
    • GPL-3.0 terms may not suit every commercial use
    • Focused on developers managing multiple coding sessions
  • tmux9.2/10 · Free plan

    A free, scriptable way to manage persistent local terminal sessions across Unix platforms.

    Visit tmuxFull verdict →
  • muxel9.0/10 · Free plan

    A free, open-source workspace for managing multiple local and remote coding sessions.

    Visit muxelFull verdict →

More comparisons

All terminal multiplexers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update