diff --git a/src/__tests__/utils/spinner.test.ts b/src/__tests__/utils/spinner.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2c18094a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/utils/spinner.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { createProgressLine, createSpinner } from '../../utils/spinner';
+
+describe('terminal progress output', () => {
+  let writes: string[];
+  const originalIsTTY = process.stderr.isTTY;
+
+  const setTTY = (value: boolean) => {
+    Object.defineProperty(process.stderr, 'isTTY', {
+      value,
+      configurable: true,
+    });
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    vi.stubEnv('TERM', 'xterm-256color');
+    writes = [];
+    vi.spyOn(process.stderr, 'write').mockImplementation((chunk) => {
+      writes.push(String(chunk));
+      return true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    setTTY(originalIsTTY);
+  });
+
+  describe('when stderr is not a terminal', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => setTTY(false));
+
+    it('prints each distinct spinner message once, with no frames or escapes', () => {
+      const spinner = createSpinner('Starting agent...');
+      spinner.start();
+      spinner.update('Agent running... (Job ID: abc)');
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+      spinner.update('Agent running... (Job ID: abc)');
+      spinner.update('Agent running... (Job ID: abc)');
+      spinner.succeed('Agent completed');
+
+      expect(writes).toEqual([
+        'Starting agent...\n',
+        'Agent running... (Job ID: abc)\n',
+        '✓ Agent completed\n',
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it('prints a progress line only when it changes', () => {
+      const progress = createProgressLine();
+      progress.update('Progress: 0/2 pages (scraping)');
+      progress.update('Progress: 0/2 pages (scraping)');
+      progress.update('Progress: 2/2 pages (completed)');
+      progress.end();
+
+      expect(writes).toEqual([
+        'Progress: 0/2 pages (scraping)\n',
+        'Progress: 2/2 pages (completed)\n',
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('treats TERM=dumb as non-interactive', () => {
+    setTTY(true);
+    vi.stubEnv('TERM', 'dumb');
+    const spinner = createSpinner('Working...');
+    spinner.start();
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000);
+    spinner.stop();
+
+    expect(writes).toEqual(['Working...\n']);
+  });
+
+  describe('when stderr is a terminal', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => setTTY(true));
+
+    it('animates the spinner in place and clears it on stop', () => {
+      const spinner = createSpinner('Working...');
+      spinner.start();
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(160);
+      spinner.succeed('Done');
+
+      expect(writes).toHaveLength(5);
+      expect(writes[0]).toBe('\r\x1b[K⠋ Working...');
+      expect(writes.at(-2)).toBe('\r\x1b[K');
+      expect(writes.at(-1)).toBe('✓ Done\n');
+    });
+
+    it('redraws the progress line in place and ends it with a newline', () => {
+      const progress = createProgressLine();
+      progress.update('Progress: 0/2 pages (scraping)');
+      progress.update('Progress: 2/2 pages (completed)');
+      progress.end();
+
+      expect(writes).toEqual([
+        '\r\x1b[KProgress: 0/2 pages (scraping)',
+        '\r\x1b[KProgress: 2/2 pages (completed)',
+        '\n',
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/commands/batch-scrape.ts b/src/commands/batch-scrape.ts
index 65d2ddde91..e627fb371d 100644
--- a/src/commands/batch-scrape.ts
+++ b/src/commands/batch-scrape.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type {
 import { getClient } from '../utils/client';
 import { parseFormats } from '../utils/options';
 import { writeOutput } from '../utils/output';
+import { createProgressLine } from '../utils/spinner';
 import { normalizeUrl } from '../utils/url';
 
 const TERMINAL_STATUSES = ['completed', 'failed', 'cancelled'];
@@ -187,18 +188,19 @@ export async function executeBatchScrape(
     process.stderr.write(`Job ID: ${response.id}\n`);
 
     const startTime = Date.now();
+    const progress = createProgressLine();
     while (true) {
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, pollInterval * 1000));
 
       const status = await app.getBatchScrapeStatus(response.id, {
         autoPaginate: false,
       });
-      process.stderr.write(
-        `\rProgress: ${status.completed}/${status.total} pages (${status.status})`
+      progress.update(
+        `Progress: ${status.completed}/${status.total} pages (${status.status})`
       );
 
