Best elementary OS Alternatives in 2026
Taken from Operating Systems, where elementary OS is listed too, in the same order.
- 1 8.2 Club score
Kali Linux
Kali Linux is a Debian-based distribution for advanced penetration testing and security auditing.
- Free plan
- Open source
- Windows · macOS · Linux · Android
- 2 8.1 Club score
Apache NuttX
Apache NuttX is a free real-time operating system for embedded systems, designed for a small footprint and standards compliance.
- Free plan
- Open source
- Windows · macOS · Linux · API
- 3
7.9 Club scoreNix
Nix is a free package management and system configuration tool for creating reproducible, declarative systems.
- Free plan
- Windows · macOS · Linux · Self-hosted
- 4 7.8 Club score
AlmaLinux OS
AlmaLinux OS is a free, open-source enterprise Linux distribution stewarded by a community-owned foundation, with binary compatibility with RHEL.
- Free plan
- Open source
- Windows · Linux · API · Self-hosted
- 5 7.7 Club score
pfSense
pfSense is a free, open-source firewall and router distribution based on FreeBSD, managed through a web interface.
- Free plan
- Linux · Web · Self-hosted
- 6 7.6 Club score
Pop!_OS
- Free plan
- Open source
- Linux
- 7 7.5 Club score
ChromeOS
ChromeOS is Google’s operating system and the software at the center of Chromebooks.
- Free plan
- Linux · Web
- 8 7.5 Club score
postmarketOS
postmarketOS, now called Nura by its project, is a free and open-source operating system intended to extend the life of consumer electronics.
- Free plan
- Linux · Android
- 9
7.5 Club scoreOPNsense
OPNsense is an open-source firewall and routing platform built on FreeBSD.
- Free plan
- Web · API · Self-hosted
- 10 7.4 Club score
Manjaro Linux
Manjaro Linux is a free Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, designed to make Arch’s capabilities more accessible.
- Free plan
- Open source
- Linux · Self-hosted
- 11 7.4 Club score
MX Linux
MX Linux is a free family of operating systems based on Debian Stable repositories, designed for efficient desktops, stability, and performance.
- Free plan
- Linux
- 12 7.4 Club score
Solus
Solus is a free, independent Linux operating system for personal computers, including desktops and laptops with 64-bit x86-64 processors.
- Free plan
- Linux
- 13 7.4 Club score
Raspberry Pi Imager
Raspberry Pi Imager writes Raspberry Pi OS and other operating systems to storage media for use with a Raspberry Pi.
- Free plan
- Windows · macOS · Linux
- 14 7.3 Club score
Sailfish OS
- Free plan
- Linux · Android
- 15 7.3 Club score
Ubuntu Server
Ubuntu Server is a Linux server operating system designed for enterprise data centers, public and private clouds, Kubernetes clusters and large render farms.
- Free plan
- Linux · Self-hosted
- 16 7.2 Club score
Photon OS
Photon OS is a free, open-source Linux appliance operating system for cloud and edge applications.
- Free plan
- Linux · Self-hosted
- 17 7.2 Club score
Rocky Linux
Rocky Linux is a free, open-source enterprise operating system built to match Red Hat Enterprise Linux bug for bug.
- Free plan
- Windows · Linux · Self-hosted
- 18 7.1 Club score
FreeRTOS
FreeRTOS is a real-time operating system for microcontrollers and small microprocessors.
- Free plan
- Windows · Linux
- 19 7.1 Club score
Alpine Linux
Alpine Linux is a free, independent, non-commercial Linux distribution for power users who value security, simplicity, and resource efficiency.
- Free plan
- Linux · Self-hosted
- 20 7.1 Club score
Linux Mint
- Free plan
- Linux