Alacritty
Alacritty is a fast, cross-platform, OpenGL terminal emulator. It focuses on simplicity, performance, and compatibility. Alacritty supports hardware acceleration for faster rendering and reduced power usage.
Alacritty: Fast Cross-Platform OpenGL Terminal Emulator
Alacritty is a fast, cross-platform, OpenGL terminal emulator. It focuses on simplicity, performance, and compatibility. Alacritty supports hardware acceleration for faster rendering and reduced power usage.
What is Alacritty?
Alacritty is an open-source, cross-platform terminal emulator written in Rust. It uses OpenGL for hardware-accelerated rendering, allowing it to achieve high performance and low latency. Some key features of Alacritty include:
- Fast terminal rendering thanks to the use of GPU acceleration
- Excellent performance for workflows involving a large amount of text
- Compatible with most xterm-compatible terminals and applications
- Extensive configuration options for changing fonts, colors, scrolling, and more
- Window transparency and background blurring
- Supports standard terminal protocols like font style setting
Alacritty is focused primarily on simplicity and performance. It lacks some of the advanced features of more fully-featured terminal emulators, but makes up for this with its fast and lightweight approach. The GPU acceleration allows Alacritty to handle large volumes of text and frequent full-screen refreshes with minimal impact on CPU usage. This makes it well-suited for use cases like programming, log monitoring, and command-line workloads.
Overall, Alacritty is a good option for developers and power users who want a fast terminal focused specifically on performance over features. Its speed, small resource footprint, and extensive configuration support the needs of these types of demanding terminal workloads very well.
Alacritty Features
Features
- GPU-accelerated terminal emulator
- Uses OpenGL for rendering
- Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Configuration stored in YAML file
- Supports true color
- Mouse scrolling
- Unicode support
- Customizable key bindings
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Very fast rendering
Low memory usage
Smooth scrolling
Extensive configuration options
Actively developed and maintained
Cons
Limited built-in features compared to other terminals
Steep learning curve for configuration
Lacks some convenience features like tabs or splits
Requires GPU support
Official Links
Reviews & Ratings
Login to Review4.3
★
★
★
★
★
1 review
Rating Breakdown
Ease of Use
★
★
★
★
★
4.0
Features
★
★
★
★
★
4.0
Value for Money
★
★
★
★
★
5.0
Customer Support
★
★
★
★
★
4.0
Overall Experience
★
★
★
★
★
4.0
Recent Reviews
andrew
May 26, 2025
★
★
★
★
★
Blazing Fast Terminal with a Minimalist Philosophy
Alacritty is one of the fastest and most reliable terminal emulators out there. Written in Rust, it delivers excellent performance, with smooth rendering, low latency, and GPU acceleration that genuinely makes a difference—especially if you're running a lot of command-line …
Rating Distribution
The Best Alacritty Alternatives
Top Development and Terminal Emulators and other similar apps like Alacritty
Here are some alternatives to Alacritty:
Suggest an alternative ❐
Kitty terminal
Kitty is a terminal emulator that prioritizes speed, efficiency, and modern features. Some key aspects of Kitty:It utilizes GPU rendering to draw text, making everything from scrolling to opening new tabs much faster than traditional terminals.Supports Unicode and emoji out of the box with font ligatures for readability.Tab support allows...
ITerm2
iTerm2 is an open-source terminal emulator for macOS that serves as a replacement for the default Terminal application. It comes packed with useful features for developers, coders, and other power users.Some key features of iTerm2 include: - Split panes allow you to open multiple terminal sessions in one window for...
Terminator
Terminator is an open source terminal emulator application for Linux/UNIX operating systems. It provides a way to access the UNIX shell and run command-line programs and shell scripts. Some key features of Terminator include:Ability to split the window horizontally or vertically into multiple terminal panels. You can customize the arrangement...
WezTerm
WezTerm is a GPU-accelerated terminal emulator and multiplexer designed as an alternative to traditional terminal emulators like gnome-terminal, iTerm2, or the default terminal app in Windows. It is written in Rust and aims to provide performance and features not found in other terminals.Some key features of WezTerm include:Hardware-accelerated text rendering...
MobaXterm
MobaXterm is a free all-in-one terminal for Windows that bundles many useful remote network tools needed by IT administrators, webmasters, developers and power users into a single portable executable.Key features of MobaXterm include:Multi-tabbed SSH client with SFTP browser and remote editing capabilitiesAll the important network tools (SSH, X11, RDP, VNC,...
Termux
Termux is an Android terminal emulator and Linux environment app that transforms Android devices into powerful, command-line-based computing platforms. It offers a Linux-like terminal interface, enabling users to run Linux utilities, install packages, and perform a variety of tasks typically associated with a Linux environment. Key Features: Terminal Emulator: Termux...
