Powerlevel10k vs Spaceship Prompt
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A fast, customizable prompt theme for the Zsh shell, with a setup wizard.
Open source · MIT
A minimal, customizable Zsh prompt that shows git status, runtimes, and other useful info.
The short answer
Choose Powerlevel10k if you need…
- Zsh users who want a informative prompt that does not slow down typing
- People who want to move from Powerlevel9k without rewriting their settings
- Users who prefer a guided setup wizard over writing configuration from scratch
- People who want a Pure-style prompt with extra features like transient prompt
Choose Spaceship Prompt if you need…
- Zsh users who want useful information in their prompt without much setup
- People who work in Git repositories and want to see branch and status at a glance
- Developers using languages such as Node.js, Python, Rust or Go who want runtime versions shown in the prompt
- Users of Oh-My-Zsh, prezto, zim, zinit or similar Zsh managers who want a ready-made theme
Side-by-side
| Powerlevel10k | Spaceship Prompt | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 55.3k | 20.6k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Shell | Shell |
| Last code update | 53 days ago | 11 days ago |
What each one is
Powerlevel10k
Powerlevel10k is a theme that changes how the command prompt looks in Zsh, the shell used in many terminals. It shows information such as the current directory and Git status, and it is designed to keep the prompt responsive even when showing a lot of information. A built-in wizard, started with p10k configure, lets you pick a style without editing config files by hand.
Spaceship Prompt
Spaceship is a prompt for the Zsh shell, the command line used on many Mac and Linux systems. The prompt line is the text you see before each command, and Spaceship uses it to show details such as your Git repository status, the version of languages or packages in the current folder, Docker or Kubernetes context, and battery level. It is designed to be simple by default and can be configured section by section.
Best for
Powerlevel10k
- Zsh users who want a informative prompt that does not slow down typing
- People who want to move from Powerlevel9k without rewriting their settings
- Users who prefer a guided setup wizard over writing configuration from scratch
- People who want a Pure-style prompt with extra features like transient prompt
Spaceship Prompt
- Zsh users who want useful information in their prompt without much setup
- People who work in Git repositories and want to see branch and status at a glance
- Developers using languages such as Node.js, Python, Rust or Go who want runtime versions shown in the prompt
- Users of Oh-My-Zsh, prezto, zim, zinit or similar Zsh managers who want a ready-made theme
Strengths
Powerlevel10k
- The README claims the prompt stays fast, and it describes an instant prompt feature that shows the prompt while plugins load
- Includes a configuration wizard (p10k configure) that creates a settings file with comments
- Understands existing Powerlevel9k configuration parameters, which eases migration
Spaceship Prompt
- Installs through many common Zsh plugin managers and Homebrew, npm, and the AUR
- Works well out of the box and can be customized in detail through its configuration docs
- Large, long-running open-source project with an MIT license and an active community on Discord
Not ideal for
Powerlevel10k
- Users of bash, fish or other shells, since it only works with Zsh
- Users who need active maintenance or new features, because the README says the project has very limited support, no new features are planned, and help requests will be ignored
- Users who cannot install a patched font, since some prompt styles need special symbols to display
Spaceship Prompt
- Users of shells other than Zsh, such as Bash or Fish, because the project requires Zsh (v5.2 or newer)
- Anyone who does not want to install a Nerd Font or Powerline Font, since the README says one is required for icons to display correctly
- People who want a fully static prompt with no extra background checks, since the README describes many sections that show live information
Trade-offs
Powerlevel10k
- The README states the project has very limited support, no new features in the works, and most bugs will go unfixed
- Some prompt styles need a recommended patched font to display correctly
- Prompt appearance may differ slightly from Powerlevel9k with the same configuration, according to the README's FAQ
Spaceship Prompt
- Requires Zsh 5.2 or newer and a Powerline or Nerd Font, so setup is not zero-effort for beginners
- Shows many sections, so users who want a very sparse prompt will need to turn options off
- The README is truncated in this analysis, so some details of the configuration system could not be verified here
Getting started
Powerlevel10k
Clone the repository
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZDOTDIR:-$HOME}/powerlevel10kSpaceship Prompt
Install with Homebrew
brew install spaceshipInstall with npm
npm install -g spaceship-promptFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Powerlevel10k and Spaceship Prompt?
Powerlevel10k: A fast, customizable prompt theme for the Zsh shell, with a setup wizard. Spaceship Prompt: A minimal, customizable Zsh prompt that shows git status, runtimes, and other useful info. Powerlevel10k suits zsh users who want a informative prompt that does not slow down typing, while Spaceship Prompt suits zsh users who want useful information in their prompt without much setup.
Are Powerlevel10k and Spaceship Prompt free?
Powerlevel10k: Free and open source. Spaceship Prompt: Free and open source.
Is Powerlevel10k or Spaceship Prompt more popular?
Powerlevel10k has more GitHub stars (55.3k) than Spaceship Prompt (20.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Powerlevel10k and Spaceship Prompt?
Other options people compare them with include Pure, Oh My Zsh, Oh My Posh.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.