Best Operating Systems
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Compare the Top Operating Systems as of November 2025
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What are Operating Systems?
Operating systems are foundational software that manage computer hardware, software resources, and provide services for applications and users. They handle critical functions such as process scheduling, memory management, device control, file systems, and security. Operating systems provide a user interface—either graphical (GUI) or command-line—that allows individuals to interact with the machine. They also offer APIs and system calls that enable developers to build and run applications consistently across devices. From personal computers to servers, mobile devices, and embedded systems, operating systems are essential for ensuring stability, efficiency, and usability in modern computing environments. Compare and read user reviews of the best Operating Systems currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.
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1
Altima Linux
Gotoogle
Open Source Operating system tweaked and customised the way we like it with a selection of the best open source software applications. A worthy replacement for Windows and MacOS. Based on rock solid Debian Linux. This is a desktop computing environment with all of the free software required for general computing work. Other specialist applications are provided as installation guides. Downloads for free and install on many old computers and bring them back to life. What you thought was an antiquated machine most likely is just suffering from bloat. Major applications included are Libre Office, PhotoShack, InkScape, Sublime Text, QEMU, Nginx, Audacity, VLC Media Player, Epiphany, Remmina. Suggested additional free downloads; VirtualBox. WINE. The best part of Altima Linux is the clever combination of Windows and Mac look and feel so that users, new and experienced will enjoy a clean easy to follow and learn desktop environment. We hope that you enjoy testing and using Altima Linux.Starting Price: Free -
2
TrueNAS
iXsystems
TrueNAS is the world's most deployed storage software. TrueNAS is a universal data platform that allows users to easily adopt a modern, open source approach to storing and protecting their growing data. TrueNAS is open source and harnesses the power of the legendary ZFS file system to provide unified storage (File, Block Object, and Apps) with the reliability and performance demanded by virtualization, backup, and many other data-heavy workloads. The TrueNAS CORE edition (formerly FreeNAS) is based on FreeBSD for unified scale-up storage. The TrueNAS SCALE edition is based on Debian Linux for either scale-up or scale-out solutions, and offers Linux Containers, VMs (KVM), and scale-out ZFS storage capabilities. Both are known to work well on standard hardware. Join the millions already using TrueNAS, including the majority of Fortune 500 companies, and experience why TrueNAS is very highly rated for yourself.Starting Price: Free -
3
Qubes OS
Qubes OS
Qubes OS is a free and open-source, security-oriented operating system for single-user desktop computing. Qubes OS leverages Xen-based virtualization to allow for the creation and management of isolated compartments called qubes. These qubes, which are implemented as virtual machines (VMs), have specific Purposes with a predefined set of one or many isolated applications, for personal or professional projects, to manage the network stack, the firewall, or to fulfill other user-defined purposes. Qubes brings to your personal computer the security of the Xen hypervisor, the same software relied on by many major hosting providers to isolate websites and services from each other. Can't decide which Linux distribution you prefer? Still, need that one Windows program for work? With Qubes, you're not limited to just one OS. With Whonix integrated into Qubes, using the Internet anonymously over the Tor network is safe and easy.Starting Price: Free -
4
Sailfish OS
Jolla
Sailfish OS is a European alternative to dominating mobile operating systems, and the only mobile OS offering an exclusive licensing model for local implementations. On the market since 2013, and now already in its 4th generation, Sailfish OS offers a secure platform for trusted mobile solutions. With Sailfish OS you can also run Android™ apps with our dedicated App Support solution. Sailfish OS is a secure mobile operating system optimized to run on smartphones and tablets, and also easily adaptable to all kinds of embedded devices and use cases. The fourth generation, Sailfish 4, boasts a multitude of new enablers to support different ecosystem projects, be it private corporate solutions or public sector governmental deployments. Sailfish OS has a host of modern security functionalities developed specifically for corporate and governmental environments. In Sailfish 4 user data is fully encrypted and apps are protected by Firejail sandboxing.Starting Price: €29.90 one-time payment -
5
KDE Plasma
KDE