Xshell
Xshell is a feature-rich terminal emulator, SSH client, and remote access software application developed by NetSarang Computer for Windows and macOS operating systems. It enables users to securely access remote servers, devices or computer systems via different protocols including SSH, Telnet, RDP, VNC, and SFTP.Some of the key features of...
Windows Terminal
Windows Terminal is a modern, versatile, and user-friendly terminal emulator application designed specifically for the Windows command-line interface. Released in 2019 by Microsoft, it comes pre-installed in Windows 11 and is available to download separately for Windows 10.Windows Terminal provides numerous major improvements over the traditional Windows console host. Key...
Cygwin
Cygwin is a large collection of GNU and Open Source tools which provide functionality similar to a Linux distribution on Windows. It provides a Unix-like API, command line tools (bash, ssh, rsync, etc.) and a large number of libraries to port software running on POSIX systems, such as Linux, BSD,...
Tabby Terminal
Tabby Terminal is a feature-rich, open-source terminal emulator that aims to provide a modern and user-friendly alternative to the default terminal app on Windows, Mac and Linux. It is compatible with most common Unix shells like zsh, bash etc.Some key features and highlights of Tabby Terminal include:Support for tabs -...
MSYS2
MSYS2 is a software distribution for Windows that provides a complete Unix-like environment on top of the Windows OS. It includes support for the bash shell, GNU compilers and build tools, and a pacman package manager for installing additional software.Key features of MSYS2 include:Bash shell and common Unix command line...
GNOME Terminal
GNOME Terminal is a popular, free, and open source terminal emulator for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. It comes pre-installed with most Linux distributions that use the GNOME desktop environment, such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora. As a terminal emulator, GNOME Terminal provides access to the command line...
Fig Terminal
Fig is a popular open source terminal emulator for Linux and Windows that emphasizes aesthetics without compromising on functionality. Some key features of Fig include:GPU-accelerated text rendering using DirectX or OpenGL results in sharp, clear text at all font sizes.Highly customizable themes allow adjusting colors, background transparency, cursor style, fonts,...
Yakuake
Yakuake is a drop-down terminal emulator designed for the KDE desktop environment. It allows users to quickly toggle open or close a terminal window by pressing the preconfigured hotkey, providing fast access to a fully-featured terminal in a streamlined manner.Among its key features, Yakuake provides:A Quake-style drop-down terminal window that...
ZOC
ZOC is a full-featured professional terminal emulator and SSH client for macOS and Windows operating systems. It has been developed by EmTek GmbH since the 1990s and has a strong reputation for being a reliable and efficient terminal software.Some of the key features of ZOC include:Supports major terminal protocols like...
Konsole
Konsole is a powerful and customizable terminal emulator for the KDE desktop environment on Linux operating systems. It provides access to the UNIX shell and enables running command-line programs, tools, and scripts.Some key features of Konsole include:Multiple tabbed terminalsSplit screen viewCustomizable appearance including fonts, color schemes, transparencyConfigurable keyboard shortcutsSupport for...
ConnectBot
ConnectBot is a popular open-source SSH and telnet client for the Android operating system. It enables users to securely connect to Linux or Unix servers, routers, switches, and other devices from their Android smartphones or tablets in order to manage them remotely.Some of the key features of ConnectBot include:Supports SSH...
LXTerminal
LXTerminal is a fast, lightweight, and user-friendly terminal emulator for Linux systems. It is designed to use minimal system resources while still providing a functional and intuitive terminal environment.Some key features of LXTerminal include:Low memory and CPU usage - ideal for older hardware or resource-constrained systemsTabbed interface for managing multiple...
PowerCmd
PowerCmd is a powerful command-line interface and scripting tool used to manage VMware vSphere environments. It provides automation capabilities to administrators by exposing vSphere APIs through an easy-to-use shell and comprehensive set of cmdlets.Key capabilities and benefits of PowerCmd include:Automating day-to-day virtualization tasks like virtual machine deployment, configuration, resource allocation...
Blink Shell
Blink Shell is an SSH client application designed specifically for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. It provides secure command line interface access to remote servers over SSH (Secure Shell).Some of the key features of Blink Shell include:Intuitive terminal interface optimized for touchscreensSupport for public/private key authenticationFully customizable themes and...
Cool Retro Term
Cool Retro Term is a free, open source terminal emulator with a retro graphical user interface. It mimics the aesthetics of old cathode ray tube (CRT) terminals commonly associated with early personal computers of the 70s, 80s and 90s.Despite the old-school visual style, Cool Retro Term has support for modern...
