Macterm

Mac · Self-hosted

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Freedom report

One barScore 5.4

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely1 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Macterm is ranked #27 of 40 in terminal emulators on Freedom251. It runs on macOS, Self-hosted.

Compared on terminal emulators

Free plan: Yes
Supported platforms: macOS
Split panes: Yes
Scripting API: Yes
SSH support: Yes

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The record

Product: Macterm is a lightweight native macOS terminal built on libghostty.
License: The product is MIT licensed.
Minimum OS: Macterm requires macOS 14 or later.
Session persistence: Quitting detaches shells; relaunching restores sessions, scrollback, and running processes.
Multiplexing: Users can split panes in any direction and move between panes by keybind or drag and drop.
Workspace layouts: YAML project files can declare tabs, splits, and per-pane commands for Macterm to build when opened.
Remote projects: Macterm opens directories on another machine over SSH, with persistent remote panes powered by zmx installed on the host.
Automation: The bundled macterm CLI controls the running app over a local Unix socket and supports scriptable JSON output.
Agent support: The CLI can print skills for coding agents to use Macterm panes and persistent workspaces.
Configuration compatibility: Macterm reads existing Ghostty configuration files, including themes, fonts, palettes, and keybinds.
Password storage: Macterm can save passwords to the keychain and offer autofill after Touch ID or the login password when the same prompt appears.
Updates: Sparkle handles updates and verifies an EdDSA signature on each update.
Security boundary: The CLI control socket is restricted to the same user by filesystem permissions and does not use token authentication.
Remote project limitation: Remote projects require zmx to be preinstalled on the host; the docs say there is no upload flow yet.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Terminal Emulators in 2026#27 of 40

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Sources

macterm.thdxg.dev· checked 8 Oct 2026
macterm.thdxg.dev/docs/· checked 8 Oct 2026
macterm.thdxg.dev/docs/remote-projects· checked 8 Oct 2026
macterm.thdxg.dev/docs/cli· checked 8 Oct 2026
macterm.thdxg.dev/docs/configuration· checked 8 Oct 2026
github.com/thdxg/macterm· checked 8 Oct 2026
macterm.thdxg.dev/docs/install· checked 8 Oct 2026