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Zellij vs Byobu: catalog facts
Zellij	Byobu
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source under the GPL.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
On-screen key hints, so it is usable without memorising anything first Floating and stacked panes that tmux does not have	Usable multiplexer with a status bar from the first launch, no config needed Function-key bindings that are easier to learn than raw tmux prefixes
Fewer years of accumulated configuration and scripts than tmux The status bar uses screen space until you turn it off	Adds an abstraction layer that gets in the way once you know tmux well
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License: GPL-3.0
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 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

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