Tilda

Free plan Linux

What Tilda is

Tilda is a GTK terminal emulator for Linux that opens as a drop-down window from the top of the screen when activated by a hotkey. Its configurable keybindings let users set shortcuts for terminal actions, and appearance options include transparency. The search bar supports forward and backward searches, case sensitivity, and regular expressions. Default shortcuts include opening a tab, switching between tabs, and closing the current tab.

Tilda provides a scripting API and a D-Bus interface that can toggle its window when the program is started with the --dbus argument. It works on Xorg-based desktops; on Wayland, it can run through the Xwayland plugin. Users can install it with a distribution package manager or build it from source. The project says it should be packaged for Debian-based distributions and notes that some BSD systems are supported. Tilda is open source and maintained by volunteers. Most source code uses GPLv2 or later, while some files may use GPLv3 or later. The listed plan is free, and there is no free trial.

Who it suits

Tilda suits Linux users who want a terminal they can summon from a hotkey and configure to their preferences. Its tabs, search options, scripting API, and D-Bus interface may also suit users who want to adapt terminal behavior or integrate window toggling into a workflow.

What it does well

Drops down from the top of the screen using a hotkey.
Appearance settings include transparency and configurable keybindings.
Search supports regular expressions and case-sensitive matching.
Includes tabs, a scripting API, and a D-Bus interface.
Can be installed through a package manager or built from source.

What to know first

Designed for Xorg desktops; Wayland use relies on Xwayland.
Some BSD systems are supported, but Linux is the listed platform.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Tilda	GPL-2.0 or GPL-3.0 licensed open-source software	Free

As github.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit https://github.com/lanoxx/tilda.
Install Tilda through your distribution package manager or build it from source.
Configure keybindings, appearance, and other behavior options.
Use the hotkey to open the drop-down terminal.

Verdict

Choose Tilda if you want a configurable Linux terminal that can be summoned by hotkey, with tab shortcuts and flexible search. Its main platform caveat is Wayland: it runs there through Xwayland rather than as a native Wayland desktop application.

Questions

How much does Tilda cost?

The listed plan is free.

Is there a free trial?

No, Tilda has no free trial.

Which platforms does Tilda support?

Linux is the listed platform. It works on Xorg-based desktops and can run on Wayland through the Xwayland plugin; some BSD systems are also noted as supported.

Is Tilda open source?

Yes. Most of its source code is licensed under GPLv2 or later, while some files may use GPLv3 or later.

How can I install Tilda?

You can install it through a distribution package manager or build it from source.

Does Tilda have an API or integrations?

It provides a scripting API and a D-Bus interface that can toggle its window when started with the --dbus argument.

Facts from Tilda's own pages

Appearance: Tilda supports transparency and appearance adjustments. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Configuration: Users can configure keybindings, appearance, and other behavior options. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Configuration storage: Tilda stores configuration and cache files in XDG directories, normally ~/.config/ and ~/.cache/. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
D-Bus: Tilda provides a D-Bus interface that can toggle its window when started with the --dbus argument. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Dependencies: The build guide lists GLib, GTK+ 3, VTE, libConfuse, and libx11-dev as dependencies. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Development: The project describes itself as an open-source volunteer project and welcomes pull requests and patches. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Distribution: The project says Tilda should be packaged for Debian and Debian-derived distributions, and can also be installed from source. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
Installation: Users can install Tilda through a distribution package manager or build it from source. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Keybindings: Users can configure hotkeys for various functions and change keybindings in the settings. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Latest release shown: The GitHub releases page lists Tilda 2.0.0 as the latest release, dated 2024-02-03. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
License: The majority of the source code is licensed under GPLv2 or later, while individual files may use GPLv3 or later. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Platform limit: Tilda works only on Xorg-based desktops, with Wayland use via Xwayland described separately. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Project model: The project describes itself as open source and maintained by volunteers who contribute in their spare time. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Purpose: Tilda is a configurable GTK terminal emulator that drops down from the top of the screen using a hotkey. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Scripting API: Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
Search: The search bar supports forward and backward searches, case sensitivity, and regular expressions. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Security: The opened project pages do not state security certifications or compliance claims. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Support: The README directs users to tilda --help, the project wiki, email to listed developers, and GitHub issues for bug reports. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Supported platforms: Linux · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
Supported systems: The project says Tilda should be packaged for Debian-based distributions and notes that some BSD systems are supported. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Tabs: Tilda supports tabbed terminals. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Wayland support: Tilda works on Xorg-based desktops and can run on Wayland through the Xwayland plugin. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
What it does: Tilda is a GTK-based terminal emulator that drops down from the top of the screen when triggered by a hotkey. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026

Where Tilda stands on Freedom251

Terminal Emulators#33 of 40
Terminal apps#36 of 41