       if (TERMINAL_STATUSES.includes(status.status)) {
-        process.stderr.write('\n');
+        progress.end();
         return {
           success: true,
           data: await app.getBatchScrapeStatus(response.id),
@@ -206,7 +208,7 @@ export async function executeBatchScrape(
       }
 
       if (timeout !== undefined && Date.now() - startTime > timeout * 1000) {
-        process.stderr.write('\n');
+        progress.end();
         return {
           success: false,
           error: `Timeout after ${timeout} seconds. Batch scrape still in progress; check it with: firecrawl batch-scrape ${response.id}`,
diff --git a/src/commands/crawl.ts b/src/commands/crawl.ts
index 0242956363..6ef47f16e7 100644
--- a/src/commands/crawl.ts
+++ b/src/commands/crawl.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type {
 import { getClient } from '../utils/client';
 import { isJobId } from '../utils/job';
 import { writeOutput } from '../utils/output';
+import { createProgressLine } from '../utils/spinner';
 
 /**
  * Execute crawl status check
@@ -150,15 +151,15 @@ export async function executeCrawl(
         const pollMs = waiterOptions.pollInterval * 1000;
         const startTime = Date.now();
         const timeoutMs = timeout !== undefined ? timeout * 1000 : undefined;
+        const progress = createProgressLine();
 
         while (true) {
           await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, pollMs));
 
           const status = await app.getCrawlStatus(jobId);
 
-          // Show progress
-          process.stderr.write(
-            `\rProgress: ${status.completed}/${status.total} pages (${status.status})`
+          progress.update(
+            `Progress: ${status.completed}/${status.total} pages (${status.status})`
           );
 
           if (
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ export async function executeCrawl(
             status.status === 'failed' ||
             status.status === 'cancelled'
           ) {
-            process.stderr.write('\n');
+            progress.end();
             return {
               success: true,
               data: status,
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ export async function executeCrawl(
 
           // Check timeout
           if (timeoutMs && Date.now() - startTime > timeoutMs) {
-            process.stderr.write('\n');
+            progress.end();
             return {
               success: false,
               error: `Timeout after ${timeout} seconds. Crawl still in progress.`,
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor.ts b/src/commands/doctor.ts
index aea91af301..df2258542c 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ import { detectAgents, type AgentDetection } from '../utils/agents';
 import { compareVersions, getLatestVersion } from '../utils/npm-registry';
 import { getAuthSource, type AuthSource } from './status';
 import { integrationHeaders } from '../utils/integration';
+import {
+  bold,
+  dim,
+  green,
+  orange,
+  red,
+  reset,
+  yellow,
+} from '../utils/terminal';
 
 type CheckStatus = 'pass' | 'warn' | 'fail';
 type DoctorAuthSource = AuthSource | 'flag';
@@ -45,26 +54,6 @@ const DEFAULT_API_URL = 'https://api.firecrawl.dev';
 const REACHABILITY_WARN_MS = 2000;
 const MIN_NODE_MAJOR = 18;
 
-function shouldUseColor(): boolean {
-  if (process.env.FORCE_COLOR !== undefined) {
-    return process.env.FORCE_COLOR !== '0';
-  }
-  if (process.env.NO_COLOR !== undefined) return false;
-  if (process.env.TERM === 'dumb') return false;
-  return Boolean(process.stdout.isTTY);
-}
-
-const colorEnabled = shouldUseColor();
-const color = (code: string): string => (colorEnabled ? code : '');
-
-const orange = color('\x1b[38;5;208m');
-const reset = color('\x1b[0m');
-const dim = color('\x1b[2m');
-const bold = color('\x1b[1m');
-const green = color('\x1b[32m');
-const red = color('\x1b[31m');
-const yellow = color('\x1b[33m');
-
 function statusIcon(status: CheckStatus): string {
   switch (status) {
     case 'pass':
diff --git a/src/commands/init.ts b/src/commands/init.ts
index a5225e6e64..1565996b25 100644
--- a/src/commands/init.ts
+++ b/src/commands/init.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ import {
   type WebAgent,
 } from '../utils/web-defaults';
 import { installMcp } from './setup';
+import {
+  bold,
+  dim,
+  green,
+  isInteractive,
+  orange,
+  reset,
+} from '../utils/terminal';
 
 export interface InitOptions {
   global?: boolean;
@@ -50,12 +58,6 @@ export interface InitOptions {
   template?: string;
 }
 
