iTerm2 vs Tabby
A side-by-side of two tools in the same category. Facts come from each vendor's own pages, checked 2026-10-21.
| iTerm2 | Tabby | |
|---|---|---|
| platforms | macOS | macOSWindowsLinuxWeb |
| price | FreeFree (seen 2026-10-20) | FreeFree (seen 2026-10-20); no paid tier found on GitHub README or releases page |
| source | Open source | Open source |
| SSH | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| Tabs | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| Split panes | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| SFTP | ? not verified | ✓ yes |
| Port forwarding | ? not verified | ✓ yes |
| Scripting / API | ✓ yes | ✓ yes |
| AI agents | ✓ yes | ? not verified |
| MCP | – no | ? not verified |
| Cloud sync | ? not verified | ✓ yes |
Tabby is stronger at
- SSH client includes X11 forwarding, port forwarding, agent forwarding, jump host management and login scripts in one app
- Serial terminal with saved connections, hex input/output and automatic reconnection, alongside SSH and Telnet
- Plugin and theme installation from the Settings view; encrypted container for SSH secrets and settings; portable mode on Windows
iTerm2 is stronger at
- tmux -CC integration maps tmux windows to native tabs/windows, and sessions survive a dropped SSH connection
- Python API plus triggers and shell integration allow scripted automation of sessions
- Profiles can switch automatically based on context such as the SSH host connected to; AI features are permission-gated per category
which to pick
- pick Tabby if
- Users who want one desktop app for local shells, SSH and serial ports with split panes.
- pick iTerm2 if
- Mac users who live in tmux over SSH and want scripting and per-host profiles.
- skip Tabby if
- Users who need built-in desktop SFTP file browsing or first-party cloud sync of connections.
- skip iTerm2 if
- Anyone needing Windows or Linux, or a dedicated SSH client with a connection manager and file browser.