Use Plasma to surf the web, keep in touch with colleagues, friends and family; manage your files, enjoy music and videos; and get creative and productive at work. Do it all in a beautiful environment that adapts to your needs, and with the safety, privacy-protection and peace of mind that the best Free Open Source Software has to offer. The Plasma Launcher lets you quickly and easily launch applications, but it can do much more – convenient tasks like bookmarking applications, searching for documents as you type, or navigating to common places help you getting straight to the point. With a history of recently started programs and opened files, you can return to where you left off. It even remembers previously entered search terms so you don’t have to. Plasma is made to stay out of the way as it helps you get things done. But under its light and intuitive surface, it's a powerhouse. So you're free to choose ways of usage right as you need them and when you need them. -
6
JupyterHub
JupyterHub
With JupyterHub you can create a multi-user Hub which spawns, manages, and proxies multiple instances of the single-user Jupyter notebook server. Project Jupyter created JupyterHub to support many users. The Hub can offer notebook servers to a class of students, a corporate data science workgroup, a scientific research project, or a high performance computing group. JupyterHub officially does not support Windows. You may be able to use JupyterHub on Windows if you use a Spawner and Authenticator that work on Windows, but the JupyterHub defaults will not. Bugs reported on Windows will not be accepted, and the test suite will not run on Windows. Small patches that fix minor Windows compatibility issues (such as basic installation) may be accepted, however. For Windows-based systems, we would recommend running JupyterHub in a docker container or Linux VM. -
7
ReactOS
ReactOS
ReactOS is an operating system. Our own main features are that ReactOS is able to run Windows software, and it is also able to run Windows drivers. ReactOS looks-like Windows, and it is free and open source. ReactOS is a free and open source operating system written from scratch. Its design is based on Windows in the same way Linux is based on Unix, however ReactOS is not Linux. ReactOS looks and feels like Windows, is able to your run all your Windows applications and software, as well as all your Windows drivers, and is familiar to Windows users. You can create your own ReactOS versions! You’re using Open Source software daily if you use Firefox, LibreOffice, OpenOffice, GNU-Linux distributions among zillions of Open Source projects out there. The Open Source projects, as ReactOS, are driven for and by its Community, so being active translating, donating, or coding is a way to help ReactOS boost forward. -
8
Guix
Guix
Guix is an advanced distribution of the GNU operating system developed by the GNU Project—which respects the freedom of computer users. Guix supports transactional upgrades and roll-backs, unprivileged package management, and more. When used as a standalone distribution, Guix supports declarative system configuration for transparent and reproducible operating systems. It provides Guile Scheme APIs, including high-level embedded domain-specific languages (EDSLs) to define packages and whole-system configurations. Guix comes with thousands of packages which include applications, system tools, documentation, fonts, and other digital goods readily available for installing with the GNU Guix package manager.Starting Price: Free -
9
DragonFly BSD
DragonFly BSD
DragonFly version 6.2.2 is released. The 6.2 series has hardware support for type-2 hypervisors with NVMM, an amdgpu driver, the experimental ability to remote-mount HAMMER2 volumes, and many other changes. DragonFly belongs to the same class of operating systems as other BSD-derived systems and Linux. It is based on the same UNIX ideals and APIs and shares ancestor code with other BSD operating systems. DragonFly provides an opportunity for the BSD base to grow in an entirely different direction from the one taken in the FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD series. DragonFly includes many useful features that differentiate it from other operating systems in the same class. The most prominent one is HAMMER, our modern high-performance filesystem with built-in mirroring and historic access functionality. Virtual kernels provide the ability to run a full-blown kernel as a user process for the purpose of managing resources or for accelerated kernel development and debugging.Starting Price: Free -
10
Famoco OS
Famoco
Famoco OS is a secure, enterprise-grade operating system designed for mission-critical business applications. It offers a private, bloatware-free environment, eliminating third-party dependencies and ensuring full data sovereignty by operating without Google Mobile Services. Built-in encryption, strong app isolation, Verified Boot, and a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) protect business assets and prevent unauthorized access. Famoco OS allows full hardware control, enabling management of components like NFC antennas, biometric modules, and secure elements. The user interface can be customized to enforce business-ready policies, lock down settings, and tailor navigation. The OS includes Safeguard, an alternative to Google Play Integrity, to assess device integrity and ensure applications run in secure conditions. Extended APIs support communication with secure elements, biometric modules, printers, and MRZ reading capabilities.Starting Price: Free -