Wave Terminal
Wave Terminal is a feature-rich terminal emulator and command-line interface (CLI) tool for Windows, Mac and Linux. It aims to provide a fast, lightweight and intuitive terminal experience with advanced capabilities for power users.Some of the key features of Wave Terminal include:Multiple tabs and split panes for running multiple shells/applicationsCustom...
Android Terminal Emulator
Android Terminal Emulator is a powerful terminal emulator and Linux command line shell for Android. It allows Android users to access a Linux terminal environment directly on their Android device.Some key features of Android Terminal Emulator include:Full Linux terminal emulation with support for running shell commands and scriptsSSH client -...
Extraterm
Extraterm is a terminal emulator application designed for programmers, developers, and power users who work in the command line frequently. It aims to improve workflow efficiency with a clean and minimal interface that gets out of the user's way.Some of the key features of Extraterm include:Spatial arrangement of terminals -...
MacTerm
MacTerm is a popular terminal emulator application designed specifically for the macOS operating system. It provides users with a command line interface to access the Unix shell and run various commands and programs in a text-based environment.Some of the key features of MacTerm include:Supports common Unix shells like Bash, Zsh,...
Terminals
Terminals, also known as command-line interfaces, are text-based interfaces to a computer's operating system. Rather than using a graphical user interface (GUI) with elements like windows, icons and menus, terminals accept text-based commands from the user and display the operating system's text-based output.Terminals provide a powerful way to interact directly...
RXVT
RXVT is a popular open-source terminal emulator for the X Window System. It is highly configurable and customizable, allowing users to tune various aspects to suit their preferences and needs.Some key features of RXVT include:Tabbed windows - Allows multiple terminal sessions to be accessed from a single windowLightweight - Uses...
CsshX
csshX is an open source terminal emulator and SSH client developed specifically for macOS. It allows users to create multiple tabs and panes to manage multiple SSH sessions, servers, and accounts simultaneously.Some key features of csshX include:Supports simultaneous connections to multiple remote SSH serversTabbed interface for organizing sessions into logically...
TTYEmulator
TTYEmulator is a free and open source terminal emulator software for Windows, macOS and Linux operating systems. It provides a textual interface to access the underlying command lines and text user interfaces in modern operating systems with graphical user interfaces.Some key features of TTYEmulator include:Emulation of old style terminal environments...
QTerminal
QTerminal is a popular open-source terminal emulator for Linux desktop environments. It aims to provide a lightweight and customizable terminal experience with some key features:Multiple tab support for managing multiple terminal sessionsExtensive customization options including fonts, colors, keyboard shortcuts, layouts, etc.Integration with system desktop notifications for long running tasksSupport for...
PentestBox
PentestBox is an open source Linux distribution based on Debian that comes preinstalled with hundreds of popular hacking and penetration testing tools. It is designed to be run as a virtual machine inside VirtualBox, VMware, or other virtualization platforms to provide an isolated, disposable environment for practicing ethical hacking techniques.Some...
Black Box
Black Box is an open-source flight data analysis and animation tool for Linux. It enables detailed analysis of recorded flight data by transforming raw flight recorder files into animated replays showing the flight in a 3D environment.Key features of Black Box include:Decoding and analysis of flight data from a variety...
SmarTTY
SmarTTY is a popular free SSH and telnet client for Windows. It provides secure command line access to Linux and other systems from a Windows desktop or server.Some key features of SmarTTY include:Supports SSH ( Secure Shell) protocols including SSH1, SSH2, SCP, and SFTPTabbed interface for handling multiple sessionsPort forwarding...
Sakura
Sakura is a free, open source raster graphics editor for Microsoft Windows. It is designed to provide basic drawing and painting functionality similar to Microsoft Paint, but with some additional features.Some key features of Sakura include:Support for layers and layer managementAnti-aliased drawingCustomizable brushes with options for opacity, size, smoothing, and...
MATE Terminal
MATE Terminal is a terminal emulator application designed for use with the MATE desktop environment on Linux systems. It provides users with access to a text-based command-line interface (shell) such as Bash, Zsh, Fish etc. that allows executing commands and automating tasks on Linux.As a terminal emulator, MATE Terminal enables...
FireSSH
FireSSH is an open source SSH client that integrates directly into the Firefox web browser as an add-on. It allows users to access SSH servers and run terminal commands and programs directly from within the Firefox interface, without needing to install a separate SSH client application.Some key features of FireSSH...
Mintty
mintty is an open source terminal emulator for Windows that provides an enhanced terminal environment compared to the default Windows console host. Some of the major features of mintty include:Ability to resize the terminal window easily, support for fullscreen modeClipboard access allowing copy/paste from and to the terminalSupport for Unicode...
