1
oils
oils.pubAlso covers linux and macos · same kind of website
Oils provides OSH, a shell intended as an upgrade path from Bash, alongside its documentation.
Alternatives
The Best zsh Alternatives in 2026
9 alternatives0 free · 4 open source
Looking for something like zsh? Here are 9 alternatives, ranked by how closely they match it on purpose, features and platforms. Of these, 4 are open source.
The Zsh website provides shell documentation and archives, describing Zsh as a command shell.
Top picks at a glance
First suggestionoilsOils provides OSH, a shell intended as an upgrade path from…Open source optionNbnb supports plain-text notes, bookmarks, and archives…Another optionbpkgbpkg manages Bash packages from the command line, according…
Quick comparison
| # | Alternative | Pricing | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | oils | — | Not stated | Web |
| 2 | bpkg | — | Not stated | Web |
| 3 | zx | — | Not stated | Web |
| 4 | bash | — | Not stated | Web |
| 5 | Nb | — | Yes | — |
| 6 | Zoxide | — | Yes | — |
| 7 | clifm | — | Not stated | — |
| 8 | dax | — | Yes | Windows |
| 9 | Awesome for One Liner | — | Yes | — |
All zsh alternatives
2
bpkg
bpkg.shAlso covers linux · same kind of website
bpkg manages Bash packages from the command line, according to its documentation.
3
zx
google.github.io/zxAlso covers linux and macos · same kind of website
zx helps write shell scripts in JavaScript, with support for interacting with system commands.
4
bash
gnu.org/software/bashAlso covers linux and macos · same kind of website
Bash is the GNU Project’s shell for command-line interaction and shell scripting.
5
Open source
nb supports plain-text notes, bookmarks, and archives through command-line and local web interfaces.
6
Also covers linux and macos · open source
zoxide improves directory navigation with a smarter cd command that works across major shells.
7
clifm
github.com/leo-arch/clifmAlso covers linux
clifm manages files from a shell-like command-line interface without menus or a graphical interface.
8
Also covers linux · open source
dax offers cross-platform shell tools for Deno and Node.js, including command execution and output capture.
9
Also covers linux · open source
This repository collects useful Unix shell one-liners and command-line tools.
No alternatives match this filter.
Alternatives to similar tools
bash24 alternativeszx14 alternativesAwesome for One Liner24 alternativesNb24 alternativesZoxide24 alternativesclifm24 alternatives
What is the best alternative to zsh?
Based on features, tags and platforms, the closest alternatives to zsh are oils, bpkg, and zx.
Are there open-source alternatives to zsh?
Yes: Nb, Zoxide, dax, and Awesome for One Liner.
Alternatives are suggested from the purpose and features described in our listings. Different pages for the same product appear once. Read each description to check whether it fits your task. How we choose alternatives · Suggest an alternative