18.7
Tailscale is a zero-config VPN for connecting devices and users across a network.
Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWeb
Best Command Line Tools in 2026
Command line tools help you work with files, systems, networks and development tasks from a text interface. This category includes tools that run on Linux, macOS, Windows, the web, self-hosted setups or through an API. Compare the free plan, paid starting price, licence, supported platforms and install methods. If you want to use a tool on Android, check its platform support and installation requirements.…
28.3
HTTPie is an API client for building and testing requests to APIs, HTTP servers, and web services.
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOS
38.0
Terraform is an infrastructure-as-code tool for defining and managing cloud and on-premises resources with human-readable configuration files.
Free planWebAPILinux
- 4
1Password
1Password is a password manager for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web.
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.9From $2.99 a month - 5
rclone
Rclone is a free command-line program for managing files across cloud storage services.
Free planAndroidWebAPILinux7.6Free plan - 6
restic
restic is a free, open-source program for backing up files on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows.
Free planOpen sourceAPILinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.6Free plan - 7
GitHub CodeQL
GitHub CodeQL is a language and toolchain for analyzing code as data.
Free planWebExtensionLinuxmacOS7.5From $30 a month - 8
jq
jq is a free command-line tool for filtering and transforming JSON data.
Free planWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.2Free plan - 9
Nmap
Nmap is a free, open-source utility for discovering networks and auditing security.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows7.0From $9,980 a month - 10
curl
Free planAndroidiOSLinuxmacOS6.9Free plan - 11
Homebrew
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.9Free plan - 12
yt-dlp
yt-dlp is a free command-line tool for downloading audio and video from online sources.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows6.8Free plan - 13
NetsCLI
NetsCLI is an open-source network scanner for discovering LAN devices, scanning TCP and UDP ports, querying DNS, and inspecting hosts.
Free planLinuxmacOSWindows6.6Free 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
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 - 17
btop
btop is a free resource monitor for Linux and macOS that displays processor, memory, disk, network, and process activity.
Free planLinuxmacOS6.1Free plan - 18
htop
htop is a free, interactive process viewer for managing and inspecting processes in text-mode terminals.
Free planLinuxmacOS6.1Free plan - 19
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 - 20
ripgrep
LinuxmacOSWindows4.9 - 21
Azure CLI
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8 - 22
Docker CLI
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8 - 23
fzf
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8 - 24
GNU Wget
LinuxmacOSWindows4.8 - 254.8
Choosing well
Check where it runs
The listed platforms include Linux, macOS, Windows, web, self-hosted setups and APIs. Match the tool's supported platforms to the computer or service you plan to use.
For Android use, verify platform support and the required installation method before choosing.
Compare free and paid access
A free plan is available from tools in this category, while pricing models can be free, freemium or paid. Check what the free plan includes and whether a paid tier is needed for your work.
Published starting prices can differ widely. AWS Client VPN lists a starting price of $0.10, while GitHub CodeQL lists paid plans from $30 per month.
Review the code and licence
Open-source code is available from tools in this category. If you need to read or change the code, check each tool's licence and how the project distributes it.
Match your working style
Compare whether a tool has an interactive mode, works offline and offers AI assistance. These options can change how you use a command line workflow and whether a network connection is needed.
Check installation options
Install methods are part of the comparison. Confirm how the tool is installed on your operating system or service, especially for self-hosted and API use.
Questions people ask
Are command line tools free?
The category includes free, freemium and paid pricing models. Check the listed free plan and paid starting price for the tool you want.
Can I use these tools offline?
Offline operation is a comparison field. Check the individual tool's details to see whether it supports the offline workflow you need.
Is open-source code available?
Open-source code is offered by tools in this category. Review the individual licence before reading, changing or redistributing code.
Do these tools offer AI assistance?
AI assistance is one of the comparison fields. Check the individual tool's details to see whether that feature is available.