Best exa alternatives in 2026

2 direct alternatives to exa and 6 more tools in the same category, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.

Curated by Louis Corneloup · Updated October 2026

Cite this list: Toolradar, best exa alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/exa

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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 2 direct alternatives below cover the same core job (terminal tools) with different trade-offs. The 6 tools marked "Same category as exa" fit the category but replace exa less directly.

See full exa review Best terminal tools tools How we rank

8 alternatives to exa

Direct alternatives come first, ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review. Tools marked "Same category as exa" follow, ranked the same way.

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.

exa vs Oh My Zsh exa vs Starship

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Still considering exa?

See the full review, pricing breakdown, and community feedback before you decide.

Full exa review Visit exa

Best exa alternatives in 2026

Why people consider alternatives to exa

8 alternatives to exa

Oh My Zsh

Starship

Google Drive

Porkbun

Dropbox

Babel

Testing Library

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