Alternatives to Cmder

Carry a configured Windows console environment between machines. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Cmder.

  • ConEmu

    Keep several Windows console sessions in a tabbed window.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    ConEmu keeps several Windows console sessions in one tabbed window with configurable layouts, but does not bundle the command-line enhancements Cmder ships with.

  • Windows Terminal

    Microsoft’s tabbed terminal for Windows, hosting Command Prompt, PowerShell and WSL in one GPU-rendered window.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    Windows Terminal is Microsoft's tabbed, GPU-rendered host for Command Prompt, PowerShell and WSL, configured through a JSON settings file rather than a portable bundled environment.

  • Tabby

    A terminal, SSH client and serial console in one window, with a connection manager and an encrypted secret store.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Tabby runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and adds SSH, serial connections and tab completion via Clink, though as an Electron app it uses more memory.

  • MobaXterm

    A Windows remote-computing toolbox: tabbed SSH, an X11 server, RDP, VNC, FTP and Unix commands in one portable executable.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindows

    MobaXterm ships Unix commands and tabbed SSH in one portable Windows executable, but is closed source and its free Home Edition caps saved sessions.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Cmder as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Clink

    Add modern command editing to the Windows command prompt.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    Cmder bundles a terminal interface with command-line enhancements for Windows, so it replaces a cmd.exe add-on with a complete portable console environment.

  • Mintty

    A terminal emulator for Cygwin, MSYS2 and WSL on Windows with thorough xterm compatibility.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    Cmder bundles a terminal interface with command-line enhancements into a portable Windows console environment you can carry between machines.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.