Best Operating Systems in 2026
Updated
45 operating systems ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
45ranked
0free plans on this page
5 Oct 2026last checked
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 26 Fedora CoreOS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: servers; bare-metal systems; virtual machines; cloud instancesCPU architectures: x86_64; aarch64; s390x; ppc64le
- 27 FreeRTOS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: Microcontrollers and small microprocessorsCPU architectures: 40+ processor architectures, including RISC-V and ARMv8-MSupport lifecycle: LTS libraries receive security updates and critical bug fixes for two years
- 28 Gentoo Linux No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: desktop PCs, servers, embedded and small systems, single-board computersCPU architectures: Alpha, AMD64 (x86_64), ARM, ARM64, HPPA (PA-RISC), IA64, MIPS, PPC, PPC64, RISC-V 64-bit, SPARC64, x86 (i486/i686)
- 29 Linux Mint No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: desktop computers, laptop computersSupport lifecycle: LTS releases are supported for 5 years; Linux Mint 22.3 is supported until April 2029.
- 30 OpenIndiana No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: x86 PCs; workstations; serversCPU architectures: 64-bit x86; SPARC is not currently available for HipsterSupport lifecycle: Hipster is a rolling release; snapshots are published approximately every six months. No fixed support duration stated.
- 31 Oracle Solaris No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: Servers and enterprise systemsCPU architectures: SPARC and x86Support lifecycle: Solaris 11.4 Premier Support through November 2031; Extended Support through November 2037; Sustaining Support indefinite
- 32 Photon OS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: Bare-metal systems, virtual machines, Raspberry Pi, cloud instancesCPU architectures: x86_64, ARM64/aarch64Support lifecycle: Security updates as needed; non-security package updates described in legacy FAQ as quarterly; no fixed duration verified
- 33 Qubes OS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: Computers with compatible 64-bit Intel or AMD CPUs and required virtualization featuresCPU architectures: x86_64 (64-bit Intel or AMD; Intel 64/AMD64)Support lifecycle: Qubes OS releases are supported for six months after each subsequent major or minor release
- 34 Solus No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: Personal computers (desktop and laptop hardware)CPU architectures: x86-64 (64-bit)Support lifecycle: Rolling release; homepage describes weekly tested updates. No fixed support duration specified.
- 35 Tizen No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: IoT, TV, mobile, wearableCPU architectures: ARMv7l, AArch64, x86_64 (reference build artifacts)
- 36 Void Linux No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: PCs and laptops; ARM devices including Raspberry Pi, Pinebook Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad X13s, and Apple Silicon; containersCPU architectures: x86_64, i686, aarch64, armv7l, armv6lSupport lifecycle: Rolling release; no fixed support duration specified
- 37 Wind River Conductor No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3
- 38 Xubuntu No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: desktop computersCPU architectures: x86_64 (Intel or AMD 64-bit)Support lifecycle: Regular releases: 9 months; LTS releases: 3 years
- 39 Zorin OS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Device types: Desktop and laptop computers; Intel-based Mac computers; supported Chromebook modelsCPU architectures: 64-bit x86 Intel or AMD CPUsSupport lifecycle: Zorin OS 18.1 receives software updates and security patches until 1 June 2029
- 40 Alpine Linux No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Device types: Physical computers, Raspberry Pi, routers, servers, virtual machines, cloud images, containers and chrootsCPU architectures: aarch64, armhf, armv7, loongarch64, ppc64le, riscv64, s390x, x86, x86_64Support lifecycle: Main repository typically supported for 2 years; community repository until the next stable release
- 41 KaiOS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Device types: Smart feature phones; non-touch mobile phonesSupport lifecycle: Published active baselines include KaiOS 2.5.3 and 3.1 through June 30, 2027, and 2.6 and 4.0 through June 30, 2029. KaiOS separately describes at least three years of support for versions 2.6.x and 4.x.
