Photon OS vs Pop!_OS
| Photon OS | Pop!_OS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Paid from | — | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux | Linux |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Device types | Bare-metal systems, virtual machines, Raspberry Pi, cloud instances | Computers, laptops, desktops, workstations; ARM computers |
| CPU architectures | x86_64, ARM64/aarch64 | 64-bit x86; ARM64 |
| Support lifecycle | Security updates as needed; non-security package updates described in legacy FAQ as quarterly; no fixed duration verified | LTS release; the vendor describes Pop!_OS updates as continuous but does not state a specific support duration on the cited product pages. |
| Built-in management | tdnf package manager; Photon Management Daemon; RPM OSTree; Network Configuration Manager | COSMIC Store app updates; OS Upgrade & Recovery; terminal package updates and upgrades; Repoman repository management |
| App compatibility | Docker and other container formats; Kubernetes; RPM packages via tdnf; RPM OSTree | Flatpak; .deb packages via apt/dpkg; Ubuntu-compatible software |
| Deployment models | Bare metal; VMware hypervisors; ISO installation; OVA appliance; AWS AMI; Google GCE image; Azure VHD; Raspberry Pi image | Install on physical computers from ISO/USB; live USB environment |
Both are listed in Best Operating Systems. On Samsung Mobile US Press, Pop!_OS scores higher on our published basis.