-const orange = '\x1b[38;5;208m';
-const reset = '\x1b[0m';
-const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-const bold = '\x1b[1m';
-const green = '\x1b[32m';
-
 interface TemplateEntry {
   name: string;
   description: string;
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ async function installSkillRepoQuiet(
       skills,
     });
 
-    const isTty = process.stdout.isTTY;
+    const isTty = isInteractive(process.stdout);
     if (isTty) {
       process.stdout.write(`  ${dim}↓ Installing ${label}...${reset}`);
     }
diff --git a/src/commands/setup.ts b/src/commands/setup.ts
index 2badcec389..c159f9cad9 100644
--- a/src/commands/setup.ts
+++ b/src/commands/setup.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import {
   type SkillSelection,
 } from './skills-install';
 import { hasNpx, installSkillsNative } from './skills-native';
+import { dim, green, reset } from '../utils/terminal';
 import {
   configureWebDefaults,
   WEB_AGENTS,
@@ -89,9 +90,6 @@ export interface SetupOptions {
   skipAuthOffer?: boolean;
 }
 
-const green = '\x1b[32m';
-const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-const reset = '\x1b[0m';
 const ADD_MCP_PACKAGE = 'add-mcp@1.14.0';
 const ENV_API_KEY = 'FIRECRAWL_API_KEY';
 const ADD_MCP_LAUNCH_AGENTS: Record<string, string> = {
diff --git a/src/commands/skills-native.ts b/src/commands/skills-native.ts
index b572c5ecf4..5fdbd608af 100644
--- a/src/commands/skills-native.ts
+++ b/src/commands/skills-native.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,7 @@ import path from 'path';
 import os from 'os';
 import type { SkillFamily } from '../utils/skill-catalog';
 import { rememberCatalogNames } from '../utils/skill-update-notice';
-
-const green = '\x1b[32m';
-const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-const bold = '\x1b[1m';
-const reset = '\x1b[0m';
+import { bold, dim, green, reset } from '../utils/terminal';
 
 const DEFAULT_REPO = 'firecrawl/cli';
 const SKILLS_SUBDIR = 'skills';
diff --git a/src/commands/status.ts b/src/commands/status.ts
index b9a81cc2a1..de437284bb 100644
--- a/src/commands/status.ts
+++ b/src/commands/status.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { getConfig, validateConfig } from '../utils/config';
 import { loadCredentials } from '../utils/credentials';
 import { isSearchFeedbackDisabledLocally } from './search-feedback';
 import { integrationHeaders } from '../utils/integration';
+import { bold, dim, green, orange, red, reset } from '../utils/terminal';
 
 export type AuthSource = 'env' | 'stored' | 'none';
 
@@ -246,13 +247,6 @@ async function getLocalStatus(cwd: string): Promise<LocalStatus> {
  * Handle status command output
  */
 export async function handleStatusCommand(): Promise<void> {
-  const orange = '\x1b[38;5;208m';
-  const reset = '\x1b[0m';
-  const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-  const bold = '\x1b[1m';
-  const green = '\x1b[32m';
-  const red = '\x1b[31m';
-
   const status = await getStatus();
   const localStatus = await getLocalStatus(process.cwd());
 
diff --git a/src/utils/agent-scaffold/ui.ts b/src/utils/agent-scaffold/ui.ts
index 5ef93c8a67..f4fb39c138 100644
--- a/src/utils/agent-scaffold/ui.ts
+++ b/src/utils/agent-scaffold/ui.ts
@@ -4,14 +4,18 @@
  * agent repo's CLI output style so scaffold messages match docs verbatim.
  */
 
