TouchRuler vs mtm

TouchRuler6.4Visit Mmtm5.5Visit

Higher score TouchRuler #6 in Touch Bar Apps 6.4/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 6 features Visit TouchRuler

vs

M mtm #8 in Touch Bar Apps 5.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 6 features Visit mtm

• TouchRuler fits best

  Users who need a small ruler on a Touch Bar Mac

• mtm fits best

  Terminal users seeking split virtual terminals

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Side by side

Feature	TouchRuler 6.4/10 Visit ↗	Mmtm 5.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	6.4	5.5
Ranking	#6 in Touch Bar Apps	#8 in Touch Bar Apps
Best for	Users who need a small ruler on a Touch Bar Mac	Terminal users seeking split virtual terminals
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$0.99 one-time	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Self-hosted
Platforms	macOS	Linux, macOS
Built for	Solo	Solo, Small business
Features TouchRuler 0/6 · mtm 0/6
Custom layouts	—	Not checked yet
App launching	—	Not checked yet
Media controls	—	Not checked yet
System controls	—	Not checked yet
Custom shortcuts	—	Not checked yet
Profiles	—	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Includes a 20-centimetre on-screen ruler and 12-centimetre Touch Bar ruler Click Pad captures measurements and copies them to the clipboard Offers automatic or manual calibration, four themes, and transparency	Splits one terminal into multiple virtual terminals Directional navigation and quick switching between terminals Open-source, self-hosted tool for Linux and macOS
Cons	Touch Bar ruler works only on compatible MacBook Pro models Focused on measurement rather than Touch Bar controls or customization Costs $0.99 one-time, with no free plan	No native Touch Bar controls are described Requires local compilation with ncurses or compatible curses Terminal-focused scope omits broader workspace features
Our verdict	For quick measurements against a Mac display or nearby objects, TouchRuler combines an on-screen ruler with a smaller ruler on compatible MacBook Pro Touch Bars. It also provides a Notification Center mini widget that can be dragged onto… Read the review →	mtm, the Micro Terminal Multiplexer, is a small open-source utility for Unix-like command-line environments. It is designed for solo users and small teams who want to divide one terminal into multiple virtual terminals without adopting a… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• TouchRuler — where it wins

  • Includes a 20-centimetre on-screen ruler and 12-centimetre Touch Bar ruler
  • Click Pad captures measurements and copies them to the clipboard
  • Offers automatic or manual calibration, four themes, and transparency

  Where it doesn't

  • Touch Bar ruler works only on compatible MacBook Pro models
  • Focused on measurement rather than Touch Bar controls or customization
  • Costs $0.99 one-time, with no free plan

• mtm — where it wins

  • Splits one terminal into multiple virtual terminals
  • Directional navigation and quick switching between terminals
  • Open-source, self-hosted tool for Linux and macOS

  Where it doesn't

  • No native Touch Bar controls are described
  • Requires local compilation with ncurses or compatible curses
  • Terminal-focused scope omits broader workspace features

• TouchRuler6.4/10 · Paid

  A focused measuring utility for Mac, priced at $0.99 one-time.

  Visit TouchRulerFull verdict →
• Mmtm5.5/10 · Free plan

  A focused, free terminal multiplexer—not a Touch Bar utility.

  Visit mtmFull verdict →