Side by side
Shpool vs Zellij
Both stand on terminal multiplexers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted
Pick Shpool if your priority is reconnecting to named shell sessions while keeping native terminal behavior and avoiding a multiplexer. Look elsewhere if multiple clients need to share one session or you need collaboration or custom pane layouts.
Visit Shpool
Free plan iPhoneLinuxMac+2
Zellij is a terminal-based workspace with configurable layouts, session restoration, and remote sharing options. Note the terminal requirement and the web server’s security limitations before enabling network access.
Visit ZellijThe facts
| Shpool | Zellij | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted | iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | zellij.dev |
| On terminal multiplexers | #14 of 29 | #18 of 29 |
Shpool: what it does well
- Free and open source under Apache-2.0.
- Sessions preserve native terminal scrollback and copy-paste.
- SSH clients need no extra software.
- CLI can list, detach, and kill sessions.
- Supports bash, zsh, and fish prompt prefixes.
What to know first
- Only one client can connect to a session at a time.
- No session synchronization or collaboration features.
- No custom pane layouts.
Zellij: what it does well
- Free and open source; no account required
- Tiled, floating, and stacked panes
- Sessions can be restored after reboots
- Layouts can define panes, tabs, commands, and plugins
- Browser sharing supports authenticated HTTPS access
What to know first
- Runs inside a terminal; does not replace one
- Web server has no rate limiting
- Web server is off by default
Alternatives to Shpool Alternatives to Zellij The whole list