head to head · open source
Kitty vs iTerm 2
Kitty has 35,510 GitHub stars, 1,581 forks, 12 open issues and last shipped yesterday. iTerm 2 has 18,248 stars, 1,545 forks, 73 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Kitty leads on adoption by 95% (35,510 vs 18,248 stars). Kitty is written in Python under GPL-3.0; iTerm 2 is written in Swift under GPL-2.0. Kitty has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, iTerm 2 8%. Kitty was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Kitty | iTerm 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 36K | ★ 18K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | Swift |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.6K | ⑂ 1.5K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Kitty if
- You weight community size — 36K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick iTerm 2 if
- You want the iTerm 2 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Swift
- You evaluated both and iTerm 2 fits your workflow better
About Kitty
= kitty the fast, feature rich, cross platform, GPU based terminal If you live in the terminal, kitty is made for you ! See kitty website]. image: status", link=" Asked Questions] To ask other questions about kitty usage, use either the on GitHub] or the community] Packaging status in various repositories: image: status", link="
read the full Kitty overview →
About iTerm 2
iTerm2 macOS Terminal Replacement Website • Downloads • Documentation • Features About iTerm2 is a powerful terminal emulator for macOS that brings the terminal into the modern age with features you never knew you always wanted. Key Features tmux Integration Native iTerm2 windows/tabs replace tmux's text based interface. Run tmux CC and tmux windows become real macOS windows. Sessions persist through crashes, SSH disconnects, and even app upgrades. Collaborate by having two people attach to the same session. Shell Integration Deep shell awareness that tracks commands, directories, hostnames, and usernames…
read the full iTerm 2 overview →
More in Developer Tools
Related comparisons
More Terminals projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Terminals field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kitty or iTerm 2 more popular?
Kitty has 35,510 GitHub stars and iTerm 2 has 18,248. Kitty has the larger community by that measure.
Are Kitty and iTerm 2 free?
Both are open source. Kitty is licensed under GPL-3.0 and iTerm 2 under GPL-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Kitty and iTerm 2?
Kitty is written in Python and iTerm 2 in Swift. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Kitty or iTerm 2?
Choose Kitty if you want the larger community (35,510 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose iTerm 2 if its feature set, stack or GPL-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.