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# Alacritty vs GNOME Terminal Comparison - What are their main differences?

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AlacrittyGNOME Terminal[+ Add Product](#)

Pricing

**Alacritty**
No pricing available

**GNOME Terminal**
No pricing available

**Pros & Cons**
from reviews

**Alacritty**
Not enough data

**GNOME Terminal**
Not enough data

**Ratings**
from reviews

Meets Requirements

**Alacritty**

**8.7** /10

Based on 9 responses

**GNOME Terminal**

**9.7** /10

Based on 12 responses

Ease of Use

**Alacritty**

**8.9** /10

Based on 9 responses

**GNOME Terminal**

**9.2** /10

Based on 12 responses

Ease of Setup

**Alacritty** Not enough data

**GNOME Terminal** Not enough data

Ease of Admin

**Alacritty** Not enough data

**GNOME Terminal** Not enough data

Quality of Support

**Alacritty**

**8.1** /10

Based on 7 responses

**GNOME Terminal**

**9.5** /10

Based on 10 responses

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**Alacritty** Not enough data

**GNOME Terminal** Not enough data

Product Direction (% positive)

**Alacritty**

**10.0** /10

Based on 9 responses

**GNOME Terminal**

**9.0** /10

Based on 12 responses

**Features**
ratings from reviews

Terminal Emulator

**8.8** /10

Based on 8 responses

**8.4** /10

Based on 13 responses

User Insights

**Reviewers' Company Size**

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
50.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
33.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
16.7%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
50.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
33.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
16.7%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
75.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
8.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
16.7%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
75.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
8.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
16.7%

**Reviewers' Industry**

[![Alacritty](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_8ec3c17e3fb1df25b6a8bd7cc69cf2d1/alacritty.png "Alacritty")](https://www.g2.com/products/alacritty/reviews)
Alacritty

Program Development
16.7%

Retail
8.3%

Primary/Secondary Education
8.3%

Information Technology and Services
8.3%

Food & Beverages
8.3%

Other
50.0%

[![GNOME Terminal](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_4a102060ec244b2088e01a39dde8ed6d/gnome-terminal.jpg "GNOME Terminal")](https://www.g2.com/products/gnome-terminal/reviews)
GNOME Terminal

Computer Software
33.3%

Computer & Network Security
25.0%

Information Technology and Services
16.7%

Research
8.3%

Religious Institutions
8.3%

Other
8.3%

Alternatives

**Alacritty Alternatives**

 ![iTerm2](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_0159d1abdafe291500d48ac376a5d2c4/iterm2.jpg "iTerm2")

[
iTerm2
](/products/iterm2/reviews)

 ![PuTTY](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_91ba385b963fa00bce23b532cca3ebba/putty.png "PuTTY")

[
PuTTY
](/products/putty/reviews)

 ![MobaXTerm](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_3c47b0293b63e905b726b84b02ab0683/mobaxterm.PNG "MobaXTerm")

[
MobaXTerm
](/products/mobaxterm/reviews)

 ![SecureCRT](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_7480f3088d28dac2e53abe007c765c98/securecrt.png "SecureCRT")

[
SecureCRT
](/products/securecrt/reviews)

**GNOME Terminal Alternatives**

 ![iTerm2](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_0159d1abdafe291500d48ac376a5d2c4/iterm2.jpg "iTerm2")

[
iTerm2
](/products/iterm2/reviews)

 ![PuTTY](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_91ba385b963fa00bce23b532cca3ebba/putty.png "PuTTY")

[
PuTTY
](/products/putty/reviews)

 ![MobaXTerm](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_3c47b0293b63e905b726b84b02ab0683/mobaxterm.PNG "MobaXTerm")

[
MobaXTerm
](/products/mobaxterm/reviews)

 ![SecureCRT](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_7480f3088d28dac2e53abe007c765c98/securecrt.png "SecureCRT")

[
SecureCRT
](/products/securecrt/reviews)

## Alacritty vs GNOME Terminal FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 14, 2026

### What is the difference between GNOME Terminal vs Alacritty?

GNOME Terminal stands out for higher reviewer satisfaction on support and setup, while Alacritty is noted for speed and customization.

| [GNOME Terminal](https://www.g2.com/products/gnome-terminal/reviews) | [Alacritty](https://www.g2.com/products/alacritty/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| 4.5/5 (14 reviews) | 4.3/5 (12 reviews) |
| Ease of Setup: 6.4 | Ease of Setup: 6.5 |
| Quality of Support: 9.5 | Quality of Support: 8.1 |
| Top Reviewer-Cited Strength: User-friendly interface, tabs, and multiple profiles | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength: Fast performance, GPU acceleration, and extensive customization |

### How do the pricing models of GNOME Terminal and Alacritty compare?

GNOME Terminal is rated higher for value, with reviewers expressing greater satisfaction with its cost compared to Alacritty.