-export const orange = '\x1b[38;5;208m';
-export const reset = '\x1b[0m';
-export const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-export const bold = '\x1b[1m';
-export const green = '\x1b[32m';
-export const red = '\x1b[31m';
-export const cyan = '\x1b[36m';
-export const yellow = '\x1b[33m';
+import {
+  bold,
+  cyan,
+  dim,
+  green,
+  orange,
+  red,
+  reset,
+  yellow,
+} from '../terminal';
+
+export { bold, cyan, dim, green, orange, red, reset, yellow };
 
 export function printBanner(): void {
   console.log('');
diff --git a/src/utils/auth.ts b/src/utils/auth.ts
index 831d3245a9..cccf5693d7 100644
--- a/src/utils/auth.ts
+++ b/src/utils/auth.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from './credentials';
 import { updateConfig, getApiKey } from './config';
 import { promptInput } from './prompt';
+import { bold, dim, orange, reset } from './terminal';
 
 const DEFAULT_API_URL = 'https://api.firecrawl.dev';
 // The apex redirects to www, and egress allowlists often permit only www.
@@ -700,11 +701,6 @@ function envVarLogin(): { apiKey: string; apiUrl: string } | null {
  * Print the Firecrawl CLI banner
  */
 function printBanner(): void {
-  const orange = '\x1b[38;5;208m';
-  const reset = '\x1b[0m';
-  const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-  const bold = '\x1b[1m';
-
   // Get version from package.json
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
   const packageJson = require('../../package.json');
@@ -748,9 +744,9 @@ async function interactiveLogin(
     'Welcome! To get started, authenticate with your Firecrawl account.\n'
   );
   console.log(
-    '  \x1b[1m1.\x1b[0m Login with browser \x1b[2m(recommended)\x1b[0m'
+    `  ${bold}1.${reset} Login with browser ${dim}(recommended)${reset}`
   );
-  console.log('  \x1b[1m2.\x1b[0m Enter API key manually');
+  console.log(`  ${bold}2.${reset} Enter API key manually`);
   console.log('');
   printEnvHint();
   printTelemetryNotice();
@@ -771,8 +767,6 @@ async function interactiveLogin(
  * Print hint about environment variable
  */
 function printEnvHint(): void {
-  const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-  const reset = '\x1b[0m';
   console.log(
     `${dim}Tip: You can also set FIRECRAWL_API_KEY environment variable${reset}\n`
   );
@@ -782,9 +776,6 @@ function printEnvHint(): void {
  * Print telemetry notice
  */
 function printTelemetryNotice(): void {
-  const dim = '\x1b[2m';
-  const reset = '\x1b[0m';
-
   if (isTelemetryDisabled()) {
     console.log(`${dim}Telemetry disabled${reset}\n`);
   } else {
diff --git a/src/utils/spinner.ts b/src/utils/spinner.ts
index f6c07e7f09..3241613d62 100644
--- a/src/utils/spinner.ts
+++ b/src/utils/spinner.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 /**
- * Simple spinner utility for CLI feedback
+ * Transient progress output on stderr. On a terminal it redraws one line in
+ * place; anywhere else it prints a plain line each time the message changes.
  */
 
+import { isInteractive } from './terminal';
+
 const SPINNER_FRAMES = ['⠋', '⠙', '⠹', '⠸', '⠼', '⠴', '⠦', '⠧', '⠇', '⠏'];
+const CLEAR_LINE = '\r\x1b[K';
 
 export interface Spinner {
   start: (message?: string) => void;
@@ -13,24 +17,28 @@ export interface Spinner {
 }
 
 export function createSpinner(initialMessage: string = ''): Spinner {
+  const interactive = isInteractive(process.stderr);
   let frameIndex = 0;
   let interval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
   let currentMessage = initialMessage;
-
-  const clearLine = () => {
-    process.stderr.write('\r\x1b[K');
-  };
+  let printedMessage: string | undefined;
 
   const render = () => {
     const frame = SPINNER_FRAMES[frameIndex];
-    clearLine();
-    process.stderr.write(`${frame} ${currentMessage}`);
+    process.stderr.write(`${CLEAR_LINE}${frame} ${currentMessage}`);
     frameIndex = (frameIndex + 1) % SPINNER_FRAMES.length;
   };
 
