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Ghostty vs Kitty

Which is the better Terminals for Mac in 2026?

PublishedUpdated
Ghostty icon

Ghostty

GPU-accelerated terminal emulator written in Zig

Full review
Website previewCredit: Ghostty
Kitty icon

Kitty

GPU-based terminal emulator

Full review
Website previewCredit: Kitty

Our verdict

How we compare apps

In August 2026 Ghostty and Kitty are both elite GPU terminals — fast, free, Tahoe-ready and generous with modern protocols. Ghostty wins the macOS nativeness and zero-friction speed crown; Kitty wins the tiling and Python-powered configurability crown. Neither charges money and neither compromises on speed.

Read the quick answer

Which is better: Ghostty or Kitty?

Ghostty and Kitty are both Terminals on a Mac, so the pick depends on workflow. Pick Ghostty if you want your terminal to feel like a native Mac app that just happens to be fast. Pick Kitty if you want a tiled, scriptable cockpit you. As of October 2026, both install with brew install --cask ghostty and brew install --cask kitty.

TL;DR

Ghostty vs Kitty: In August 2026 Ghostty and Kitty are both elite GPU terminals — fast, free, Tahoe-ready and generous with modern protocols. Ghostty wins the macOS nativeness and zero-friction speed crown; Kitty wins the tiling and Python-powered configurability crown. Neither charges money and neither compromises on speed.

Feature Comparison

Feature comparison between Ghostty and Kitty
FeatureGhosttyKitty
PriceFree & open sourceFree & open source
Open SourceYesYes
ReplacesWarp ($20/month)Warp ($20/month)
Best forterminal, gpu, zigterminal, gpu, fast
Installbrew install --cask ghosttybrew install --cask kitty
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDeveloper Tools

Quick Install

Ghostty
brew install --cask ghostty
Kitty
brew install --cask kitty

Learn More

Ghostty
Ghostty Details
Full review, features, and FAQs
Kitty
Kitty Details
Full review, features, and FAQs

In-Depth Overview

What is Ghostty?

Ghostty is a fast, feature-rich terminal emulator by Mitchell Hashimoto, written in Zig with a shared libghostty core and platform-native shells — Swift and AppKit on macOS, GTK4 on Linux. It uses Metal on macOS and OpenGL on Linux for GPU acceleration, and supports modern features like Kitty graphics, synchronized rendering, ligatures and proper grapheme clustering. Ghostty is MIT open source, completely free, Apple Silicon native, notarised and Tahoe 26.x compatible. It launched publicly in late 2024, reached stable 1.x in 2025 and continues frequent 2026 releases with Windows support in progress.

What is Kitty?

Kitty is a mature, GPU-based terminal emulator by Kovid Goyal, first released in 2017. Its core is C and its configuration and extensibility are Python, with an OpenGL renderer on macOS and Linux. Kitty pioneered the Kitty graphics protocol for inline images and video, offers tiling layouts, splits, tabs, remote control, kittens (small terminal programs), and deep keyboard customisation — all configured via text files. It is GPL-licensed, completely free, Apple Silicon aware via Homebrew and binary builds, and Tahoe 26.x ready. Kitty's longevity means a large ecosystem and long stability record.

Detailed Feature Comparison

Raw performance and latency

Critical importance

Ghostty

Excellent

Sub-second cold start, Metal rendering on macOS, very low input latency and smooth scrolling on large outputs. libghostty is tuned for Apple's compositor.

Kitty

Excellent

Also instant start and GPU-accelerated with OpenGL. Highly optimised C core keeps throughput high even with complex layouts.

Verdict: Both are among the fastest terminals on macOS. Ghostty has a small Metal advantage on Tahoe; Kitty matches it in practice.

Native platform feel

High importance

Ghostty

Excellent

Uses genuine AppKit tabs, splits, toolbar, Quick Look, secure input and system services on macOS. Respects platform typography and appearance changes instantly.

Kitty

Good

Custom UI rendered via OpenGL — polished and consistent, but not AppKit-native. Tabs and splits are Kitty's own implementation.

Verdict: For a Mac-native feel, Ghostty is the clear winner.

Tiling and window management

High importance

Ghostty

Good

Native tabs and splits that behave like platform windows. Simple, predictable, focused on readability over layout puzzles.

Kitty

Excellent

Built-in tiling layouts, splits, stacked vs tall, and remote control to script layouts from the shell. No need for tmux for many tiling workflows.

