Ghostty vs iTerm2
Both are free, open-source terminals that go far beyond Terminal.app. Ghostty is new, GPU-accelerated and uses native macOS interface parts, configured with a plain text file. iTerm2 is the long-standing favourite, with profiles, triggers, tmux integration, shell integration and a settings window for everything.
Facts checked · No paid placements
Ghostty
A fast, feature-rich, truly native terminal.
iTerm2
The terminal that taught macOS new tricks.
Pick by what you need
Choose Ghostty if
- You want the fastest rendering and a native feel.
- You're happy to configure a text file.
- You want something minimal by default.
Choose iTerm2 if
- You use tmux integration, triggers or many profiles.
- You'd rather change settings in a window than a file.
- You depend on features built up over many years.
The facts, side by side
| Fact | Ghostty | iTerm2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Developer | Mitchell Hashimoto | George Nachman |
| Mac App Store | No | No |
| Homebrew cask | ghostty | iterm2 |
| Open source | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Last commit | October 2026 | October 2026 |
| GitHub stars | 62k | 18k |
Facts checked . Prices can change; each developer's site is the final word.
Ghostty or iTerm2?
Is Ghostty better than iTerm2?
Neither is better for everyone. Both are free, open-source terminals that go far beyond Terminal.app. Ghostty is new, GPU-accelerated and uses native macOS interface parts, configured with a plain text file. iTerm2 is the long-standing favourite, with profiles, triggers, tmux integration, shell integration and a settings window for everything.
Is Ghostty free?
Yes. Ghostty is free and open source under the MIT license. The source code is on GitHub at ghostty-org/ghostty.
Is iTerm2 free?
Yes. iTerm2 is free and open source under the GPL-2.0 license. The source code is on GitHub at gnachman/iTerm2.
What else is like Ghostty and iTerm2?
Other developer tools apps on MacWorthy worth a look are Zed (open source), Warp (free + pro) and Sequel Ace (open source).