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tailspin vs lnav: catalog facts
tailspin	lnav
Free The open-source application is available without a license fee.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux	macOS, Linux, Command line
Automatic highlighting across different log formats	Automatic detection of log formats and compressed files Merges several logs into one view
Highlighting is visual assistance rather than semantic log analysis.	Meant for small-scale use, not central log collection Terminal interface takes some learning
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License: BSD-2-Clause
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 23, 2026

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