Cygwin Alternatives

Cygwin is described as 'Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Microsoft Windows. Cygwin provides native integration of Windows-based applications, data, and other system resources with applications, software tools, and data of the Unix-like environment' and is a very popular app in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Cygwin for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and Android apps. The best Cygwin alternative is MSYS2, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Cygwin are MinGW, Windows Subsystem for Linux, WindTerm and BusyBox.

Cygwin iconCygwin
  225
  • Shell
  • Free • Open Source
  • ...

Cygwin is a Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Microsoft Windows. Cygwin provides native integration of...

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Cygwin alternatives page was last updated Apr 2, 2025
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Alternatives
  1. MSYS2 icon

    MSYS2

     47 likes
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    MSYS2 is an independent rewrite of MSYS, based on modern Cygwin (POSIX compatibility layer) and MinGW-w64 with the aim of better interoperability with native Windows software.

    44 MSYS2 alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    MSYS2 screenshot 1

    MSYS2 Features

    1.  Command line/bash
    2.  Linux on Windows
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  POSIX-compatible
    5.  Support for scripting

    MSYS2 VS Cygwin

     
    Comments about MSYS2 as an Alternative to Cygwin
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive •Apr 2, 2017
    2

    Forked from Cygwin with a nice package manager

    Guest
    Positive •Sep 20, 2019
    2

    It's fundamentally the same thing

    Guest
    Positive •Oct 29, 2019
    0

    Because it's based on MSYS (which is based on modern CygWin and MinGW-w64), also it has a nice package manager.

    Cygwin Icon
    MSYS2 icon

    • Almost everyone thinks MSYS2 is a great Cygwin alternative.

    • MSYS2 is the most popular Windows alternative to Cygwin.

    • MSYS2 is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Cygwin.

    • MSYS2 is Free and Open SourceCygwin is also Free and Open Source
  2. MinGW icon

    MinGW

     128 likes
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    MinGW ("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils. It provides a complete Open Source programming toolset which is suitable for the development of native MS-Windows (x86) applications, which do not depend on any...

    24 MinGW alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Installation Manager

    MinGW Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  C++
    3.  Cross Compiler
    4.  Native application compiler
    5.  C support
    6.  GNU/linux-libre

    MinGW VS Cygwin

     
    Comments about MinGW as an Alternative to Cygwin
    Guest
    Positive •May 31, 2019
    0

    more integrated with Windows

    Cygwin Icon
    MinGW icon

    • Almost everyone thinks MinGW is a great Cygwin alternative.

    • MinGW is the most popular Linux alternative to Cygwin.

    • MinGW is Free and Open SourceCygwin is also Free and Open Source
  4. Windows Subsystem for Linux icon

    Windows Subsystem for Linux

     17 likes
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    The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a new Windows 10 feature that enables you to run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows, alongside your traditional Windows desktop and modern store apps.

    34 Windows Subsystem for Linux alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Windows Subsystem for Linux screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Linux on Windows

    Windows Subsystem for Linux VS Cygwin

     
  5. WindTerm icon

    WindTerm

     17 likes
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    A professional SSH/Telnet/Serial/Shell/Sftp client for DevOps.

    57 WindTerm alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CN flagChina

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    WindTerm screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Support for SFTP
    2.  SSH
    3.  Portable
    4.  X server
    5.  Syntax Highlighting
    6.  Command palette
    7.  Cross-Platform
    8.  Outliner

    WindTerm VS Cygwin

     
    Comments about WindTerm as an Alternative to Cygwin
    Nuncio Bitis
    Negative •Apr 2, 2025
    0

    WindTerm is a terminal. Cygwin is a Linux environment for Windows.

    Cygwin Icon
    WindTerm icon

    • WindTerm is the most popular Mac alternative to Cygwin.

    • WindTerm is Free and Open SourceCygwin is also Free and Open Source
    • WindTerm is LightweightCygwin is not according to our users
  6. BusyBox icon

    BusyBox

     45 likes
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    BusyBox is a single binary that provides several stripped-down Unix tools in a single executable. It runs in a variety of POSIX environments such as Linux, Android, FreeBSD and others. It was specifically created for embedded operating systems with very limited resources.

    9 BusyBox alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    BusyBox screenshot 1

    BusyBox Features

    1.  Command line interface

    BusyBox VS Cygwin

     

    • BusyBox is the most popular Android alternative to Cygwin.

    • BusyBox is Free and Open SourceCygwin is also Free and Open Source
  7. Babun icon

    Babun

     20 likes
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    Would you like to use a linux-like console on a Windows host without a lot of fuzz? Try out babun!

    11 Babun alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Git
    • Cygwin
    • zsh
    Includes Vim with color highlighting.
    Discontinued

    The project seems to be no longer developed. Last version, 1.2.0, released in July 2015, can be still downloaded from GitHub

    Babun VS Cygwin

     
    Comments about Babun as an Alternative to Cygwin
    yphastos
    Positive •Jun 28, 2017
    1

    Much easier setup than Cygwin, with most of what you'll need.

    Cygwin Icon
    Babun icon

    • Most users think Babun is a great Cygwin alternative.

    • Babun is Free and Open SourceCygwin is also Free and Open Source
  9. iSH icon

    iSH

     10 likes
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    A project to get a Linux shell running on iOS, using usermode x86 emulation and syscall translation.

    20 iSH alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • iPhone
    • iPad
    iSH screenshot 1

    iSH Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Support for scripting
    3.  Syntax Highlighting

    iSH VS Cygwin

     

    • iSH is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to Cygwin.

    • iSH is Free and Open SourceCygwin is also Free and Open Source

  10. MSYS

     2 likes
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    MSYS is a collection of GNU utilities such as bash, make, gawk and grep to allow building of applications and programs which depend on traditionally UNIX tools to be present.

    4 MSYS alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows

    MSYS Features

    1.  Command line interface

    MSYS VS Cygwin

     
  11. Termux Monet icon

    Termux Monet

     1 like
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    A terminal emulator application for Android 8+ OS extendible by variety of packages, with Monet support and experimental features.

    57 Termux Monet alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    Termux Monet screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The app was discontinued.

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

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

    Termux Monet VS Cygwin

     

  12. gow

     28 likes
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    Gow (Gnu On Windows) is the lightweight alternative to Cygwin. It uses a convenient Windows installer that installs about 130 extremely useful

    24 gow alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    gow screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    No activity for over a year.

    gow VS Cygwin

     
10 of 28 Cygwin alternatives