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lnav vs tailspin: catalog facts
lnav	tailspin
Free Free and open source.	Free The open-source application is available without a license fee.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux
Automatic detection of log formats and compressed files Merges several logs into one view	Automatic highlighting across different log formats
Meant for small-scale use, not central log collection Terminal interface takes some learning	Highlighting is visual assistance rather than semantic log analysis.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: BSD-2-Clause	License: MIT
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

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