Verdict: Kitty's layout engine is significantly more powerful for single-window tiling.

Protocol and graphics support

High importance

Ghostty

Excellent

Supports Kitty graphics, Sixel, synchronized rendering, hyperlinks and full xterm compatibility. Explicit goal is maximal modern protocol coverage.

Kitty

Excellent

Invented the Kitty graphics protocol; also supports Sixel and a broad set of xterm extensions. Defines the standard Ghostty also implements.

Verdict: Parity on modern protocols — both render inline images, hyperlinks and grapheme clusters correctly.

Configuration and scriptability

High importance

Ghostty

Good

Single config file with hundreds of documented keys, built-in themes and font fallback. Straightforward without programming.

Kitty

Excellent

Text config plus Python kittens, remote control socket and extensive key mapping. Infinitely scriptable for those comfortable with Python.

Verdict: Kitty is more programmable; Ghostty is simpler to tune for non-programmers.

Cross-platform coverage

Medium importance

Ghostty

Good

macOS and Linux today. Windows support is planned but not stable as of August 2026 — check release notes before committing on Windows.

Kitty

Excellent

macOS and Linux since launch, with solid Homebrew and binary install stories. No native Windows build but runs under WSL.

Verdict: Kitty covers the two Unix platforms Ghostty does, with longer polish, and is the safer pick if you standardise Linux and Mac today.

Maturity and ecosystem

Medium importance

Ghostty

Good

Newer project with passionate growth since late 2024, backed by Hashimoto's reputation. Docs and themes growing quickly.

Kitty

Excellent

Since 2017 with enormous docs, hundreds of themes, active issue tracker and a proven stability record for edge cases.

Verdict: Kitty's longer track record means fewer surprises; Ghostty is catching up fast.

Distribution and licensing

Medium importance

Ghostty

Excellent

MIT open source, free forever, signed and notarised macOS app. No telemetry, sponsor via GitHub if you wish.

Kitty

Excellent

GPL open source, free forever, Homebrew and binary downloads. No paid tier. Long-standing free software stewardship.

Verdict: Both are free with no paid gate. License only matters if you embed or redistribute — MIT versus GPL.

Who Should Choose Which?

1The macOS-native developer

Ghostty

You want a terminal that behaves like a proper Mac app, launches instantly, and stays readable with native typography and tabs. Ghostty nails that default.

2The tiling power user

Kitty

You want one window with several tall and stacked panes scripted from the shell, without leaning on tmux. Kitty's layouts and remote control deliver.

3The Neovim plus graphics user

tie

Both support Kitty graphics for image previews in Neovim and modern sync protocols. Ghostty edges on native feel, Kitty on kitten helpers — either satisfies.

4The dotfiles standardiser

Kitty

You maintain one config across Linux servers and MacBooks and want Python-level hooks. Kitty's config and socket approach is ideal.

5The newcomer on Tahoe

Ghostty

You want a fast terminal that works beautifully before you customise. Ghostty's defaults and docs get you productive immediately without reading a manual.

Migration Guide

Ghostty → Kitty

Install Kitty via brew install --cask kitty or the binary from sw.kovidgoyal.net. Copy fonts and themes into kitty.conf, recreate Ghostty splits as Kitty layouts, and add a kitten for any Ghostty action you script. Map Ghostty keybindings to kitty.conf key maps and test graphics with the icat kitten.

Kitty → Ghostty

Install Ghostty from ghostty.org or brew install --cask ghostty. Move your font and theme choices into the Ghostty config file and translate Kitty key maps to Ghostty keybind entries. For kittens that lack a Ghostty equivalent, replace with shell aliases or keep Kitty for that one workflow.

Final Verdict

Overall Winner

tie

8.8

Score

Ghostty

8.8

Score

Kitty

Scores are Bundl.run editorial ratings out of 10 across 8 criteria (the feature comparison above), last reviewed August 2026.

In August 2026 Ghostty and Kitty are both elite GPU terminals — fast, free, Tahoe-ready and generous with modern protocols. Ghostty wins the macOS nativeness and zero-friction speed crown; Kitty wins the tiling and Python-powered configurability crown. Neither charges money and neither compromises on speed.

Bottom Line: Pick Ghostty if you want your terminal to feel like a native Mac app that just happens to be fast. Pick Kitty if you want a tiled, scriptable cockpit you control with Python and remote commands. Many macOS teams are happy with either, and both upgrade cleanly from iTerm2 or Alacritty.