11
Mbed OS
Arm
Arm Mbed OS is a free, open-source IoT operating system that includes all the necessary features to develop IoT products. The OS includes everything you need to develop smart, connected products on Arm Cortex-M based hardware, including machine learning capabilities, security, connectivity stacks, an RTOS kernel and drivers for sensors and I/O devices. Arm Mbed OS is designed for the Internet of Things. It is integrated with connectivity, machine learning, networking, and security stacks and is supported with software libraries, development hardware, tutorials and examples. From hardware to the cloud, Mbed OS supports more than 70 silicon, module, cloud, and OEM partners, optimizing your developer choice. By using the Mbed OS API, your application code can remain clean, portable, and simple, while taking advantage of security, communications and machine learning. The integrated solution reduces development cost, time, and risk. -
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Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is an enterprise Linux operating system, certified on hundreds of clouds and with thousands of vendors. Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides a consistent foundation across environments and the tools needed to deliver services and workloads faster for any application. Red Hat Enterprise Linux reduces deployment friction and costs while speeding time to value for critical workloads, enabling development and operations teams to innovate together in any environment. Red Hat Enterprise Linux extends your hybrid cloud infrastructure to the edge—across hundreds of thousands of nodes all over the world. Create edge-optimized OS images, minimize workload interruptions caused by OS updates, transfer system updates more efficiently, and have confidence in automatic health checks and rollbacks. Run purpose-built command line utilities to automate many inventory and remediation steps associated with upgrading your subscription or migrating from another Linux distro.Starting Price: $99 one-time payment -
13
CopperheadOS
Copperhead
CopperheadOS is a Secure Android built for encrypted and secure phones by a privacy focused company. Available as security-centric and privacy focused Google-free Android for the latest Pixel devices. Develop or include a secure phone in your businesses mobile security program. CopperheadOS integrates with the latest and greatest mobile security solutions. Mobile devices are easy targets for hackers so we developed the most secure android, CopperheadOS, to protect against a variety of attack vectors. Copperhead's technical documentation is available for review. Security-centric, non- technical user experience. No Google or any tracking analytics. Sandboxing and application isolation. Integrates with the latest mobile device management and intrusion detection system mobility software. -
14
Junos OS
Juniper Networks
Junos® OS automates network operations with streamlined precision, furthers operational efficiency, and frees up valuable time and resources for top-line growth opportunities. Built for reliability, security, and flexibility, Junos OS runs many of the world’s most sophisticated network deployments, giving operators an advantage over those who run competing network operating systems. Reduces the time and effort required to plan, deploy, and operate network infrastructure. Extends traditional disaggregation by creating a flexible consumption model for network applications and provides a highly scalable software that keeps pace with evolving requirements. Makes the insertion of line cards and the subsequent network OS upgrade a non-service impacting event. Cloud providers understand that operating a flexible, cost-effective network requires simplified operations across a highly scalable infrastructure. -
15
HPE OpenVMS
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
With HPE OpenVMS, get a platform that is proven to deliver. OpenVMS is a general-purpose, multi-user Operating system that offers immunity to both planned and unplanned downtime with proven continuous computing, including disaster-tolerant, multisite clusters at an open system price. While most enterprise IT environments measure uptime in days or weeks, OpenVMS customers characterize uptime in terms of years. You can depend on OpenVMS for uncompromising reliability, availability, scalability, and security. HPE provides a high performance development and production environment on OpenVMS. HPE OpenVMS Cluster software is an integral part of the OpenVMS operating system, providing the basis for many of the key capabilities used by OpenVMS enterprise solutions. HPE OpenVMS provides a full range of security products and services from HPE and our partners designed to protect a company's vital assets. -
16
GemOS
GemOS
