Cool Retro Term AlternativesTerminal Emulators and other similar apps like Cool Retro Term

Cool Retro Term is described as 'Terminal emulator which mimics the look and feel of the old cathode tube screens, designed for eye-candy with lots of graphic options' and is a terminal emulator in the os & utilities category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Cool Retro Term for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, BSD and Flathub apps. The best Cool Retro Term alternative is Tabby Terminal, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Cool Retro Term are Ghostty, Termux, Windows Terminal and iTerm2.

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Cool Retro Term alternatives are mainly Terminal Emulators but may also be Shells or SSH Clients.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Cool Retro Term.
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Terminal emulator which mimics the look and feel of the old cathode tube screens, designed for eye-candy with lots of graphic options.

More about Cool Retro Term
Cool Retro Term alternatives page was last updated Apr 10, 2025
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Alternatives
  1. Tabby Terminal icon
     102 likes
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    Tabby is an infinitely customizable cross-platform terminal app for local shells, serial, SSH and Telnet connections.

    100 Tabby Terminal alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • UA flagUkraine

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  SSH
    2.  Command line interface
    3.  Support for SFTP
    4.  Multiple Servers
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Electron based
    7.  Portable
    8.  Serial-port
    9.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Tabbed interface

    Tabby Terminal VS Cool Retro Term

     
    Comments about Tabby Terminal as an Alternative to Cool Retro Term
    Hragos
    Negative May 22, 2023
    0

    Tabby Terminal is not good alternative for Cool Retro Term, because Tabby Terminal is just open-source terminal emulator, while Cool Retro Term is terminal emulator which mimics old CRT screens.

    Cool Retro Term Icon
    Tabby Terminal icon
    • Tabby Terminal is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Cool Retro Term.

    • Tabby Terminal is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Cool Retro Term.

    • Tabby Terminal is Free and Open SourceCool Retro Term is also Free and Open Source
    • Tabby Terminal is CustomizableCool Retro Term is not according to our users
  2. Ghostty icon
     35 likes
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    Cross-platform terminal emulator balancing speed, platform-native UI, and modern features. Designed for an enhanced interactive CLI environment, offering full standards compliance for seamless integration with shells and CLI tools.

    52 Ghostty alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Nix Package Manager
    • Homebrew

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable
    3.  Support for Themes
    4.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Cross-Platform
    2.  GPU Acceleration
    3.  Tabbed interface
    4.  Split-screen view
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Syntax Highlighting
    7.  Portable
    8.  Support for scripting
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  No registration required
    11.  No Tracking
    12.  Works Offline

    Ghostty VS Cool Retro Term

     
  3. Termux icon
     102 likes
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    Experience a powerful Unix terminal on Android without the need for rooting. Customize with packages via Apt, run command-line tools, SSH, and program in C, Python, and more. Enjoy a full Unix environment with bash, zsh, mouse support, and external display compatibility.

    97 Termux alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    • zsh
    • GNU Bourne Again SHell

    Termux Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Support for scripting
    3.  Integrated into iOS
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  No registration required

    Termux VS Cool Retro Term

     
    • Termux is the most popular Android & Android Tablet alternative to Cool Retro Term.

    • Termux is Free and Open SourceCool Retro Term is also Free and Open Source
  4. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Windows Terminal is a new, modern, feature-rich, productive terminal application for command-line users. It includes many of the features most frequently requested by the Windows command-line community including support for tabs, rich text, globalization, configurability...

    98 Windows Terminal alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Tabbed interface
    2.  Multiple shells
    3.  WSL integreation
    4.  Background transparency
    5.  Configured in JSON
    6.  Command line interface
    7.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    8.  Multiple window layouts
    9.  Multi-tabs
    10.  Support for scripting
    11.  Dark Mode
    12.  Ad-free

    Windows Terminal VS Cool Retro Term

     
  5. iTerm2 icon
     169 likes
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    iTerm2 is a replacement for Terminal and the successor to iTerm. It works on Macs with macOS 10.10 or newer. iTerm2 brings the terminal into the modern age with features you never knew you always wanted.

