kitty alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave kitty: no Windows support, and config file only, no settings UI. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces kitty, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Ghostty currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	WezTerm	Open source	Yes	Linux, macOS, Windows	4 of 4	62.6
2	Alacritty	Open source	Yes	Linux, macOS, Windows	4 of 4	59.6

1. WezTermTop pick
Best for: Developers who want one scriptable terminal and multiplexer across every OS
Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows
62.6
score / 100
Why switch from kitty
Comparable features with Windows support and Lua configuration.
Pros
Same terminal and config on Linux, macOS and Windows
Built-in multiplexer with SSH domains
Lua configuration allows real scripting
Cons
Stable releases are infrequent
Lua config can be daunting
Largely maintained by one person
Visit WezTerm Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is WezTerm a good kitty alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Windows 10, FreeBSD, NetBSD
Checked Oct 25, 2026wezterm.org(opens source in a new tab)
Multiplexing
Local and remote panes, tabs and windows
Checked Oct 25, 2026wezterm.org(opens source in a new tab)
Language
Rust
Checked Oct 25, 2026wezterm.org(opens source in a new tab)
Fonts
Ligatures, colour emoji, font fallback
Checked Oct 25, 2026wezterm.org(opens source in a new tab)
2. Alacritty
Best for: Minimalists who run tmux or a tiling window manager and want a fast terminal
Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows
59.6
score / 100
Why switch from kitty
Stripped-down and fast, for people who prefer tmux for tiling.
Pros
Fast and lightweight with simple defaults
Runs on Linux, BSD, macOS and Windows
Vi mode and hints for keyboard-driven use
Cons
No tabs or splits by design
No ligatures or inline image support
Configuration is file-only
Visit Alacritty Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Alacritty a good kitty alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
License
Apache-2.0
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
BSD, Linux, macOS, Windows
Checked Oct 25, 2026alacritty.org(opens source in a new tab)
Maturity
Beta
Checked Oct 25, 2026alacritty.org(opens source in a new tab)
Config format
TOML
Checked Oct 25, 2026alacritty.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best kitty alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Best kitty alternative for most people

Ghostty

Native macOS and GTK interface with similar speed and simpler config.

Best kitty alternative for a free option

WezTerm

Comparable features with Windows support and Lua configuration.

Best kitty alternative for open source

Alacritty

Stripped-down and fast, for people who prefer tmux for tiling.

Best kitty alternative for Mac

iTerm2

Mature macOS terminal with a settings UI instead of a config file.

Best kitty alternative for Windows

WezTerm

Comparable features with Windows support and Lua configuration.

Best kitty alternative for Linux

foot

Lightweight Wayland-native option for Linux desktops.

kitty alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to kitty?

Ghostty ranks first right now. Native macOS and GTK interface with similar speed and simpler config. WezTerm and Alacritty follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to kitty?

Yes. Ghostty (open source), WezTerm (open source), Alacritty (open source) and foot (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to kitty?

Yes: Ghostty, WezTerm, Alacritty and foot, plus 1 more in the list above.

Which kitty alternatives work on Linux?

Ghostty, WezTerm, Alacritty and foot run on Linux.

Why do people switch from kitty?

The complaints we hear most: no Windows support; config file only, no settings UI; opinionated defaults and design decisions.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces kitty, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.