Best Kali Linux Alternatives in 2026
Updated
20 platforms from operating systems ranked against Kali Linux on the same published basis.
- 1Kali Linux vs pfSense
- 2Kali Linux vs Ubuntu Server
- 3Kali Linux vs Rocky Linux
- 4Kali Linux vs HPE Morpheus VM Essentials Software
- 6Kali Linux vs Manjaro Linux
- 7Kali Linux vs Nix
- 8Kali Linux vs MX Linux
- 9Kali Linux vs AlmaLinux OS
- 10Kali Linux vs Debian
- 11Kali Linux vs OPNsense
- 12Kali Linux vs CentOS Stream
- 13Kali Linux vs Fedora Linux
- 14Kali Linux vs Kubuntu
- 15Kali Linux vs Pop!_OS
- 16Kali Linux vs SUSE Multi-Linux Manager
- 17Kali Linux vs OmniOS
- 18Kali Linux vs postmarketOS
- 19Kali Linux vs Raspberry Pi Imager
- 20Kali Linux vs Wind River Conductor
- 21Kali Linux vs Amazon Linux
Kali Linux alternatives compared
| # | Platform | Score | Free plan | From | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pfSense | 7.6 | Free plan | — | Linux, self-hosted, Web |
| 2 | Ubuntu Server | 7.6 | Free plan | $2.08/mo | Linux, self-hosted |
| 3 | Rocky Linux | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Linux, self-hosted, Windows |
| 4 | HPE Morpheus VM Essentials Software | 6.9 | No | $50/mo | Linux, self-hosted, Web |
| 6 | Manjaro Linux | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Linux |
| 7 | Nix | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows |
| 8 | MX Linux | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Linux |
| 9 | AlmaLinux OS | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Linux, self-hosted, Windows |
| 10 | Debian | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Linux, self-hosted |
| 11 | OPNsense | 6.7 | Free plan | — | API, self-hosted, Web |
| 12 | CentOS Stream | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Linux, self-hosted |
| 13 | Fedora Linux | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Linux, self-hosted |
| 14 | Kubuntu | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Linux |
| 15 | Pop!_OS | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Linux |
| 16 | SUSE Multi-Linux Manager | 6.4 | No | — | API, Linux, self-hosted, Web |
| 17 | OmniOS | 5.9 | No | — | Linux |
| 18 | postmarketOS | 5.9 | No | — | Linux |
| 19 | Raspberry Pi Imager | 5.9 | No | — | Linux |
| 20 | Wind River Conductor | 5.9 | No | — | Windows, Linux |
| 21 | Amazon Linux | 5.8 | No | — | Linux |
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Questions about Kali Linux alternatives
What is the best alternative to Kali Linux?
pfSense, number 1 in operating systems with a score of 7.6 out of 10. The others here: Ubuntu Server, Rocky Linux, HPE Morpheus VM Essentials Software and 16 more.
What is the best free alternative to Kali Linux?
pfSense is the best-ranked alternative with a free plan. 13 of the 20 alternatives here publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How are these alternatives ranked?
Ranked on how quickly a newcomer can get going: documentation depth, a free tier or trial, and the platforms it runs on.