    81 iTerm2 alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Clean design

    Features

    1.  Supports Python
    2.  SSH
    3.  Integrated Search
    4.  Key binding
    5.  Support for scripting
    6.  Multiple Profiles
    7.  Split windows
    8.  Quake-style
    9.  Notifications

    iTerm2 VS Cool Retro Term

     
    Comments about iTerm2 as an Alternative to Cool Retro Term
    Guest
    Positive Oct 27, 2018
    0

    iTerms allows for much customisation

    Cool Retro Term Icon
    iTerm2 icon
    • iTerm2 is Free and Open SourceCool Retro Term is also Free and Open Source
    • iTerm2 is Customizable and LightweightCool Retro Term is not according to our users
  6. ReTerminal icon
     13 likes
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    ReTerminal is a sleek, Material 3-inspired terminal emulator designed as a modern alternative to the legacy Jackpal Terminal. Built on Termux's robust TerminalView.

    51 ReTerminal alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Support for scripting
    8.  Material design

    ReTerminal VS Cool Retro Term

     
  7. Alacritty icon
     65 likes
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    Alacritty is a blazing fast, GPU accelerated terminal emulator. It’s written in Rust and uses OpenGL for rendering to be the fastest terminal emulator available. Alacritty is available on GitHub in source form.

    82 Alacritty alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Optimal performance
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  GPU Support
    2.  No input delay
    3.  Portable
    4.  Command line interface
    5.  Support for scripting
    6.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    Alacritty VS Cool Retro Term

     
  8. Kitty terminal icon
     49 likes
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    Kitty ( not to be confused with KiTTY ) is a powerful, cross-platform GPU-based terminal emulator. It offloads rendering to the GPU and uses OpenGL for fast, cross-platform performance with built-in tiling layouts as well as graphic, unicode...

    81 Kitty terminal alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CA flagCanada

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Keyboard focused

    Features

    1.  GPU based
    2.  Font Ligature Support
    3.  Split-screen view
    4.  Command line interface
    5.  Tiling Layouts
    6.  Full keyboard shortcuts
    7.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    8.  Syntax Highlighting

    Kitty terminal VS Cool Retro Term

     
  9. Terminator icon
     163 likes
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    Terminator enables the user to run and manage multiple terminal emulators side-by-side in the same window. The main focus is arranging terminals in a grid. (Tabs is the most common default method, which Terminator also supports.

    85 Terminator alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • GNOME

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Split-screen view
    4.  Function Key Shortcuts
    5.  Tiling Layouts
    6.  Split windows
    7.  Multiple Terminal

    Terminator VS Cool Retro Term

     
    Comments about Terminator as an Alternative to Cool Retro Term
    Guest
    Negative Jun 27, 2018
    -2

    something that actually mimics old crts and gives you that nice retro feel

    Cool Retro Term Icon
    Terminator icon
    • Terminator is Free and Open SourceCool Retro Term is also Free and Open Source
    • Terminator is LightweightCool Retro Term is not according to our users
  10. GNOME Terminal icon
     158 likes
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    GNOME Terminal is a terminal emulator for the GNOME desktop environment written by Havoc Pennington and others. Terminal emulators allow users to execute commands using a real UNIX shell while remaining on their graphical desktop.

    68 GNOME Terminal alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • GNOME

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Background transparency

    GNOME Terminal VS Cool Retro Term

     
  11. Tess icon
     14 likes
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    Tess is a terminal emulator. It lets you have a full access to your computer, use command line based programs and many more.

    57 Tess alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused
    4.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    4.  Support for scripting
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Command line interface
    9.  No Tracking
    10.  Tabbed interface

    Tess VS Cool Retro Term

     
  12. Wave Terminal icon
     14 likes
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    Wave is an open-source, AI-native terminal built for seamless developer workflows with inline rendering, a modern UI, and persistent sessions.

    61 Wave Terminal alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Syntax Highlighting
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Support for MarkDown
    4.  No registration required
    5.  Command line interface
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  Comma Separated Values
    10.  AI-Powered

    Wave Terminal VS Cool Retro Term

     
12 of 53 Cool Retro Term alternatives