This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them

Period

–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

w3m

Free#124 of 145 in Web BrowsersGame Asset Extractors

w3m: A focused terminal browser for Linux workflows, not a general-purpose graphical alternative. Ranked #124 of 145 in Web Browsers by our editors (3.0/10); pricing: Open source; best for linux users who need text-mode terminal browsing.

3.0/10Editor score

Visit Debian Project

w3m3.0 Visit Debian Project

At a glance

Editor score
3.0 / 10
Pricing
Open source
Best for
Linux users who need text-mode terminal browsing
Paid from
Free
Facts checked
19 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Browses local documents and HTTP or HTTPS pages in a terminal.
- Supports forms, frames, cookies, tabs, bookmarks, and history.
- Can dump rendered pages, source, or responses to standard output.
Where it doesn't
- Text-only interface is a poor fit for graphical browsing.
- Mouse navigation depends on being compiled with mouse support.
- SSL support requires a build with OpenSSL.

Our verdict on w3m

w3m brings web browsing to a terminal emulator, combining a text-mode browser with pager functions. It is suited to Linux users who need to read web pages or local documents from a terminal, including remote sessions and scripting workflows. Rather than aiming to replace a graphical browser, it focuses on displaying text and providing keyboard-oriented navigation, with mouse navigation available when compiled with mouse support.

Its feature set covers more than page viewing: w3m supports HTTP and HTTPS, hyperlinks, HTML frames and forms, cookie storage with acceptance controls, tabs, bookmarks, and browsing history. Search and downloads are also included. A distinctive capability is output to standard output: w3m can dump rendered pages, page source, or responses, which makes it useful in terminal-based workflows where the result needs to be read or passed along outside a graphical interface. SSL support is a build-time capability requiring OpenSSL, so that depends on how the software is built.

w3m is open source and listed for Linux, making it a fit for people who prioritize terminal access and text rendering over a visual browsing experience. Its narrow focus is also its main limitation: it is not a substitute for a browser centered on graphical page presentation, and mouse support is conditional. Choose it for text-mode browsing, local document reading, or rendered output in terminal workflows; choose another browser if your work depends on a graphical interface or features such as extensions, synchronization, ad blocking, or tracking protection.

Your product? Our editors can test w3m in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

w3m pricing

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

See plans on github.com

w3m fact sheet

Free plan	Not verified
Paid from	Free
Supported platforms	Desktop
Browser engine	Not verified
Built-in ad blocking	Not verified
Tracking protection	Not verified
Extension support	Not verified
Cross-device sync	Not verified
Open source	Yes
Deployment	Desktop
Platforms	Linux
Pricing	Open source
Website	github.com
Facts checked	19 Sep 2026

Alternatives to w3m

See all w3m alternatives →

Also Ranked In

w3m is ranked in 2 of our directories.

#24Game Asset Extractors24 tools ranked

Used w3m? Be the first to review it

The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used w3m for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears

Reviews come only from verified accounts. Sign in or create an account first — your e-mail is never shown.

Title

Your review

0 characters · at least 80, up to 3,000

Pros (optional · one per line)

Cons (optional · one per line)

Your name (shown with your review)

Role (optional)

Company (optional)

How long have you used it?

I've used w3m myself and this is my honest opinion — nobody paid or asked me to write it.

Posted from your verified account. Reviews appear after an editor reads them, usually within two working days.

Featured on iTechGuides

w3m is listed in our Web Browsers directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/w3m/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/w3m.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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.

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update