cmux vs Warp
A side-by-side of two tools that overlap but start from different places. Facts come from each vendor's own pages, checked 2026-10-21.
| cmux | Warp | |
|---|---|---|
| platforms | macOSiOS | macOSWindowsLinux |
| price | FreemiumFree $0; Pro $40/mo billed yearly ($480/yr) or $50/mo monthly; Max $160/mo billed yearly or $200/mo monthly; Team $60/user/mo; Enterprise custom (seen 2026-10-20). Paid tiers add Cloud VMs and the iOS app. | FreemiumFree $0/mo (no included agent usage); Build $20/mo or $18/mo annual; Max $200/mo or $180/mo annual; Business $50/user/mo or $45 annual (up to 25 seats); Enterprise custom (seen 2026-10-20) |
| source | Open source | Open source |
| AI agents | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| Multi-agent | ✓ yes | ? not verified |
| Git worktrees | – no | ? not verified |
| MCP | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| Phone control | ✓ yes | ? not verified |
| Mobile app | ✓ yes | ? not verified |
| SSH | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| SFTP | ? not verified | ? not verified |
| Tabs | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| Split panes | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| Cloud sync | ? not verified | ✓ yes |
| Team sharing | ? not verified | ✓ yes |
| Port forwarding | ? not verified | ? not verified |
| Scripting / API | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
Warp is stronger at
- Account is optional: docs say login can be skipped and core terminal works offline
- Built-in agent, a CLI for it, and an SSH extension giving remote file tree and code editing on Linux/macOS hosts
- Client repo public (AGPL-3.0) with macOS, Windows and Linux builds including ARM64
cmux is stronger at
- GPL-3.0-or-later open source app, free to use, with a native (non-Electron) macOS build
- Panes and sidebar badges signal when an agent is waiting; sidebar shows git branch, ports and notification text
- Full CLI and socket API covering workspaces, splits, input, screen reads and the browser
- SSH workspaces and tmux attach; Cloud VMs for agents on paid plans
which to pick
- pick Warp if
- Developers who want an AI-agent-centric terminal with shared workflows and optional team plans.
- pick cmux if
- Mac users who want a Ghostty-based terminal that surfaces which agent needs attention, with scriptable browser and CLI.
- skip Warp if
- Users who want a classic SSH/serial/port-forwarding client or a terminal with no AI or paid-tier surface.
- skip cmux if
- Windows or Linux users, or people wanting automatic per-agent git worktree isolation.