Wave Terminal Review, Pricing & Alternatives (2026)

Wave Terminal is an open source desktop terminal from Command Line Inc., created on GitHub on June 8, 2022, under Apache License 2.0. It targets developers who combine local shells, remote machines, file work, previews, and AI assistance in one workspace. Support covers macOS 11 or later, Windows 10 version 1809 or later, and Linux distributions based on glibc 2.28 or later, making its minimum requirements relevant when standardizing developer machines. Electron supplies the desktop interface, while a local Go backend handles networking. The repository includes TypeScript, JavaScript, Go, CSS, HTML, Shell, SCSS, and Go Template, indicating a multi-layered application suitable for modification under its license. Wave publishes no funding, employee count, or user count, so buyers cannot assess company scale from disclosed organizational metrics.

Wave combines terminal blocks with graphical widgets in tabs and workspaces, so a session can keep local shells, SSH connections, previews, and editors together. Users can arrange blocks, preview Markdown, images, video, PDFs, CSV files, or directories, and edit local or remote files without changing applications. Durable SSH sessions preserve shell state, running programs, and terminal history through network changes, sleep, and Wave restarts, reducing recovery work during intermittent connections. Command Blocks isolate individual commands for monitoring. Wave AI can read terminal output and scrollback, inspect files, and write files after approval, while command execution remains unavailable. The wsh system can pipe output or attach files to AI chats and manage workspace data. This workflow suits developers consolidating remote administration, file review, and AI-assisted troubleshooting in one desktop workspace.

Wave’s provider configuration covers OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Azure, Perplexity, Groq, NanoGPT, OpenAI-compatible endpoints, Ollama, and LM Studio, allowing teams to change services without replacing the terminal. Version 0.13.0, released December 8, 2025, introduced local models, bring-your-own-key support, Gemini integration, provider presets, and multiple AI modes. Version 0.14.0, released February 10, 2026, added durable SSH sessions and improved connection monitoring, making interrupted remote work easier to resume. Version 0.14.4 upgraded xterm.js to version 6 and added vertical tabs, while version 0.14.5, released April 16, 2026, added Process Viewer, Quake Mode, file drag and drop, and related fixes. Buyers should verify provider billing, local hardware, and compatibility before standardizing configurations across a team.

Wave’s desktop application is free, and its repository uses the Apache 2.0 license, allowing commercial use subject to its conditions. The README describes Wave AI as a free beta with included credits, while also supporting BYOK and local models. Wave publishes no paid seat plan, per-token Wave price, or fixed hosted-service rate, so budgeting depends on the selected model arrangement. OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Azure, Perplexity, Groq, NanoGPT, and other connected providers may impose separate usage charges. Local models avoid provider billing, but require compatible software and hardware, shifting costs toward setup and maintenance. The launch announcement says features using a user’s own computer and resources are intended to remain free, while server-based features may become paid. Teams therefore need to verify provider terms before standardizing deployment.

Wave is a broad desktop workspace rather than a minimal terminal emulator, and its Electron foundation may consume more resources than a native application, which matters on constrained developer machines or alongside multiple editors and browsers. Its cross platform support covers macOS, Linux, and Windows, while durable SSH can preserve remote sessions through interruptions, network changes, sleep, and restarts. Inline previews, remote editing, file transfer, and graphical blocks can reduce context switching when handling logs, documentation, media, or server files. The README still lists Wave AI command execution as coming soon, so teams should plan for assisted analysis and approved file operations, not autonomous shell workflows. BYOK and local model support also shift billing and hardware decisions to the user. Wave suits developers needing graphical terminal blocks, durable SSH, previews, editing, and provider choice.