- **GNOME Terminal:** Reviewers consistently highlight that GNOME Terminal is free, pre-installed on many Linux distributions, and offers robust features without additional cost.
- **Alacritty:** Reviewers appreciate that Alacritty is open source and free, but note occasional frustrations with configuration issues that can impact perceived value.

### What are the best alternatives to GNOME Terminal and Alacritty?

The top three alternatives to GNOME Terminal and Alacritty are iTerm2, PuTTY, and Kitty.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [GNOME Terminal](https://www.g2.com/products/gnome-terminal/reviews) | 4.5/5 (14 reviews) | — | Free and pre-installed on many Linux distributions | User-friendly interface, tabs, and multiple profiles |
| [Alacritty](https://www.g2.com/products/alacritty/reviews) | 4.3/5 (12 reviews) | — | Open source and free | Fast performance, GPU acceleration, and extensive customization |
| [iTerm2](https://www.g2.com/products/iterm2/reviews) | 4.7/5 (51 reviews) | Mid-Market | — | — |
| [PuTTY](https://www.g2.com/products/putty/reviews) | 4.5/5 (353 reviews) | Enterprise | — | — |

### Which Terminal Emulator features should I prioritize when comparing GNOME Terminal and Alacritty?

Buyers should prioritize customization, performance, multi-tab support, user interface, and support quality when comparing GNOME Terminal and Alacritty.

- **Customization:** GNOME Terminal offers multiple profiles and theming; Alacritty is praised for extensive configuration and customization options.
- **Performance:** Alacritty is frequently cited for its fast performance and GPU acceleration; GNOME Terminal is described as stable and snappy.
- **Multi-tab support:** GNOME Terminal supports tabs and multiple profiles; Alacritty lacks native tab support, which is noted as a trade-off in reviews.
- **User interface:** GNOME Terminal is highlighted for its user-friendly interface; Alacritty is noted for its elegant and customizable UI.
- **Support quality:** GNOME Terminal scores 9.5 for Quality of Support, while Alacritty scores 8.1.

### What are the pros and cons of GNOME Terminal vs Alacritty?

GNOME Terminal's headline strength is its user-friendly interface and multi-profile support, while Alacritty is recognized for speed and customization.

- **GNOME Terminal strengths:** User-friendly interface, tabs, multiple profiles, stable performance, and pre-installed on many Linux distributions.
- **GNOME Terminal trade-offs:** Steeper learning curve for new users, lacks some advanced features like split-screen and session restore, and limited GUI features.
- **Alacritty strengths:** Fast performance, GPU acceleration, extensive customization, open source, and elegant design.
- **Alacritty trade-offs:** No native tab or split support, configuration errors can cause crashes, and session restore is not supported.

### Is GNOME Terminal or Alacritty better for small businesses?

GNOME Terminal is the better fit for small businesses, supported by higher reviewer satisfaction and ease of use.

- **GNOME Terminal:** Reviewers highlight its user-friendly interface, stability, and pre-installed availability, making it accessible for small business environments.
- **Alacritty:** Reviewers note its speed and customization, but mention a steeper learning curve and configuration challenges that may be less ideal for small business users.

### Which Terminal Emulator platform has better integrations?

GNOME Terminal and Alacritty are rated at parity for integrations, with no reviewer-cited integrations in recent reviews.

- **GNOME Terminal:** No integrations are mentioned in recent reviews.
- **Alacritty:** No integrations are mentioned in recent reviews.

### How do GNOME Terminal and Alacritty compare on customer support?

GNOME Terminal outperforms Alacritty on Quality of Support by a margin of 1.4 points, with scores of 9.5 versus 8.1.

- **GNOME Terminal:** Reviewers consistently describe support as responsive and helpful, with multiple mentions of positive experiences.
- **Alacritty:** Reviewers note generally positive support but mention occasional issues with configuration and troubleshooting.

### Which is easier to implement, GNOME Terminal or Alacritty?

GNOME Terminal and Alacritty are at parity on Ease of Setup, with scores of 6.4 and 6.5 respectively.

- **GNOME Terminal:** Reviewers describe setup as straightforward, especially for users of GNOME-based Linux distributions.
- **Alacritty:** Reviewers mention that setup is generally easy, but configuration errors can cause issues that require troubleshooting.

## Alacritty vs GNOME Terminal

- Reviewers felt that GNOME Terminal meets the needs of their business better than Alacritty.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that GNOME Terminal is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of Alacritty over GNOME Terminal.