Best exa alternatives in 2026
8 direct alternatives to exa, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Curated by Louis Corneloup · Updated Cite this list: Toolradar, best exa alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/exa
Why people consider alternatives to exa
exa is a modern replacement for the ls command, written in Rust. Color-coded output makes file types instantly visible. Git integration shows file status at a glance. Tree view displays directory structure beautifully.
Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:
- •A feature or quota ceiling that a paid specialist covers and this free tool does not.
- •Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
- •Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
- •A specific feature gap you have hit in terminal tools.
The 8 alternatives below cover the same core job (terminal tools) with different trade-offs. Ranked by real-signal score: G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review.
8 alternatives to exa
Ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review, plus how directly they replace exa.
- 1
Oh My Zsh
FreeA delightful, open source, community-driven framework for managing your Zsh configuration.
Direct alternative5.0(10)as of Mar 2026Compare exa vs Oh My Zsh → - 2
Starship
FreeThe minimal, blazing-fast, and infinitely customizable prompt for any shell!
Direct alternativeCompare exa vs Starship → - 3
Google Drive
FreemiumBattle-tested at scaleCloud storage and collaboration with 15GB free
Direct alternative4.8(28,616)as of Sep 2026Compare exa vs Google Drive → - 4
Porkbun
PaidBattle-tested at scaleDomain registrar with competitive pricing
Direct alternative4.8(26,552)as of Sep 2026Compare exa vs Porkbun → - 5
Dropbox
FreemiumBattle-tested at scaleCloud storage and collaboration
Direct alternative4.4(53,152)as of Sep 2026Compare exa vs Dropbox → - 6
Babel
FreeBattle-tested at scaleUse tomorrow's JavaScript today, anywhere
Direct alternative4.4(32,967)as of Sep 2026Compare exa vs Babel → - 7
Testing Library
FreeBattle-tested at scaleSimple and complete testing utilities
Direct alternative4.5(21,131)as of Jul 2026Compare exa vs Testing Library → - 8
iLovePDF
FreemiumBattle-tested at scaleEvery tool you need to work with PDFs in one place, 100% FREE and easy to use.
Direct alternative4.7(13,659)as of Sep 2026Compare exa vs iLovePDF →
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to exa?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to exa are Oh My Zsh, Starship, Google Drive. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to exa?
exa is already 100% free (no paid upgrade path). Oh My Zsh is another fully free option listed here (A delightful, open source, community-driven framework for managing your Zsh configuration). Freemium tools on this list have a free tier plus paid plans — they are not the same as 100% free.
Why do people look for exa alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from exa even though it is free: missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in terminal tools. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with a different feature set.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for exa versus each alternative.
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