- 42 Lubuntu No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Device types: Desktop PCs and laptops; project homepage also mentions Raspberry PiSupport lifecycle: LTS releases are supported for three years; interim releases for nine months. Lubuntu 26.04 LTS is listed as supported until April 2029.
- 43 QNX Neutrino RTOS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1 Device types: Embedded systems; supported applications include medical instruments, routers, telematics devices, process-control systems and air-traffic-control systemsCPU architectures: MIPS, PowerPC, SH-4, ARM, StrongARM, XScale, x86Support lifecycle: Foundational QNX products typically reach End of Sale and Standard Support 8 years after commercial release; product-specific lifecycle varies
- 44 Sailfish OS No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1 Device types: Smartphones; tablets; embedded devicesCPU architectures: ARMv7 (armv7hl); ARM64 (aarch64); x86 (i486) SDK targets
- 45 OpenWrt No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 4.9
Compare all 20 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | Free plan | Paid from | Device types | CPU architectures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Fedora CoreOS | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | servers; bare-metal systems; virtual machines; cloud instances | x86_64; aarch64; s390x; ppc64le |
| 27 | FreeRTOS | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Microcontrollers and small microprocessors | 40+ processor architectures, including RISC-V and ARMv8-M |
| 28 | Gentoo Linux | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | desktop PCs, servers, embedded and small systems, single-board computers | Alpha, AMD64 (x86_64), ARM, ARM64, HPPA (PA-RISC), IA64, MIPS, PPC, PPC64, RISC-V 64-bit, SPARC64, x86 (i486/i686) |
| 29 | Linux Mint | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | desktop computers, laptop computers | — |
| 30 | OpenIndiana | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | x86 PCs; workstations; servers | 64-bit x86; SPARC is not currently available for Hipster |
| 31 | Oracle Solaris | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Servers and enterprise systems | SPARC and x86 |
| 32 | Photon OS | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Bare-metal systems, virtual machines, Raspberry Pi, cloud instances | x86_64, ARM64/aarch64 |
| 33 | Qubes OS | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Computers with compatible 64-bit Intel or AMD CPUs and required virtualization features | x86_64 (64-bit Intel or AMD; Intel 64/AMD64) |
| 34 | Solus | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Personal computers (desktop and laptop hardware) | x86-64 (64-bit) |
| 35 | Tizen | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | IoT, TV, mobile, wearable | ARMv7l, AArch64, x86_64 (reference build artifacts) |
| 36 | Void Linux | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | PCs and laptops; ARM devices including Raspberry Pi, Pinebook Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad X13s, and Apple Silicon; containers | x86_64, i686, aarch64, armv7l, armv6l |
| 37 | Wind River Conductor | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 38 | Xubuntu | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | desktop computers | x86_64 (Intel or AMD 64-bit) |
| 39 | Zorin OS | 5.3 | No | Yes | — | Desktop and laptop computers; Intel-based Mac computers; supported Chromebook models | 64-bit x86 Intel or AMD CPUs |
| 40 | Alpine Linux | 5.2 | No | Yes | — | Physical computers, Raspberry Pi, routers, servers, virtual machines, cloud images, containers and chroots | aarch64, armhf, armv7, loongarch64, ppc64le, riscv64, s390x, x86, x86_64 |
| 41 | KaiOS | 5.2 | No | — | — | Smart feature phones; non-touch mobile phones | — |
| 42 | Lubuntu | 5.2 | No | Yes | — | Desktop PCs and laptops; project homepage also mentions Raspberry Pi | — |
| 43 | QNX Neutrino RTOS | 5.1 | No | No | — | Embedded systems; supported applications include medical instruments, routers, telematics devices, process-control systems and air-traffic-control systems | MIPS, PowerPC, SH-4, ARM, StrongARM, XScale, x86 |
| 44 | Sailfish OS | 5.1 | No | No | — | Smartphones; tablets; embedded devices | ARMv7 (armv7hl); ARM64 (aarch64); x86 (i486) SDK targets |
| 45 | OpenWrt | 4.9 | No | — | — | — | — |
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