Windows Terminal vs kitty

WTWindows Terminal9.3Visit kitty9.0Visit

Higher score WT Windows Terminal #2 in Terminal Emulators 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Microsoft

vs

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

• Windows Terminal fits best

  Windows users with multiple shell environments

• kitty fits best

  Linux and macOS power users needing SSH tooling

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Side by side

Feature	WTWindows Terminal 9.3/10 Visit ↗	kitty 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	9.0
Ranking	#2 in Terminal Emulators	#4 in Terminal Emulators
Best for	Windows users with multiple shell environments	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	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Linux, macOS
Integrations	6 integrations	3 integrations
Features Windows Terminal 4/5 · kitty 4/5
Split panes	✓	✓
Session sync	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
GPU acceleration	✓	✓
Scripting API	✓	✓
SSH support	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows	Linux, macOS
Our review
Pros	Hosts PowerShell, Command Prompt, WSL, Git Bash, and Azure Cloud Shell Tabs, split panes, profiles, themes, shortcuts, and customizable backgrounds GPU-accelerated rendering, SSH profiles, and wt.exe command-line automation	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	Runs on Windows rather than across multiple operating systems Its value depends on working primarily with command-line tools Profile and layout customization may require workflow configuration	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	Windows Terminal is Microsoft’s open-source terminal application for running command-line shells and applications on Windows. It is aimed at users who move between PowerShell, Command Prompt, Windows Subsystem for Linux distributions,… 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

• Windows Terminal — where it wins

  • Hosts PowerShell, Command Prompt, WSL, Git Bash, and Azure Cloud Shell
  • Tabs, split panes, profiles, themes, shortcuts, and customizable backgrounds
  • GPU-accelerated rendering, SSH profiles, and wt.exe command-line automation

  Where it doesn't

  • Runs on Windows rather than across multiple operating systems
  • Its value depends on working primarily with command-line tools
  • Profile and layout customization may require workflow configuration

• 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

• WTWindows Terminal9.3/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source Windows terminal with tabs, panes, profiles, and automation.

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

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

  Visit kittyFull verdict →