Deepin Terminal
Deepin Terminal is a terminal emulator application developed by Deepin Technology and included with the Deepin Linux distribution. It provides a graphical user interface to access the Linux shell and run commands.Some key features of Deepin Terminal include:Tabbed interface to open multiple terminal sessionsCustomizable themes and background image optionsKeyboard shortcuts...
Fluent Terminal
Fluent Terminal is a feature-rich terminal emulator for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. It provides a sleek, customizable interface to enhance productivity for developers, sysadmins, and power users who spend a lot of time working on the command line.Key features of Fluent Terminal include:Multi-tab interface to run multiple terminal...
Pantheon Terminal
Pantheon Terminal is a fast and lightweight terminal emulator designed for the Pantheon desktop environment on elementary OS. It focuses on providing a simple, easy-to-use interface while still allowing powerful terminal capabilities.Some key features of Pantheon Terminal include:Minimal and stylish UI that integrates well into the Pantheon desktopSupport for transparent...
TTwin 4
TTwin 4 is a file transfer utility software designed for Windows operating systems. It provides a simple and easy way for Windows users to transfer large files and folders over the internet.Some key features of TTwin 4 include:Uses peer-to-peer connections for transferring files which allows for fast transfer speedsNo file...
ConsoleZ
ConsoleZ is an open-source tabbed terminal emulator and shell enhancement utility for Windows. It provides multiple tabs and splits in a single window to manage multiple console or command-line interfaces simultaneously. Some of its major features include:Tabbed interface for running multiple command prompts, PowerShells, WSL distros, etc. in a single...
Poderosa
Poderosa is a free and open source SSH and telnet client application for Windows. It was first released in 1999 and focuses on providing powerful terminal emulation and secure remote access capabilities.Some of the key features of Poderosa include:Support for SSH and telnet protocols for remote accessTabbed interface to manage...
Rxvt-unicode
rxvt-unicode (also known as urxvt) is a highly customizable terminal emulator for the X Window System. It is a fork of the popular rxvt terminal emulator, with added support for Unicode and other features.Some of the key features of rxvt-unicode include:Unicode support, allowing you to display and input text in...
FbTerm
FbTerm is a free and open source terminal emulator for Linux systems. It is designed to be lightweight, fast, and highly customizable compared to other popular terminal emulators.Some key features of FbTerm include:Tabbed interface - Supports multiple tabs to run different terminal sessions.Theming - Comes with several color schemes and...
ROXTerm
ROXTerm is a powerful and customizable terminal emulator for Linux. It includes the following key features:Tabbed interface allowing multiple terminal sessions in one windowSplit tabs horizontally or vertically for flexible terminal layoutsCustomizable keyboard shortcuts for opening new tabs, switching tabs, etc.Support for Unicode and UTF-8 character encodingLight and dark color...
Better Terminal Emulator Pro
Better Terminal Emulator Pro is a feature-rich terminal emulator and SSH client for Windows that provides advanced functionality for developers, IT professionals, and power users. It builds on the standard Windows command prompt with numerous enhancements and customizations for an improved terminal experience.Key features of Better Terminal Emulator Pro include:...
PieTTY
PieTTY is an enhanced SSH and Telnet client for Windows that builds on the popular open source PuTTY terminal emulator. It provides many usability improvements over PuTTY while retaining full compatibility.Key features of PieTTY include:Tabbed interface to easily manage multiple sessionsCustom themes and colors for the UIAdvanced session filtering and...
Evilvte
evilvte is an open-source virtual terminal emulator for Linux and other UNIX-like operating systems. It is designed to be lightweight, fast, and customizable.Some key features of evilvte include:Written in C and uses GTK+ for the graphical interfaceSupports common terminal emulation standards like VT520/VT100Permits customizing colors, fonts, background image, transparency, etc.Keyboard...
Svte
SVTE (Short for Security Vulnerability Testing Environment) is an open-source penetration testing and vulnerability scanning automation tool. It provides a framework to quickly build security testing environments that integrate various open-source security tools and scripts.Some key features and capabilities of SVTE include:Automated scanning and identification of vulnerabilities across networks, web...
Terminology
Terminology is a free and open-source terminology management tool developed by the Translation Project at Free Software Foundation. It allows users to store, organize, search, and translate terms efficiently.Some of the key features of Terminology include:Lightweight and fast interfaceSupport for storing terms in multiple languagesPowerful search and filtering capabilitiesCustomizable entry...
Mrxvt
mrxvt is a fork of the rxvt terminal emulator for X11 environments. It is intended to be a lightweight and high-performance alternative to rxvt and other terminal emulators.Some of the key features of mrxvt include:Tabbed interface - allows multiple terminal sessions to be accessed through tabsTransparency and background imagesCustomizable through...
