Agents UI
Both are excellent free macOS terminals. iTerm2 is deeply featured and configurable; Ghostty is leaner, newer, and exceptionally fast with sensible defaults.
At a glance
| Feature | iTerm2 | Ghostty |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS | macOS, Linux |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Built for AI agents | No | No |
| Multi-agent orchestration | No | No |
| Built-in SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Splits / panes | Yes | Yes |
| GPU acceleration | Yes | Yes |
| Persistent sessions | Yes | No |
| MCP support | No | No |
| Scripting SDK / API | Yes | No |
When to choose iTerm2
You want maximum features, deep customization, and a mature plugin and scripting ecosystem.
iTerm2 strengths
- Extremely mature and stable with deep customization
- Metal GPU renderer and tmux integration
- Python scripting API for automation
When to choose Ghostty
You want speed and great defaults without spending time in configuration files.
Ghostty strengths
- Very fast GPU-accelerated, native rendering
- Sensible defaults with minimal configuration
- Native splits and tabs
How Agents UI compares
If your work centers on AI coding agents, it's worth weighing a third option. Agents UI is an open-source macOS terminal built specifically to run agents like Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI — with multi-agent orchestration, SSH, and a Python SDK in one workspace. See Agents UI vs iTerm2, or explore the best terminals for multi-agent workflows.
Frequently asked questions
Is iTerm2 better than Ghostty?
Both are excellent free macOS terminals. iTerm2 is deeply featured and configurable; Ghostty is leaner, newer, and exceptionally fast with sensible defaults.
When should I choose iTerm2?
You want maximum features, deep customization, and a mature plugin and scripting ecosystem.
When should I choose Ghostty?
You want speed and great defaults without spending time in configuration files.