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Byobu vs Zellij: catalog facts
Byobu	Zellij
Free Free and open source under the GPL.	Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Usable multiplexer with a status bar from the first launch, no config needed Function-key bindings that are easier to learn than raw tmux prefixes	On-screen key hints, so it is usable without memorising anything first Floating and stacked panes that tmux does not have
Adds an abstraction layer that gets in the way once you know tmux well	Fewer years of accumulated configuration and scripts than tmux The status bar uses screen space until you turn it off
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License: MIT
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.