GNU Screen Alternatives

GNU Screen is described as 'Screen is a full-screen window manager that multiplexes a physical terminal between several processes, typically interactive shells' and is a popular app in the os & utilities category. There are more than 10 alternatives to GNU Screen for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, iPhone, BSD and iPad apps. The best GNU Screen alternative is tmux, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like GNU Screen are byobu, Zellij, Wemux and dtach.

filter to find the best alternatives

GNU Screen alternatives are mainly Terminal Emulators but may also be Window Managers or Shells.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of GNU Screen.
GNU Screen iconGNU Screen
  90
  • ...

Screen is a full-screen window manager that multiplexes a physical terminal between several processes, typically interactive shells.

More about GNU Screen
More about GNU Screen
GNU Screen alternatives page was last updated Dec 6, 2024
  Suggest Alternatives
  1. tmux icon
    tmux icon

    tmux

     123 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it enables a number of terminals (or windows), each running a separate program, to be created, accessed, and controlled from a single screen. tmux may be detached from a screen and continue running in the background, then later reattached.

    10 tmux alternatives
    tmux screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Cygwin
    tmux screenshot 1
    tmux screenshot 2

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Vertical Split
    2.  Horizontal Split
    3.  Terminal-based
    4.  Command line interface
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Support for scripting
    8.  Portable
    9.  Support for Remote Control
    10.  Remote Management
    tmux iconGNU Screen Icon

    tmux VS GNU Screen

    Is tmux a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
    Comments about tmux as an Alternative to GNU Screen
     
    Guest

    Tmux is the hot new kid on the terminal multiplexing block. Better readability in config and code, vertical split, and actual updates!

    Positive comment •Apr 11, 2017
    0
    Guest

    Much simpler, more logical and there is a great guide available which let me understand the program in minutes!

    Positive comment •Sep 21, 2019
    0
    GNU Screen Icon
    tmux icon

    • Almost everyone thinks tmux is a great GNU Screen alternative.

    • tmux is the most popular Mac & Linux alternative to GNU Screen.

    • tmux is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to GNU Screen.

    • tmux is Free and Open SourceGNU Screen is also Free and Open Source
    • tmux is LightweightGNU Screen is not according to our users
  2. byobu icon
    byobu icon

    byobu

     24 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Byobu is a GPLv3 open source text-based window manager and terminal multiplexer. It was originally designed to provide elegant enhancements to the otherwise functional, plain, practical GNU Screen , for the Ubuntu server distribution.

    7 byobu alternatives
    byobu screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Terminal-based
    3.  Vertical Split
    4.  Horizontal Split
    byobu iconGNU Screen Icon

    byobu VS GNU Screen

    Is byobu a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
    Comments about byobu as an Alternative to GNU Screen
     
    rogeriopradoj

    It's more modern than GNU Screen and still simple to use, on the other hand tmux is very complex.

    Positive comment •Dec 6, 2024
    0
    GNU Screen Icon
    byobu icon

    • Almost everyone thinks byobu is a great GNU Screen alternative.

    • byobu is Free and Open SourceGNU Screen is also Free and Open Source
    • byobu is LightweightGNU Screen is not according to our users
  4. Zellij icon
    Zellij icon

    Zellij

     6 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Zellij is a terminal workspace. It has the base functionality of a terminal multiplexer (similar to tmux or screen) but includes many built-in features that would allow users to extend it and create their own personalized environment.

    9 Zellij alternatives
    Zellij screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Zellij screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Horizontal Split
    3.  Split-screen view
    4.  Vertical Split
    Zellij iconGNU Screen Icon

    Zellij VS GNU Screen

    Is Zellij a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
  5. Wemux icon
    Wemux icon

    Wemux

     3 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    wemux - Multi-User Tmux Made Easy.

    8 Wemux alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Wemux iconGNU Screen Icon

    Wemux VS GNU Screen

    Is Wemux a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
  6. dtach icon
    dtach icon

    dtach

     7 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    dtach is a tiny program that emulates the detach feature of screen, allowing you to run a program in an environment that is protected from the controlling terminal and attach to it later. dtach does not keep track of the contents of the screen, and thus works best with programs...

    7 dtach alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    dtach Features

    1.  Command line interface
    dtach iconGNU Screen Icon

    dtach VS GNU Screen

    Is dtach a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
    Comments about dtach as an Alternative to GNU Screen
     
    dess

    Light, slim, not overhauled, resource efficient and just the most handy for its main purpose.

    Positive comment •Aug 27, 2019
    0
    GNU Screen Icon
    dtach icon
    • dtach is Free and Open SourceGNU Screen is also Free and Open Source

  7. abduco

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    abduco provides session management i.e. it allows programs to be run independently from their controlling terminal. That is programs can be detached - run in the background - and then later reattached. Together with dvtm it provides a simpler and cleaner alternative to tmux or...

    7 abduco alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux

    abduco Features

    1.  Multiple Instances
    2.  Session Management
    GNU Screen Icon

    abduco VS GNU Screen

    Is abduco a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
  9. mtm icon
    mtm icon

    mtm

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Perhaps the smallest useful terminal multiplexer in the world.

    9 mtm alternatives
    mtm screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    mtm screenshot 1
    mtm iconGNU Screen Icon

    mtm VS GNU Screen

    Is mtm a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
  10. Zterm icon
    Zterm icon

    Zterm

     4 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    ZTerm is a terminal emulation program for the Macintosh. In its day, many people used it to connect to Bulletin Board Systems and download files. Now we have the internet. Its still a useful utility for those systems that only offer dialup connections and for connecting to...

    22 Zterm alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Zterm Features

    1.  Serial terminal
    2.  Driverless
    Zterm iconGNU Screen Icon

    Zterm VS GNU Screen

    Is Zterm a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     

  11. Twin

     Like this app
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Twin is a windowing environment with mouse support, window manager, terminal emulator and networked clients, all inside a text display.

    8 Twin alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Floating windows
    GNU Screen Icon

    Twin VS GNU Screen

    Is Twin a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     
  12. Get Console icon
    Get Console icon

    Get Console

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Get Console is the first ipad and iphone serial port terminal application providing serial terminal connectivity without jailbreaking. The app store description advises it works on network devices, but offers a standard VT100 emulation.

    21 Get Console alternatives
    get console ipad terminal app

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • iPhone
    • iPad

    Get Console Features

    Get Console iconGNU Screen Icon

    Get Console VS GNU Screen

    Is Get Console a good alternative to GNU Screen?
     

    • Get Console is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to GNU Screen.

    • Get Console is the most popular commercial alternative to GNU Screen.

    • Get Console is Paid and ProprietaryGNU Screen is Free and Open Source
10 of 10 GNU Screen alternatives