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mintty

Free#32 of 40 in Terminal Emulators

mintty: A capable open-source Windows terminal for xterm workflows, with tabs and graphics support. Ranked #32 of 40 in Terminal Emulators by our editors (6.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for windows users needing xterm compatibility.

6.1/10Editor score

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At a glance

Editor score
6.1 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Windows users needing xterm compatibility
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Split panes
No
Facts checked
22 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Xterm-compatible emulation with Unicode, 256-color, and true-color rendering
- Virtual tabs, session switching, scrollback search, and configurable themes
- Supports Cygwin, MSYS, MSYS2, Git for Windows, and WSL integrations
Where it doesn't
- Windows-only support limits cross-platform use
- No native split-pane functionality
- SSH and networking require external packages such as OpenSSH or inetutils

Our verdict on mintty

mintty is an open-source terminal emulator for Windows users working with Cygwin, MSYS, MSYS2, Git for Windows, and WSL. Its focus is xterm-compatible terminal behavior in a native Windows desktop application, making it a practical fit for command-line workflows that depend on Unix-like environments on Windows. The feature set covers Unicode, 256-color and true-color rendering, virtual tabs, tabbar session switching, scrollback search, configurable fonts, themes, keyboard shortcuts, and options files. It also supports WSL sessions and command-line configuration.

For terminal presentation and session management, mintty goes beyond basic text input. Sixel, ReGIS, image, and Tektronix graphics support serve workflows that need richer terminal output, while logging and HTML or image screen export help preserve sessions or share terminal content. Its integrations with Cygwin, MSYS, MSYS2, Git for Windows, and WSL give it a clear ecosystem fit, particularly for developers and technical users already using one of those environments. The open-source model and free availability also make it suitable when a Windows-native terminal is needed without a paid tier.

The main trade-off is scope. mintty is Windows-only and does not provide native split panes; pane-oriented workflows depend on external terminal multiplexers. It also does not provide built-in networking, so SSH functionality comes through packages such as OpenSSH or inetutils rather than the emulator itself. Choose mintty for configurable xterm compatibility, tabs, search, logging, and terminal graphics across Cygwin, MSYS-family environments, Git for Windows, and WSL. Choose an alternative if native panes, built-in SSH, or support beyond Windows is central to the workflow.

Your product? Our editors can test mintty in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

mintty pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on mintty.github.io

mintty fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Supported platforms	Windows
Split panes	No
Session sync	Not verified
GPU acceleration	Not verified
Scripting API	Yes
SSH support	No
Deployment	Desktop
Platforms	Windows
Support	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business (editorial estimate)
Integrations	5 integrations: Cygwin, MSYS, MSYS2, Git for Windows, WSL
Pricing	Free plan
Website	mintty.github.io
Facts checked	22 Sep 2026

mintty integrations

mintty lists 5 integrations on its own site.

Cygwin
MSYS
MSYS2
Git for Windows
WSL

Alternatives to mintty

See all mintty alternatives →

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Featured on iTechGuides

mintty is listed in our Terminal Emulators directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update