Compare software

fzf vs smenu: catalog facts
fzf	smenu
Best for: Picking one thing out of a list of thousands without scrolling	Best for: Shell users adding interactive choices to terminal workflows
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Filters any list at all, because it just reads standard input Shell integration gives instant fuzzy command history and file search All 4 strengths for fzf Filters any list at all, because it just reads standard input Shell integration gives instant fuzzy command history and file search Preview windows and key bindings turn scripts into real interfaces Single binary, with Vim and Neovim plugins included	Reads selections from standard input or a file Supports keyboard and mouse navigation All 3 strengths for smenu Reads selections from standard input or a file Supports keyboard and mouse navigation Can be used interactively or in shell scripts
Command line only, and its real power needs shell scripting Fuzzy matching sometimes surfaces a surprising first result All 4 limitations for fzf Command line only, and its real power needs shell scripting Fuzzy matching sometimes surfaces a surprising first result Key binding setup differs per shell The manual is long because the option set is large	Requires a terminal with terminfo support
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License: MPL-2.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for fzf junegunn.github.io/fzf github.com/junegunn/fzf Catalog checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for smenu github.com/p-gen/smenu Catalog checked October 8, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.