Agents UI
iTerm2 is the mature, manual-first power-user terminal for macOS. Agents UI keeps the power-user essentials — splits, SSH, scripting — but is designed around running AI coding agents and orchestrating them across sessions.
At a glance
| Feature | Agents UI | iTerm2 |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS | macOS |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Built for AI agents | Yes | No |
| Multi-agent orchestration | Yes | No |
| Built-in SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Splits / panes | Yes | Yes |
| GPU acceleration | No | Yes |
| Persistent sessions | Yes | Yes |
| MCP support | Yes | No |
| Scripting SDK / API | Yes | Yes |
When to choose Agents UI
Your workflow centers on AI coding agents and you want orchestration, an agent control panel, and a Python SDK out of the box.
Agents UI strengths
- Purpose-built to run agents like Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI side by side
- Orchestrate mode turns one goal into tasks dispatched across multiple sessions
- Built-in SSH host management, file transfer, and port forwarding
- Python SDK and MCP tools so agents can take real workspace actions
When to choose iTerm2
You want the most battle-tested, deeply customizable manual terminal on macOS and don't need built-in agent orchestration.
iTerm2 strengths
- Extremely mature and stable with deep customization
- Metal GPU renderer and tmux integration
- Python scripting API for automation
Frequently asked questions
Is Agents UI better than iTerm2?
iTerm2 is the mature, manual-first power-user terminal for macOS. Agents UI keeps the power-user essentials — splits, SSH, scripting — but is designed around running AI coding agents and orchestrating them across sessions.
When should I choose Agents UI?
Your workflow centers on AI coding agents and you want orchestration, an agent control panel, and a Python SDK out of the box.
When should I choose iTerm2?
You want the most battle-tested, deeply customizable manual terminal on macOS and don't need built-in agent orchestration.