+  const printIfChanged = () => {
+    if (!currentMessage || currentMessage === printedMessage) return;
+    process.stderr.write(`${currentMessage}\n`);
+    printedMessage = currentMessage;
+  };
+
   return {
     start(message?: string) {
       if (message) currentMessage = message;
+      if (!interactive) return printIfChanged();
       if (interval) return;
       render();
       interval = setInterval(render, 80);
@@ -38,6 +46,7 @@ export function createSpinner(initialMessage: string = ''): Spinner {
 
     update(message: string) {
       currentMessage = message;
+      if (!interactive) printIfChanged();
     },
 
     stop(finalMessage?: string) {
@@ -45,7 +54,7 @@ export function createSpinner(initialMessage: string = ''): Spinner {
         clearInterval(interval);
         interval = null;
       }
-      clearLine();
+      if (interactive) process.stderr.write(CLEAR_LINE);
       if (finalMessage) {
         process.stderr.write(`${finalMessage}\n`);
       }
@@ -60,3 +69,25 @@ export function createSpinner(initialMessage: string = ''): Spinner {
     },
   };
 }
+
+export interface ProgressLine {
+  update: (text: string) => void;
+  end: () => void;
+}
+
+export function createProgressLine(): ProgressLine {
+  const interactive = isInteractive(process.stderr);
+  let lastText: string | undefined;
+
+  return {
+    update(text: string) {
+      if (text === lastText) return;
+      process.stderr.write(interactive ? `${CLEAR_LINE}${text}` : `${text}\n`);
+      lastText = text;
+    },
+
+    end() {
+      if (interactive && lastText !== undefined) process.stderr.write('\n');
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/terminal.ts b/src/utils/terminal.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30102ce7ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/terminal.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+type Stream = Pick<NodeJS.WriteStream, 'isTTY'>;
+
+/** True when the stream is a terminal that can redraw a line in place. */
+export function isInteractive(stream: Stream): boolean {
+  return Boolean(stream.isTTY) && process.env.TERM !== 'dumb';
+}
+
+/** NO_COLOR wins over FORCE_COLOR; otherwise only interactive streams get color. */
+export function supportsColor(stream: Stream): boolean {
+  if (process.env.NO_COLOR) return false;
+  if (process.env.FORCE_COLOR !== undefined) {
+    return process.env.FORCE_COLOR !== '0';
+  }
+  return isInteractive(stream);
+}
+
+// Shared by stdout and stderr writes, so color needs both to support it.
+const colorEnabled =
+  supportsColor(process.stdout) && supportsColor(process.stderr);
+const sgr = (code: string): string => (colorEnabled ? `\x1b[${code}m` : '');
+
+export const reset = sgr('0');
+export const bold = sgr('1');
+export const dim = sgr('2');
+export const red = sgr('31');
+export const green = sgr('32');
+export const yellow = sgr('33');
+export const cyan = sgr('36');
+export const orange = sgr('38;5;208');
diff --git a/src/utils/update-notice-format.ts b/src/utils/update-notice-format.ts
index fb4ee872ac..4333eafb68 100644
--- a/src/utils/update-notice-format.ts
+++ b/src/utils/update-notice-format.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { stripVTControlCharacters } from 'node:util';
+import { supportsColor } from './terminal';
 
 const graphemes = new Intl.Segmenter(undefined, { granularity: 'grapheme' });
 const wide =
@@ -31,12 +32,7 @@ export function colorizeUpdateNotice(
   stderr: Pick<NodeJS.WriteStream, 'isTTY'>,
   highlights: { title: string; commands: readonly string[]; url: string }
 ): string {
-  if (process.env.NO_COLOR !== undefined) return message;
-  const supportsColor =
-    process.env.FORCE_COLOR !== undefined
-      ? process.env.FORCE_COLOR !== '0'
-      : Boolean(stderr.isTTY);
-  if (!supportsColor) return message;
+  if (!supportsColor(stderr)) return message;
   let result = message.replace(
     highlights.title,
     `\x1b[1;36m${highlights.title}\x1b[0m`