Debian vs Lubuntu
| Debian | Lubuntu | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Paid from | Free | — |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux, self-hosted | Linux |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Device types | Personal computers; cloud virtual machines | Desktop PCs and laptops; project homepage also mentions Raspberry Pi |
| CPU architectures | amd64, arm64, armhf, ppc64el, riscv64, s390x; i386 supported as a co-architecture for 32-bit software on amd64; armel upgrades only | — |
| Support lifecycle | Debian 13: five years, including three years of full Debian support through August 9, 2028 and LTS through June 30, 2030 | LTS releases are supported for three years; interim releases for nine months. Lubuntu 26.04 LTS is listed as supported until April 2029. |
| Built-in management | APT package installation, removal, and distribution upgrades | — |
| App compatibility | Debian packages (.deb); APT package manager | Discover Software Center for installing applications; supports common file formats including documents, images, audio, and video |
| Deployment models | Physical computer installation; live boot from CD, DVD, or USB; OpenStack and QEMU cloud images; Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure images | Installable desktop operating system; downloadable desktop ISO image |
Both are listed in Best Operating Systems. On The Geeks Club, Debian scores higher on our published basis.