Best Terminal Multiplexers in 2026
Updated
In short: Okena is ranked #1 of 28 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Zellij and muxel. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Zellij.
When work involves several terminal sessions, multiplexers offer different approaches to organizing panes and keeping sessions available. Compare access platforms, maximum sessions, custom pane layouts, and persistence scope. Session synchronization, collaboration features, and plugins or extensions add more ways to distinguish the tools, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing help frame cost. Okena, Zellij, and muxel are among the entries, along with p2pmux and Quil. Consider whether your setup calls for a particular layout, shared work, or persistent sessions, then use the listed capabilities to narrow the fit.
28 terminal multiplexers ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
8 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OkenaWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | ZellijWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | muxelWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | muxtermWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | p2pmuxMac · Linux | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | QuilWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | ByobuMac · Linux | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 8 | tmuxMac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | TermStationWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 10 | TerminalzWeb · Mac · Linux · iPhone · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 11 | FerrixMac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 12 | HerdrWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 13 | RMUXWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 14 | PluxMac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 15 | ShpoolMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 16 | TermDockMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 17 | TUIOSWeb · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 18 | WMUXWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 19 | ConmuxWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 20 | openmuxMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 21 | psmuxWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 22 | qmuxMac | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 23 | SéanceLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 24 | amuxNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 25 | dvtmNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which terminal multiplexer is ranked first on Freedom251?
Okena is ranked #1 of 28 with a score of 6.7. Zellij is second and muxel third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.