Agents UI
Warp is the modern, AI-flavored, cross-platform newcomer; iTerm2 is the open-source macOS veteran. Warp wins on out-of-the-box polish and AI; iTerm2 wins on maturity, customization, and being free and open source.
At a glance
| Feature | Warp | iTerm2 |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Linux, Windows | macOS |
| Price | Freemium | Free |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| License | Proprietary | GPL-2.0 |
| Built for AI agents | Yes | No |
| Multi-agent orchestration | No | No |
| Built-in SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Splits / panes | Yes | Yes |
| GPU acceleration | Yes | Yes |
| Persistent sessions | No | Yes |
| MCP support | Yes | No |
| Scripting SDK / API | No | Yes |
When to choose Warp
You want a modern UI, built-in AI suggestions, and cross-platform support, and you're fine with a proprietary, account-based app.
Warp strengths
- Fast GPU-accelerated rendering written in Rust
- Block-based command UI and built-in AI command assistance
- Cross-platform across macOS, Linux, and Windows
When to choose iTerm2
You want a free, open-source, endlessly configurable macOS terminal with a long track record.
iTerm2 strengths
- Extremely mature and stable with deep customization
- Metal GPU renderer and tmux integration
- Python scripting API for automation
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 Warp or Agents UI vs iTerm2, or explore the best terminals for multi-agent workflows.
Frequently asked questions
Is Warp better than iTerm2?
Warp is the modern, AI-flavored, cross-platform newcomer; iTerm2 is the open-source macOS veteran. Warp wins on out-of-the-box polish and AI; iTerm2 wins on maturity, customization, and being free and open source.
When should I choose Warp?
You want a modern UI, built-in AI suggestions, and cross-platform support, and you're fine with a proprietary, account-based app.
When should I choose iTerm2?
You want a free, open-source, endlessly configurable macOS terminal with a long track record.