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rxvt-unicode vs xterm: catalog facts
rxvt-unicode	xterm
Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0-only license.	Free Free to download as source or from distribution packages.
Linux	Linux
Unicode and locale-aware text handling Daemon mode can open multiple windows	Very thorough DEC VT and Tektronix emulation Maintained continuously for decades
Complex script support is not implemented Right-to-left rendering is not implemented	Configured through X resources, which is dated and awkward No tabs or split panes
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0-only	License not stated
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 October 8, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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