Xubuntu AlternativesLinux Distros & Operating Systems like Xubuntu

Xubuntu is described as 'Elegant and easy-to-use operating system. Xubuntu comes with Xfce, which stable, light and configurable desktop environment. It is based on Ubuntu Debian Linux' and is a very popular Linux Distro in the os & utilities category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Xubuntu for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Self-Hosted, Mac, Windows and BSD apps. The best Xubuntu alternative is Linux Mint, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Xubuntu are Ubuntu, Zorin OS, Manjaro Linux and elementary OS.

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Get a badge for your siteXubuntu alternatives page was last updated Sep 6, 2025

Linux Mint
1223 likes
Linux distribution focused on desktop use, with unique menus, media codecs, browser plugins, and DVD support pre-installed; offers easy package management, compatibility with Ubuntu repositories, and a Debian-based alternative for consistency and reliability.
198 Linux Mint alternatives
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Free
Open Source
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Ireland
EU
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Linux
Ireland
EU
+4
Good alternative?Is Linux Mint a good alternative to Xubuntu?
Ubuntu
2407 likes
Ubuntu is a community developed, Linux-based operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. It contains all the applications you need - a web browser, presentation, document and spreadsheet software, instant messaging and much more.
181 Ubuntu alternatives
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Free
Open Source
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Linux Distro
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United Kingdom
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Linux
Ubuntu
United Kingdom
+1
Good alternative?Is Ubuntu a good alternative to Xubuntu?
Zorin OS
163 likes
Linux-based OS designed for familiar user experience, mimicking Windows or macOS, supports dual-boot, runs Windows apps via WINE, pre-installed essential software, customizable desktop layouts, broad hardware compatibility, and privacy-focused updates.
197 Zorin OS alternatives
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Freemium
Open Source
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Linux Distro
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Ireland
EU
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Linux
Ireland
EU
+2
Good alternative?Is Zorin OS a good alternative to Xubuntu?
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Zorin OS
Linux-based OS designed for familiar user experience, mimicking Windows or macOS, supports dual-boot, runs Windows apps via WINE, pre-installed essential software, customizable desktop layouts, broad hardware compatibility, and p...

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Manjaro Linux
339 likes
Manjaro is a user-friendly Linux distribution based on the independently developed Arch operating system. Within the Linux community, Arch itself is renowned for being an exceptionally fast, powerful, and lightweight distribution that provides access to the very latest cutting...
191 Manjaro Linux alternatives
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Free
Open Source
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Germany
EU
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Linux
Arch Linux
Germany
EU
+5
Good alternative?Is Manjaro Linux a good alternative to Xubuntu?

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1comment
Manjaro Linux vs Xubuntu Comments
Positive comment by John Fastman · Dec 20, 2016
Manjaro Linux has got the point where it's more user friendly than Xubuntu, in my opinion. Particularly in the XFCE (official) and MATE (community) builds, the pamac/pacman package manager is utterly great to use and draws software not just from Manjaro repositories but from Arch's AUR, which has something like 60k+ software apps. Despite being based on Arch, Manjaro is very user-friendly and the community support is fantastic.
1 of 1 comments
Manjaro Linux is Free and Open SourceXubuntu is also Free and Open Source
Manjaro Linux is Customizable and Security-focusedXubuntu is not according to our users
elementary OS
357 likes
elementary OS is a free, fast and aesthetically pleasing operating system based on Ubuntu .
213 elementary OS alternatives
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Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
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United States
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Linux
United States
+9
Good alternative?Is elementary OS a good alternative to Xubuntu?
Kubuntu
298 likes
Kubuntu is an official "flavor" of Ubuntu that uses the KDE Plasma desktop environment. This gives it a completely different look and feel.
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Free
Open Source
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United Kingdom
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Linux
United Kingdom
Good alternative?Is Kubuntu a good alternative to Xubuntu?

