A Warp alternative that needs no account and runs your real shell
Warp made the case that a terminal can have AI built in. Ghost in Shell agrees, and disagrees about who should own the AI. Here it is your model, your key, your shell, and no sign-in screen.
Where the two part ways
| Ghost in Shell | Warp | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | None | Required |
| AI model | Your choice: GPT-5.x, Claude, custom id, or local Ollama | Warp's bundled cloud AI |
| AI usage limits | None from Ghost; you pay your provider or run local for free | Metered by plan |
| Fully offline AI | Yes, with an Ollama model | No |
| Shell | Your real zsh or bash on a PTY | Warp's own input editor over the shell |
| Prompts you can read and edit | Every system prompt is visible in Settings | No |
| Dashboard for AI coding agents | Floating cross-window panel (Cmd J) | No |
| File tree and editor | Git-aware, with search and pop-out (Cmd E) | No |
| Price | Free beta | Free tier plus paid plans |
What Ghost does at the prompt
No mode to switch into. Type a command and it runs. Type a question and the answer appears inline, in the terminal, under a ghost > label. Describe a task and a staged command lands on your prompt for you to review, edit or press Enter on. Start a line with a space to force the shell, with ? to force the AI, or press Cmd K to describe a command and have it streamed in. See natural language to shell commands for the details.
What Warp does that Ghost does not
Honest list: Warp has blocks with per-command output grouping, team drives with shared workflows, a Linux and Windows build, and a signed, notarized app. Ghost is macOS only, the beta is unsigned (right-click, Open on first launch), and it is a young project. If you need cross-platform or team features today, Warp or Wave may fit better.
Why developers switch
- They run Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI all day and want one place that shows which session is blocked. Warp has no such view; Ghost's agents panel is built for it.
- They want a local model for anything touching client code. Ghost runs Ollama models from Settings; nothing leaves the machine.
- They do not want a terminal that asks them to log in.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ghost in Shell a drop-in replacement for Warp?
For the terminal and the AI-at-the-prompt part, yes. It does not have Warp's blocks, team drive or Linux and Windows builds.
Does Ghost in Shell need an account?
No. Download the .dmg, open it, and optionally add a model key or pick a local Ollama model in Settings.
Can I use Ghost in Shell with my own OpenAI or Anthropic key?
Yes. Keys are stored on your Mac only and used directly against the provider.
Is there a free Warp alternative that works offline?
Ghost in Shell with a local Ollama model runs fully offline, including the AI features.