Tool profile
Wave Terminal: cost, fit and limits
Wave Terminal is an open-source terminal made by Command Line Inc. that combines shell sessions, a file editor, a web view and Wave AI chat, which can run on local models or on keys you bring yourself.
What to know first
Wave Terminal is a free download that bundles more than a shell. The homepage lists an SSH connection manager with WSL support, split layouts, remote file editing and an inline browser, and the docs describe Wave AI as a chat built into the terminal. The pages read publish no paid plan. The vendor states that AI prompts go directly to OpenAI and are not stored on its servers, and that telemetry is on by default.
Wave Terminal at a glance
| Maker | Command Line Inc., United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Terminal Emulators in 2026, rank 2 of 12 |
| Website | waveterm.dev |
Who Wave Terminal is best for
Developers who want AI with their own keys
The docs describe local models and bring-your-own-key setups for Wave AI, so the model provider and its billing stay under your control.
People who manage remote machines
The homepage lists an SSH connection manager with WSL support and remote file editing in a built-in editor, which keeps server work in one window.
Users who build their own dashboards
The docs describe custom widgets made from HTML and command line data, which suits someone who wants small status panels beside the shell.
Wave Terminal plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Open source download | Free | Terminal, file previews, editor, web browser and widgets with no login required, per the site. Wave AI uses your own model keys or local models. |
Checked November 2026.
What Wave Terminal does
- Wave AI chat
- An AI chat built into the terminal. The docs describe local model use, bring-your-own-key setups and an optional OpenAI-powered chat, so the model source is your choice.
- SSH and WSL connections
- A connection manager handles remote hosts, with WSL support listed on the homepage. It keeps host profiles inside the app instead of in a separate SSH client.
- Layouts and widgets
- Terminals, editors and web views share split screens and saved layouts. Custom widgets can be built from HTML and command line data, according to the docs.
- Remote file editing
- A VSCode-like editor opens files on remote machines from inside Wave, and an inline web browser shows GitHub pages or dashboards beside the shell, all in one window.
- Claude Code integration page
- The documentation includes a page about using Claude Code inside Wave, which suits developers who run an outside coding agent in the terminal rather than relying only on Wave AI.
How Wave Terminal handles your data
The privacy page says Wave AI prompts and responses go directly to OpenAI and are not stored on Wave's servers. Usage metadata such as model, token counts and latency is still collected. The telemetry docs say telemetry is on by default, is sent on startup, on shutdown and every four hours, and can be disabled in settings or with a wsh setconfig command. The pages do not state a training policy, a hosting region or a certification, so those need a direct question.
Where Wave Terminal falls short in practice
- Telemetry starts enabled. Telemetry is on by default and has to be switched off by the user. A security-minded team should turn it off at rollout, which the docs say can be done in settings or from the command line.
- No commercial tier published. The pages read show a free open-source download and no paid plan, support level or compliance report. A company that needs a contract, an SLA or an audit document has no published route to one.
- Prompts leave the machine for chat. The default Wave AI chat sends prompts to OpenAI. Keeping prompts local means setting up a local model, which takes extra work and depends on your hardware.
Works with
Alternatives to Wave Terminal
Wave Terminal: common questions
Is Wave Terminal free?
The open-source terminal is a free download and needs no login, per the site. The pages read publish no paid plan. Wave AI runs on local models or your own keys, so any model usage cost comes from the provider you connect, not from Wave.
Does Wave AI send my prompts to OpenAI?
The privacy page says Wave AI prompts and responses are sent directly to OpenAI and not stored on Wave's servers. The docs also describe local models and bring-your-own-key options, which avoid the default chat route. Usage metadata is collected either way, per the telemetry material.
How do I turn off telemetry in Wave Terminal?
The telemetry docs say telemetry can be disabled in settings or with the command wsh setconfig telemetry:enable set to false. It is on by default and sends data on startup, on shutdown and every four hours, so disable it before first use if that matters.
Can Wave Terminal manage SSH hosts?
Yes. The homepage describes an SSH connection manager with WSL support, plus remote file editing in a built-in editor. The pages read do not describe key vaults or team sharing, so it is a personal connection tool, not a managed credential product.
Where is Wave Terminal made?
The homepage footer says it is made with love in San Francisco, and the maker is listed as Command Line Inc. We did not read a legal address page, so treat the United States as the stated base and not a confirmed registered office.