Alacritty vs Kitty:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Alacritty and Kitty were level in searches among terminal emulators worldwide, with an estimated 33.1K branded searches each, at 7.7% of the total each. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about terminal emulators, Alacritty appeared in four of the five answers and Kitty in three. Alacritty was mentioned before Kitty in three out of four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Alacritty and Kitty are searched for about as often as each other.
Who does AI mention more?
Alacritty, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Kitty in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
Alacritty, named ahead of Kitty in 3 of 4 answers
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Top terminal emulators in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Alacritty was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Kitty was mentioned in three out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Alacritty was listed before Kitty in three out of four answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Ghostty5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Windows Terminal4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- WezTerm4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Alacritty4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
iTerm23 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Kitty3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Warp2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Hyper0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about terminal emulators
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which terminal emulator should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best terminal emulators?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best terminal emulator for a developer workflow?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“terminal emulator”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“linux terminal emulator”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Alacritty or Kitty more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Alacritty and Kitty by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight terminal emulators we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Alacritty, Kitty. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Ghostty | iTerm2 | Windows Terminal | Warp | WezTerm | Alacritty | Kitty | Hyper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 28.6% | 15.7% | 13.1% | 12.9% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 8.6% | 2.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 26.7% | 17.9% | 12.2% | 12% | 9.8% | 9.8% | 9.8% | 1.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 30.7% | 16.9% | 11.5% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 11.3% | 9.2% | 1.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 35.9% | 16.1% | 11% | 8.8% | 10.8% | 8.8% | 7.2% | 1.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 38.6% | 17.4% | 9.7% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 6.4% | 1.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 43.4% | 15.9% | 10.9% | 7.1% | 8.7% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 0.95% |
| Apr 2026 | 40% | 17.9% | 10% | 9.8% | 8% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 37% | 16.7% | 11.4% | 11.1% | 9.1% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 1.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 35.9% | 16.1% | 11% | 10.8% | 10.8% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 36.8% | 13.5% | 11.3% | 9% | 13.5% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 1.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 37.7% | 13.8% | 11.5% | 9.3% | 11.3% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 38.5% | 14.1% | 11.8% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 1.3% |
How has the Alacritty and Kitty comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Alacritty was ahead of Kitty in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Alacritty’s share of searches among terminal emulators worldwide moved from 10.5% to 7.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 33.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kitty’s share of searches among terminal emulators worldwide moved from 8.6% to 7.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 33.1K.
How did search popularity change for terminal emulators worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
Alacritty’s share of searches among terminal emulators worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 7.2% to 7.7% in September 2026.
Kitty’s share of searches among terminal emulators worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 7.2% to 7.7% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Alacritty’s and Kitty’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among terminal emulators
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