No. 10 of 28 ·Terminal File Managers

Zeta

Windows · Mac · Linux

Freedom report

Three barsScore 6.5

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely3 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Zeta is ranked #10 of 28 in terminal file managers on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

Zeta plans and pricing

All plans

Zeta Free MIT-licensed terminal file manager · Linux and Windows binaries github.com · 3 Oct 2026

Compared on terminal file managers

Dual-pane layout: Yes
Linux support: Yes
macOS support: Yes
Windows support: Yes
Preview pane: Yes
Remote file access: Yes
Archive support: Yes

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The record

What it does: Zeta is a dual-pane terminal file manager for developers, built in Rust.
File management: It supports side-by-side or stacked panes, file operations, batch marking, and four independent workspaces.
Editor and preview: The embedded editor provides syntax highlighting, undo and redo, search, and a live Markdown preview.
Integrated terminal: Zeta opens a native shell in an embedded terminal, with documented support for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
SSH and SFTP: It connects to remote filesystems using passwords, key files, or SSH Agent authentication and supports remote file operations.
SSH security: Zeta verifies SSH host keys against known_hosts and presents fingerprints for manual trust on first connection.
Git integration: It displays branch and file status indicators and includes a built-in Git diff viewer.
Archive browsing: The file manager can browse ZIP, tar.gz, tar.bz2, and tar.xz archives as virtual filesystems.
Customization: Users can choose among built-in themes, rebind keys, select icon modes, and configure Zeta with TOML.
Updates: Zeta can check GitHub releases for updates at startup, with the checks configurable and enabled by default.
License: The project is released under the MIT License.
Support: The maker invites users to report issues and provide feedback through GitHub.
Platform limit: The official site documents Linux and Windows, and says Windows 10 version 1809 or later is required for the embedded terminal.
Intended audience: The maker describes Zeta as a keyboard-first, dual-pane file manager for developers, inspired by Norton Commander.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Terminal File Managers in 2026#10 of 28

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Sources

tzero86.github.io/Zeta/· checked 3 Oct 2026
github.com/tzero86/Zeta· checked 3 Oct 2026