Compare
Bentomux against the field
Most alternatives are either raw terminal tabs or a multiplexer you configure yourself. Bentomux is a native window built to hold agents side-by-side.
Scrolls sideways on a phone.
Why Bentomux
How it stacks up
See how Bentomux compares to running agents in plain terminal tabs or tmux.
| Feature | Bentomux | Terminal tabs | tmux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-agent layoutRun many agents side-by-side in one window | Yes | No | Manual only |
| Named panesLabel each pane with the agent or task running inside | Yes | No | No |
| Session restoreReopen your layout exactly where you left off | Yes | No | Plugin required |
| Native macOS & Linux GUINo config file needed to get started | Yes | Yes | No |
| Focus modeZoom into one pane without closing others | Yes | No | Zoom pane only |
| Keyboard-firstEvery action reachable without a mouse | Yes | No | Yes |
| One-click output copyCopy agent output without leaving the keyboard | Yes | No | No |
| Free & open source | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A window, not tabs in a terminal.
Bentomux is a native app — layout, panes and split borders persist as UI, not as a terminal you have to configure.
Persists without config.
Reopen the app and the same window is back — no tmux.conf, no plugin, no rescue script.
Built for agents.
Every pane is a real PTY built to run a coding agent side-by-side, with approval handling and live state.
Keyboard-first, mouse-friendly.
Every action reachable without a mouse — drag and click still work when you want them.
Free and open source.
MIT licensed. Inspect, fork, contribute.
One-liners, for deciding fast
Bentomux vs terminal tabs
Tabs are throwaway. Bentomux keeps layout, named panes and session restore in one native window.
Bentomux vs tmux
tmux keeps terminals alive — so does Bentomux. The difference is a native GUI with zero config, focus mode and one-click output copy.
Bentomux vs manager apps
Manager apps put worktrees and review queues in a window. Bentomux is the window itself.
A calm window, not another tab.
Same terminal, same agents — they just stop being a scatter of tabs.