iTerm2 vs Kitty:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, iTerm2 had more branded searches than Kitty among terminal emulators worldwide. iTerm2 had about 60,500 branded searches, while Kitty had 33,100. iTerm2 made up 14.1% of all terminal emulator searches we track, and Kitty accounted for 7.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about terminal emulators, iTerm2 and Kitty each appeared in three of the five answers. Kitty was mentioned before iTerm2 in three out of four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
iTerm2, about 83% more searches than Kitty
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 3 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Kitty, named ahead of iTerm2 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, iTerm2 was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Kitty was mentioned in three out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Kitty was listed before iTerm2 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 iTerm2 or Kitty more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for iTerm2 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 iTerm2, 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 iTerm2 and Kitty comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- iTerm2 was ahead of Kitty in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, iTerm2’s share of searches among terminal emulators worldwide moved from 15.7% to 14.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 60.5K.
- 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?
1 change
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 iTerm2’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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