Choose Terminal when…
You want to keep working in your existing herdr panes, with a real SSH or Mosh terminal on iPhone, iPad and Mac. One native list brings together the agents on your Macs and puts the ones waiting for you first.
Which one fits your work?
We make Terminal. Here’s why you might choose it, and why you might choose Happy.
Choose Happy when…
You want an open-source workspace with model switching, subagents and persistent sessions, or need Android, Windows or Linux clients. Happy syncs its agent sessions to your phone through an encrypted relay.
Side by side.
Compare the workflow and what it takes to get connected.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare.
| At a glance | Terminal | Happy |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Every agent on every Mac in one native list. | An open-source agent orchestration workspace with desktop and phone clients. |
| Client platforms | iPhone, iPad and Mac. App Store launch coming soon. | iPhone and Android; desktop on macOS, Windows and Linux. |
| Working with agents | herdr panes sorted by who needs you; answer from the Lock Screen. | Happy Agent runs sessions with Claude, Codex, Grok and more; switch models, delegate to subagents and reply from your phone. |
| Connections | SSH and Mosh. Tailscale for the paired-Mac workflow. | Phone sessions sync through an end-to-end encrypted relay. Agents and files stay on your computer. |
| Host setup | Terminal Bridge and herdr on each Mac. iCloud Keychain for automatic pairing, or pair by QR code. | Install Happy Desktop and sign in to a supported model on the host, then pair your phone by QR code. The original Happy CLI remains available in maintenance mode. |
| Cost | Free, with no account to make. | Free and MIT licensed; bring your own model subscriptions. Mobile voice has a free allowance, then an optional paid subscription. |
Reviewed November 3, 2026 against official sources. Features and plans can change; check current details before choosing.
- Happy features, platforms and cost ↗
- Happy runtime and connections ↗
- Happy setup and phone pairing ↗
- Happy mobile access and encryption ↗
- Original Happy CLI status ↗
Terminal’s agent workflow needs herdr and Terminal Bridge on your Macs, with Tailscale for access from your phone. Without herdr, it’s a plain SSH and Mosh terminal for Mac and Linux. See Terminal’s setup and FAQ.
Keep comparing.
Terminal vs Moshi
Two ways to keep your coding agents close.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Claude Code Remote Control
All your agents in a terminal, or your Claude session in the Claude app.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs KittyLitter
Your existing herdr panes or a native mobile client for agent conversations.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Paseo
Your existing herdr panes or a full agent development workspace.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Orca
Your existing herdr panes or a development environment for parallel agents.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs T3 Code
Your existing herdr panes or a shared interface for coding agents.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Termius
An agent list or a shared SSH workspace.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Prompt 3
An agent list or a configurable terminal across Apple devices.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Secure ShellFish
An agent list or a terminal connected to your remote files.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs La Terminal
An agent list or a terminal with host monitors and command search.
Read the comparison →Terminal vs Blink Shell
A pocket view of your agents or an iPad command line.
Read the comparison →Put your agents in your pocket.
Coming soon for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Free, with no account. Leave your email and hear when it’s out.