Debian vs Ubuntu
Debian is a volunteer-built distribution with a written Social Contract and no vendor behind it. Ubuntu is Canonical's distribution, free to download with paid Ubuntu Pro for extended security maintenance and support. The question is whether you want to carry support yourself or buy it.
Niels AbrahamsenAnalyst, Security & Infrastructure
Hannah Reiter
Tomasz WierzbickiVendors can pay for visibility on this site; it never changes what we say about a product. How that works.
Choose Debian ifyou have in-house Linux staff, want a stable base with a clear lifecycle and no company able to change the terms, and will carry support questions yourselves or buy them elsewhere.
Choose Ubuntu ifyou want a familiar desktop and server base, and are willing to pay Canonical per machine for long-term patching or support.
Debian and Ubuntu side by side
| Debian | Ubuntu | |
|---|---|---|
| Our operating system rank | #5 of 12 | #10 of 12 |
| Established in | United States | United Kingdom |
| Pricing | Free of licence fees; volunteer-maintained | Free to download; Ubuntu Pro per machine per year, published |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Teams with in-house Linux staff who want a stable base with a long lifecycle | Companies wanting a common desktop and server base with paid long-term patching |
| Not for | Buyers who want a single supplier accountable for support | Anyone who wants support included without a subscription tier |
Both are reviewed in full in our operating system ranking: Debian and Ubuntu.
Where they differ
Debian 2 · Ubuntu 2 · open 0- 01
Lifecycle
Debian 13 (Trixie) was released on 9 August 2025. Debian's releases page lists end of regular support in August 2028 and end of LTS on 30 June 2030, the three-plus-two-year model. Ubuntu's Pro page describes LTS releases as getting 5 years of standard maintenance, extended to 10 years with Pro. Ubuntu Pro goes further, at a price.
Edge: Ubuntu
- 02
Who answers the phone
Debian has no commercial vendor to contract for support. The Debian project holds its trademark through Software in the Public Interest, a non-profit. Ubuntu Pro adds optional 24/7 support as a tier above security patching. If an accountable supplier is a requirement, Ubuntu is the one that sells it.
Edge: Ubuntu
- 03
Independence and exit
Our ranking places Debian highest on independence in this list because no company can change terms, and leaving is simple. Ubuntu's OS side is also easy to leave, but Livepatch and Landscape are Canonical services. Our data also notes Canonical's privacy policy lists Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel and LinkedIn tracking on its sites.
Edge: Debian
- 04
What it costs
Debian has no licence fee. Ubuntu is free to download and Ubuntu Pro is free for personal use on up to 5 machines. Business use is paid per machine per year, with workstation and server prices in our category data. Debian costs administrator time instead of a subscription.
Edge: Debian
When neither fits
If you want a paid enterprise vendor, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the reference that the others are compared to, and AlmaLinux stays compatible with it with community governance. Linux Mint is the simpler desktop choice.
Debian or Ubuntu: questions
3 answersIs Debian or Ubuntu better for servers?
Both are used on servers. Debian suits teams with their own Linux staff and a long lifecycle at no cost. Ubuntu suits teams that want a vendor to buy patching and support from.
Is Ubuntu Pro free?
For personal use, yes: Canonical's page says up to 5 physical machines, or 50 for official Ubuntu Community members. Business use is a paid per-machine subscription.
How long is Debian 13 supported?
The releases page lists end of regular support on 9 August 2028 and end of LTS on 30 June 2030.
Sources
Checked 8 October 2026- Debian releases page: Debian 13 Trixie release date, support, LTS and ELTS end dates.
- Ubuntu Pro page: free personal use limits, 5 to 10 year extension, Livepatch, Landscape, support tier.