We allow companies to discover and share disparate data tied to unique identifiers. Create flexible applications that can adapt to different protocols, like Ethereum, Hyperledger and more. Run blockchain nodes of varying sizes and functionality to fit your needs, as a validator or read-only participant. Additionally, you can connect to one or many protocols. Connect data sources from different systems, and register them on a common ledger. Create proofs-of-existence with verifiable integrity without surrendering custody of sensitive information. Attach identity registries for individuals, groups, and devices, and assign a universal blockchain IDs. Create entitlements for users and roles across the network and automatically enforce key-based authorization. Safeguard user access with industry-leading security based on PKI and hierarchical-deterministic (HD) identity trees. Integrate your organization's identity and permission schemas for mirrored functionality. -
17
Netvisor ONE
Pluribus Networks
Moving to Open Networking bare metal switches brings significant operational and financial benefits to build next-generation networks. These switches provide the capacity needed to achieve cloud-scale, agility, elasticity, and adaptability. As you move to a disaggregated open networking strategy, selecting the right Network Operating System (OS) is a critical success factor. Why? The Network OS deployed unlocks the performance, functionality, and services from Open Networking switches to realize the most value. Netvisor® ONE is an open, secure, and programable next-generation Network OS that is purpose-built to optimize the power and performance of bare metal Open Networking hardware. Deployment-proven in production mission-critical enterprise and carrier networks, Netvisor ONE operating system meets the most stringent performance requirements and delivers the maximum levels of reliability and flexibility at scale, and without compromise. -
18
OcNOS
IP Infusion
OcNOS is a robust, programmable and innovative operating system, featuring a single software image that runs across the entire portfolio of Open Compute platforms from leading network device vendors. This guarantees consistent operations, workflow automation and high availability, while significantly reducing operational expenses. OcNOS borrows heavily from the popular ZebOS line of products, which provides a rich feature density and robustness that has been built up over the years and validated in thousands of diverse customer networks. OcNOS provides industry standard CLI, supports all standard MIBs and other standard operation and management tools. Its integrated centralized management and provisioning layer allows for transaction-based configuration and device feature modelling. The management layer has support for Netconf, REST APIs besides custom CLI generation capability. This allows an OcNOS system to be configured, managed and controlled by Network Management System. -
19
Sabayon Linux
Sabayon
Sabayon is a beginner-friendly Gentoo-based open-source Linux distribution. We aim to deliver the best "out of the box" user experience by providing the latest open source technologies in an elegant format. In Sabayon everything should just work. We offer a bleeding edge operating system that is both stable and reliable. Fast and optimized for your hardware! It’s up to you whether you turn a fresh Sabayon installation into a geeky Gentoo ~arch system or simply enjoy the power of our binary package manager. From testing to Community Repositories. Install just once, you can upgrade everytime you wish to the latest release. Just start it, everything should be already in place. Daily and Monthly images available. Multiple Desktop Environment, KDE, Gnome, Mate, and XFCE. Build your own Sabayon spin easily! It can even be built with Docker! Support for Raspberry Pi 2⁄3, Odroid X2, U2/3 C2 and more. -
20
LineageOS
Lineage
LineageOS extends the functionality and lifespan of mobile devices from more than 20 different manufacturers thanks to our open-source community of contributors from all around the world. Your data, your rules. With powerful tools such as Privacy Guard, you are in control of what your apps can do whenever you want. We take security very seriously, that’s why we deliver security updates every month to all our supported devices. And to make your device more secure, lock everything behind an enhanced lock screen. Our open-source apps are here to help you get through the day. Android developers will turn any device into the perfect device for apps development thanks to enhanced tools and exclusive APIs. LineageOS, an open-source Android distribution, is available for several devices, with more being continuously added thanks to the biggest, yet ever growing, Android open-source community. -
21
Pavilion HyperOS
Pavilion
Powering the most performant, dense, scalable, and flexible storage platform in the universe. Pavilion HyperParallel File System™ provides the ability to scale across an unlimited number of Pavilion HyperParallel Flash Arrays™, providing 1.2 TB/s read, and 900 GB/s write bandwidth with 200M IOPS at 25µs latency per rack. Uniquely capable of providing independent, linear scalability of both capacity and performance, the Pavilion HyperOS 3 now provides global namespace support for both NFS and S3, enabling unlimited, linear scale across an unlimited number of Pavilion HyperParallel Flash Array systems. Take advantage of the power of the Pavilion HyperParallel Flash Array to enjoy unrivaled levels of performance and availability. The Pavilion HyperOS includes patent-pending technology to ensure that your data is always available, with performant access that legacy arrays cannot match. -
