18.3
HTTPie is an API client for building and testing requests to APIs, HTTP servers, and web services.
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOS
Best Cli Tools in 2026
CLI tools let you run commands for tasks such as cloud work, containers, files, media, system monitoring and version control. The category includes software for macOS, Linux, Windows, self-hosted setups, the web and APIs. Before choosing a tool, check whether it supports Android or needs a desktop or server environment. Compare its free plan or trial, price after that, licence, package manager options, interactive…
27.6
Rclone is a free command-line program for managing files across cloud storage services.
Free planAndroidWebAPI
37.6
restic is a free, open-source program for backing up files on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows.
Free planOpen sourceAPILinuxmacOS
- 4
Supabase
Supabase is a backend platform built around a Postgres database, with services for authentication, file storage, realtime data, and server-side functions.
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI7.6From $25 a month - 5
GitHub CodeQL
GitHub CodeQL is a language and toolchain for analyzing code as data.
Free planWebExtensionLinuxmacOS7.5From $30 a month - 6
Pulumi
Pulumi helps engineers define and manage infrastructure with Infrastructure as Code using general-purpose languages.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.4From $40 a month - 7
jq
jq is a free command-line tool for filtering and transforming JSON data.
Free planWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.2Free plan - 8
FFmpeg
FFmpeg is free, open-source software for recording, converting, and streaming audio and video on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows7.0Free plan - 9
Vercel
Vercel is infrastructure for building, deploying, securing, observing, and scaling apps and agents.
Free planWebAPI7.0$20 usage-based - 10
Homebrew
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.9Free plan - 11
Nix
Nix is a package manager and system configuration tool for creating reproducible, declarative environments.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows6.7Free plan - 12
aria2
aria2 is a free, open-source command-line utility for downloading files across multiple protocols and sources.
Free planAndroidAPILinuxmacOS6.6Free plan - 13
Kubernetes
Kubernetes is an open-source system for deploying and managing applications packaged in containers.
Free planAPILinuxmacOSSelf-hosted6.5Free plan - 14
Git
Git is a free, open-source distributed version control system for managing work across repositories.
Free planmacOS6.4Free plan - 15
gs-batch-pdf
gs-batch-pdf is a free, MIT-licensed command-line tool for batch processing PDF files with parallel execution.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.4Free plan - 16
OpenTofu
OpenTofu is a free infrastructure as code tool for defining cloud and on-premises resources in human-readable configuration files.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows6.4Free plan - 17
AWS Client VPN
AWS Client VPN is a paid VPN access service for organizations needing advanced administrative control over client connections.
WebLinuxmacOSWindows6.2From $0.10 a month - 18
Helm
Helm is a free package manager for applications running in Kubernetes clusters.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.2Free plan - 19
K9s
K9s is a terminal interface for navigating, observing, and managing Kubernetes clusters and their applications.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.2Free plan - 20
btop
btop is a free resource monitor for Linux and macOS that displays processor, memory, disk, network, and process activity.
Free planLinuxmacOS6.1Free plan - 21
lazygit
lazygit is a free terminal interface for Git commands that runs inside a Git repository.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.1Free plan - 22
fdupes
fdupes is a free, open-source Linux utility that finds duplicate files in directories you specify and can delete selected copies.
Free planLinux6.0Free plan - 23
ripgrep
LinuxmacOSWindows4.9 - 24
Azure CLI
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8 - 25
Docker CLI
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8
Choosing well
Check where it runs
The listed platform options include macOS, Linux, Windows, self-hosted setups, web access and APIs. Confirm that a tool fits the device or server where you plan to use it.
Android support is not shown by these platform facts, so check for an Android app or a documented Android setup before choosing.
Compare price and licence
A free plan, paid starting price or free trial can change how a tool fits your budget. Check the pricing note and what remains available without payment.
Open-source code can matter if you need to read, modify or redistribute the tool. Review the licence before using it in a project.
Match your command workflow
Look for package-manager support if you want a simpler install or upgrade path. Interactive mode can help when a command needs guided input.
Shell completion may speed up command entry and reduce typing errors. Check whether the shells you use are supported.
Plan for connectivity
Offline use is a comparison point for these tools. Check whether the commands you need can run without a network connection, especially for self-hosted or local work.
Tools tied to a web service or API may need connectivity for their main tasks, so read the platform and usage details before installing.
Questions people ask
Do these CLI tools have Android apps?
Android support is not included in the platform facts. Check the individual tool for an Android app or setup instructions before choosing it for a phone or tablet.
Can I use a CLI tool for free?
Items in this category offer free plans, and open-source tools are present. Check the individual pricing note for free access, a trial or a paid starting price.
Which platforms are covered?
The category compares tools running on macOS, Linux, Windows, self-hosted setups, the web and APIs. Support varies by tool.
Why check package managers?
Package-manager support can affect how you install and update a command-line tool. Confirm that it supports the package manager used on your system.
What do interactive mode and shell completion mean?
Interactive mode provides guided command input, while shell completion helps fill in commands or options. Check the tool's details for support.
Can CLI tools work offline?
Offline use is a comparison point, but availability depends on the tool and task. Check whether the commands you need require a network, web service or API.