# Open-source desktop operating systems

20 open-source desktop operating systems rated against public privacy criteria.

1. [FreeBSD](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/freebsd/): A (100/100). A Unix-like operating system descended from BSD, developed as a complete system of kernel and userland, with ZFS, jails and the bhyve hypervisor.
2. [Tails](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/tails/): A (100/100). A portable live operating system that starts from a USB stick, routes all connections through Tor and leaves no trace on the computer unless Persistent Storage is used.
3. [Alpine Linux](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/alpine-linux/): B (80/100). Alpine is a security-oriented, lightweight distro based on musl libc and busybox. It compiles all user-space binaries as position-independent executables with stack-smashing protection.
4. [Arch Linux](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/arch-linux/): B (80/100). A minimal, rolling-release Linux distribution for x86-64 that users configure themselves, using the pacman package manager and the community Arch User Repository.
5. [Debian](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/debian/): B (80/100). A community-developed Linux distribution made entirely of free software, known for stable releases and a large package archive, and the base of many other distributions.
6. [elementary OS](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/elementary-os/): B (80/100). An Ubuntu-based Linux distribution with its own Pantheon desktop and apps, and AppCenter, a store for pay-what-you-want apps and Flatpaks.
7. [NixOS](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/nixos/): B (80/100). A Linux distribution built on the Nix package manager, where the whole system is configured declaratively and upgrades can be rolled back.
8. [Omarchy](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/omarchy/): B (80/100). Opinionated Arch Linux setup built around the Hyprland tiling window manager, with preinstalled apps, themes and AI agent integration. Created by David Heinemeier Hansson and funded by the Omacom Foundation.
9. [OpenBSD](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/openbsd/): B (80/100). A security-focused Unix-like operating system descended from BSD, known for code auditing, secure defaults and exploit mitigations such as pledge and unveil.
10. [Parrot](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/parrot/): B (80/100). A Debian-based Linux distribution geared towards security, privacy and development, with editions for penetration testing and everyday use.
11. [Qubes OS](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/qubes-os/): B (80/100). A security-oriented desktop operating system that uses Xen virtualization to run applications in separate, isolated virtual machines called qubes.
12. [secureblue](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/secureblue/): B (80/100). Hardened images of Fedora Atomic desktops and servers, with a hardened memory allocator and hardened kernel and system settings.
13. [Fedora](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/fedora/): C (65/100). A Linux distribution developed by the Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat, offering recent software in Workstation, Server and Atomic desktop editions.
14. [Kicksecure](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/kicksecure/): C (65/100). A security-hardened Linux distribution based on Debian, with hardened kernel and system settings, from the developers of Whonix.
15. [openSUSE](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/opensuse/): C (65/100). A community Linux distribution sponsored by SUSE, available as the rolling Tumbleweed and the fixed-release Leap, with the YaST and Zypper system tools.
16. [Whonix](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/whonix/): C (65/100). A Debian-based operating system that runs in virtual machines and routes all traffic through Tor, separating the Tor gateway from the workstation to prevent IP address leaks.
17. [Zorin OS](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/zorin-os/): C (65/100). An Ubuntu-based Linux distribution from Zorin Technology Group, with desktop layouts that resemble Windows or macOS.
18. [Pop!_OS](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/pop-os/): D (50/100). An Ubuntu-based Linux distribution from the hardware maker System76, with its own COSMIC desktop environment.
19. [Ubuntu](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/ubuntu/): D (40/100). A Debian-based Linux distribution developed by Canonical, with regular and long-term support releases for desktops, servers and cloud.
20. [Linux Mint](https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/linux-mint/): F (30/100). A desktop Linux distribution based on Ubuntu or Debian, with the Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce desktops and its own tools for updates and system settings.

Source: https://privacyratings.com/open-source/desktop-operating-systems/