22
KubeSphere
KubeSphere
KubeSphere is a distributed operating system for cloud-native application management, using Kubernetes as its kernel. It provides a plug-and-play architecture, allowing third-party applications to be seamlessly integrated into its ecosystem. KubeSphere is also a multi-tenant enterprise-grade open-source Kubernetes container platform with full-stack automated IT operations and streamlined DevOps workflows. It provides developer-friendly wizard web UI, helping enterprises to build out a more robust and feature-rich Kubernetes platform, which includes the most common functionalities needed for enterprise Kubernetes strategies. A CNCF-certified Kubernetes platform, 100% open-source, built and improved by the community. Can be deployed on an existing Kubernetes cluster or Linux machines, supports the online and air-gapped installation. Deliver DevOps, service mesh, observability, application management, multi-tenancy, storage, and networking management in a unified platform. -
23
Urbit
Urbit
Urbit is for everyone, but sometimes it is easy to get lost in this universe. Follow these links to contribute to the network through developing, operating, and exploring. It solves the hard problems of implementing a peer-to-peer network (including identity, NAT traversal, and exactly-once delivery) in the kernel so app developers can focus on business logic. The entire OS is a single pure function that provides application developers with strong guarantees: automated persistence and memory management, repeatable builds, and support for hot code reloading. The connected world anticipated by Urbit is a much friendlier one, much like the early Internet, where collegial discussion and collaboration was the norm. Problems that are unsolvable without large-scale political centralization in our current internet – data breaches, spam, fake reviews, malware-spreading, harassment – become tractable when individuals control their computing again. You have one login for everything. -
24
openmediavault
openmediavault
openmediavault is the next generation network attached storage (NAS) solution based on Debian Linux. It contains services like SSH, (S)FTP, SMB/CIFS, RSync and many more ready to use. Thanks to the modular design of the framework it can be enhanced via plugins. openmediavault is primarily designed to be used in small offices or home offices, but is not limited to those scenarios. It is a simple and easy to use out-of-the-box solution that will allow everyone to install and administrate a Network Attached Storage without deeper knowledge. openmediavault is primarily designed to be used in small offices or home offices, but is not limited to those scenarios. It is a simple and easy to use out-of-the-box solution that will allow everyone to install and administrate a Network Attached Storage without deeper knowledge. -
25
Minoca OS
Minoca
Minoca OS is an open-source, general purpose operating system designed specifically for feature-rich embedded devices. It's got all the high-level functionality that you've come to expect from an operating system, but offers it in a fraction of the memory footprint. The driver API separates device drivers from the kernel, enabling driver binaries to remain compatible even when the kernel is updated. Driver separation allows for automatic loading and unloading of device drivers on demand. Hardware layer API allows for a single unified kernel, even on ARM. No need to maintain a separate kernel fork. A unified power management architecture allows for smarter power management decisions, leading to better device battery life. Fewer background tasks and wake-ups from idle means machines can reach deeper idle states and save even more power. Proprietary and non-GPL source licenses are available, keeping options open for your customers and end users. -
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PilarOS
PilarOS
Enhanced, manageable and secure Android Mobile OS. PilarOS, AKA TRDROIDTM, is ARDIC’s industrial Android distro with extended security and manageability framework over 1800 new API’s build on AndroidTM Open Source. AFEX adds manageability to the OS. Additional layers provide device, applications, connection and data security. From kernel to cloud level for industrial grade, secure, manageable, scaleable services. It won’t let no monkey business on your device; secures connection, applications, USB ports, mics and cameras. Define the required configuration and push it to all your devices. Install/uninstall/disable/force applications on your devices remotely. Access all your devices on a single admin panel, monitor and manage them all or one by one. PilarOS is not just for smart phones, but also for any purpose smart devices, Internet of things, industrial IoT devices.
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