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1comment
Kubuntu vs Xubuntu Comments
Positive comment by John Fastman · Dec 31, 2016
Kubuntu and Xubuntu are both Ubuntu underneath. They differ from each other (and from Ubuntu) only by the default desktop that they come with (and some apps that are part of those). Kubuntu comes with KDE's Plasma 5, which is more modern, Xubuntu comes with XFCE, which is faster on old/slow computers. If you want KDE's Plasma, then go for KDE Neon instead of Kubuntu: it gets faster updates.
1 of 1 comments
Kubuntu is Free and Open SourceXubuntu is also Free and Open Source
Kubuntu is CustomizableXubuntu is not according to our users
KDE Linux
37 likes
Free Linux-based OS from KDE community, emphasizing safety, functionality, and advanced desktop technologies, integrating Plasma and KDE apps for home, enterprise, public, or pre-installed computer use, prioritizing updates, usability, and customization.
65 KDE Linux alternatives
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Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
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Germany
EU
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Linux
KDE Plasma
Germany
EU
Good alternative?Is KDE Linux a good alternative to Xubuntu?
macOS
571 likes
A Unix-based OS for Mac with seamlessly integration with Apple’s ecosystem, offering an intuitive UI, productivity tools like Finder, Spotlight, and Automator, built-in apps like Safari and Photos, Continuity for cross-device functionality, and security features including FileVault and Gatekeeper.
188 macOS alternatives
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Proprietary
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Operating System
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United States
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Mac
United States
+4
Good alternative?Is macOS a good alternative to Xubuntu?

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1comment
macOS vs Xubuntu Comments
Negative comment by Guest · Jul 20, 2017
The user who search an alternative to Xubuntu, does not want to install privative and heavy systems (=resource consumers) such as Windows or MacOS (although Mac have shell based on Linux BSD : Leopard).
1 of 1 comments
macOS is Free and ProprietaryXubuntu is Free and Open Source
macOS is an Operating System Xubuntu is a Linux Distro
Lubuntu
248 likes
Lubuntu is a fast and lightweight operating system with a clean and easy-to-use user interface. It is a Linux system, that uses the minimal desktop LXDE/LXQT.
188 Lubuntu alternatives
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United Kingdom
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Linux
United Kingdom
+5
Good alternative?Is Lubuntu a good alternative to Xubuntu?

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1comment
Lubuntu vs Xubuntu Comments
Positive comment by John Fastman · Jan 4, 2017
Lubuntu and Xubuntu are both Ubuntu under the hood. The difference is they come with different desktop environments (LXDE and XFCE, respectively). LXDE is even lighter on system resources than XFCE so should work better on REALLY old/slow computers. But that's it.
1 of 1 comments
Lubuntu is Free and Open SourceXubuntu is also Free and Open Source
Lubuntu is CustomizableXubuntu is not according to our users
NixOS
78 likes
NixOS is a GNU/Linux distribution that aims to improve the state of the art in system configuration management. In existing distributions, actions such as upgrades are dangerous: upgrading a package can cause other packages to break, upgrading an entire system is much less...
201 NixOS alternatives
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Free
Open Source (MIT)
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Linux Distro
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Netherlands
EU
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Self-Hosted
Netherlands
EU
Good alternative?Is NixOS a good alternative to Xubuntu?
ReactOS
301 likes
ReactOS™ is a FOSS effort to develop a quality operating system based on the architecture of Microsoft® Windows™ NT family of operating systems, that is compatible with applications and drivers written for it (NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7).
207 ReactOS alternatives
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Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
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Germany
EU
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Windows
ReactOS
Germany
EU
+9
Good alternative?Is ReactOS a good alternative to Xubuntu?
Qubes OS
129 likes
Qubes is an open source operating system designed to provide strong security for desktop computing.
204 Qubes OS alternatives
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Free
Open Source
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United States
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Linux
Fedora
Xen
United States
+9
Good alternative?Is Qubes OS a good alternative to Xubuntu?

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1comment
Qubes OS vs Xubuntu Comments
Positive comment by arndtadler · Jul 21, 2018
It has a very similar User Interface and expirience and is even more secure and flexible. It is propably the most secure OS in the moment but it has higher requirements for the User and the used System.
1 of 1 comments
Qubes OS is Free and Open SourceXubuntu is also Free and Open Source
Qubes OS is Security-focused and CustomizableXubuntu is not according to our users