Video Tutorials

How to Make Your Mac Terminal Look Beautiful (Ghostty Setup Guide)

Ksk Royal • 9.8K views

Ghostty Terminal: A Complete Setup Guide for Modern Mac Development

WEBdoze • 27.4K views

My New Terminal for 2025 — setup, neovim, and TMUX, oh my!

chantastic • 35.3K views

Ghostty - The BEST Terminal!?

Better Stack • 112.2K views

Frequently Asked Questions

Are both free and open source?
Yes. Ghostty is MIT and Kitty is GPL, each free forever with all features. No paid edition or subscription exists for either.
Do they both support inline images?
Yes. Kitty invented the Kitty graphics protocol and Ghostty implements it fully alongside Sixel and synchronized rendering. Neovim image previews, lazygit and modern TUIs work in both.
Which is more macOS-native on Tahoe 26.x?
Ghostty. It uses Swift/AppKit and Metal on macOS, with native tabs and Quick Look, and is notarised for Tahoe. Kitty uses its own OpenGL chrome — polished but not platform-native.
Which is better for tiling without tmux?
Kitty. Its built-in tiling layouts, splits and remote control let you manage many panes inside one window without tmux. Ghostty has clean native splits but not full tiling layouts. Pair Ghostty with tmux if tiling is essential.
Does Ghostty support Windows in 2026?
Not stably as of August 2026. Ghostty is macOS and Linux today with Windows in progress per release notes. Kitty is macOS and Linux as well. For Windows you would use another terminal or WSL.
Which has lower latency?
Both report sub-millisecond class input latency on Apple Silicon Tahoe and feel instant in practice. Benchmarks show single-digit percentage differences; pick on UX, not a few milliseconds.

About the Author

Alex Chen

Senior Developer Tools Specialist

Code Editors & IDEsTerminal EmulatorsVersion Control Tools
12+ years in software development · Former senior engineer at tech startups
TwitterGitHub

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Sources & References

Key Verified Facts

  • Ghostty is written in Zig with a libghostty core and native Swift/AppKit on macOS[1][2]
  • Ghostty uses Metal on macOS for GPU acceleration[1][3]
  • Kitty is a mature GPU terminal first released in 2017 with tiling, kittens and graphics protocol[4][5]
  • Kitty defines the Kitty graphics protocol for inline images, also supported by Ghostty[6][3]
  • Both Ghostty and Kitty are free and open source (MIT and GPL respectively)[2][5]
  1. 1
    ghostty.orgGhostty - official site

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Ghostty terminal emulator built in Zig with native macOS Swift/AppKit and GPU acceleration.
  2. 2
    github.comghostty-org/ghostty on GitHub

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Ghostty GitHub repository with releases, docs and libghostty core in Zig.
  3. 3
    ghostty.orgGhostty documentation

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Ghostty configuration, keybindings and feature docs for macOS and Linux.
  4. 4
    sw.kovidgoyal.netKitty - official documentation

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Kitty is a fast, feature-rich GPU-based terminal emulator with tiling and kittens.
  5. 5
    github.comkovidgoyal/kitty on GitHub

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Kitty GitHub repository since 2017 with continuous releases for macOS and Linux.
  6. 6
    sw.kovidgoyal.netKitty graphics protocol

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Specification for the Kitty graphics protocol for inline images in terminals.
  7. 7
    git-tower.comBest GPU terminals for Mac 2026 - Tower and community

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Community discussion noting Ghostty and Kitty among the fastest GPU terminals on Apple Silicon.

Related Technologies & Concepts

GhosttyKittyZigMetalOpenGLMitchell HashimotoKitty graphics protocollibghostty
Ghostty (Zig-based GPU terminal with native Swift/AppKit macOS shell), Kitty (GPU terminal by Kovid Goyal with tiling, kittens and graphics protocol), Zig (Systems language used for Ghostty's libghostty core), Metal (Apple GPU API used by Ghostty on macOS), OpenGL (Rendering path used by Kitty on macOS and Linux), Mitchell Hashimoto (Creator of Ghostty and co-founder of HashiCorp), Kitty graphics protocol (Inline image protocol invented by Kitty and implemented by Ghostty), libghostty (Shared core library powering Ghostty on all platforms)

Related Topics

GPU terminal emulators

GPU-accelerated terminals with low latency and modern protocol support

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macOS-native developer tools

Apps built with AppKit and Apple frameworks for platform-native experience on Tahoe

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