{
  "slug": "freebsd",
  "category": "desktop-operating-systems",
  "name": "FreeBSD",
  "description": "A Unix-like operating system descended from BSD, developed as a complete system of kernel and userland, with ZFS, jails and the bhyve hypervisor.",
  "website": "https://www.freebsd.org",
  "source": "https://cgit.freebsd.org/src",
  "license": null,
  "platforms": [],
  "jurisdiction": {
    "code": "US",
    "name": "United States",
    "eyes": "Five Eyes",
    "eu": false,
    "gdpr": false,
    "cloud_act": "provider"
  },
  "pick": false,
  "pick_reason": null,
  "disclosure": null,
  "grade": "A",
  "score": 100,
  "coverage": 100,
  "summary": "FreeBSD scores 100 out of 100 (grade A) on the desktop operating systems criteria. It meets 4 of 4 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales and independent audit. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act.",
  "url": "https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/freebsd/",
  "markdown": "https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/freebsd/index.md",
  "answers": {
    "open_source": {
      "title": "Open source",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.freebsd.org/copyright/freebsd-license/",
      "note": "BSD-2-Clause for the base system, with some components under other open source licenses."
    },
    "no_trackers": {
      "title": "No trackers or telemetry",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.freebsd.org/privacy/",
      "note": "No third-party trackers, and the operating system has no telemetry. The website's Plausible analytics are cookieless and aggregate-only."
    },
    "no_ads": {
      "title": "No ads or data sales",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://freebsdfoundation.org/donate-to-freebsd-foundation/",
      "note": "Funded by donations to the FreeBSD Foundation, with no ads."
    },
    "independent_audit": {
      "title": "Independent audit",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://freebsdfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024_Code_Audit_Capsicum_Bhyve_FreeBSD_Foundation.pdf",
      "note": "Synacktiv audited the bhyve hypervisor and the Capsicum sandbox, and the full report is published."
    },
    "transparency_report": {
      "title": "Transparency report",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "user_notice": {
      "title": "Tells users about requests",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "tls": {
      "title": "TLS configuration",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "security_headers": {
      "title": "Security headers",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "web_standards": {
      "title": "Modern web standards",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    }
  },
  "tests": {
    "ssllabs": null,
    "observatory": null,
    "internetnl_web": null,
    "internetnl_mail": null,
    "trackers": [
      {
        "name": "Plausible",
        "host": "plausible.io",
        "effect": "partial"
      }
    ],
    "tested_at": "2026-10-01T06:38:34.283Z"
  },
  "last_modified": "2026-10-01T06:56:31Z"
}