Compare software

smenu vs fzf: catalog facts
smenu	fzf
Best for: Shell users adding interactive choices to terminal workflows	Best for: Picking one thing out of a list of thousands without scrolling
Free Free and open source under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.	Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Command line
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	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
Requires a terminal with terminfo support	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
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MPL-2.0	License: MIT
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for smenu github.com/p-gen/smenu Catalog checked October 8, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for fzf junegunn.github.io/fzf github.com/junegunn/fzf Catalog checked September 21, 2026

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