Linux distro rankings
The 51 most-watched Linux distributions, ranked by what people are reading and discussing. Switch the period to see momentum, or pick a category to find the leaders for your use. Prefer a picture? See them all on the Linux distro map, or jump to the best Linux distro for each need.
All tracked distributions · last 30 days · change vs previous 30 days
Most searched on Google · top 20How it’s scored
Search score = Google search interest 80% + editor’s assessment 20%, where 100 is the most-searched distro.
- 1UbuntuBroad support, from your laptop to your server.BeginnerStableGNOME100.0search
Why #1?
- Google Trends search interest: 100/100 of the top distro (30 days average)
- Editor’s assessment: 100/100
- 33.7K Wikipedia reads in 30 days
- 2Linux MintA familiar desktop. A comfortable place to start.BeginnerStableCinnamon37.6search1
Why #2?
- Google Trends search interest: 22/100 of the top distro (30 days average)
- Editor’s assessment: 99/100
- 22.1K Wikipedia reads in 30 days
- 3DebianA dependable foundation that takes its time.IntermediateStableGNOME34.2search1
Why #3?
- Google Trends search interest: 34/100 of the top distro (30 days average)
- 32.7K Wikipedia reads in 30 days
- Debian 13.7 released Sep 12, 2026
- 4CachyOSAn Arch-based system tuned for speed.Intermediate · Rolling · KDE Plasma28.3search
- 5SteamOSValve’s console-style Linux for handheld gaming.Beginner · Atomic · KDE Plasma25.7search–
- 6BazziteA gaming-focused desktop built on Fedora Atomic.Beginner · Atomic · KDE Plasma24.5search–
- 7Zorin OSA gentle switch from the desktop you know.Beginner · Stable · GNOME23.2search–
- 8Arch LinuxBuild the system you want. Keep learning.Advanced · Rolling · Your choice18.9search3
- 9NixOSYour whole system, described in configuration.Advanced · Stable · GNOME18.7search–
- 10Kali LinuxA toolkit for penetration testing and security research.Advanced · Rolling · Xfce16.1search–
- 11OmarchyAn opinionated, keyboard-driven Arch setup for developers.Intermediate · Rolling · Hyprland7.2search–
- 12ManjaroArch packages with a slower, tested rollout.Intermediate · Rolling · KDE Plasma3.0search–
- 13Pop!_OSA developer-friendly desktop with built-in tiling.Beginner · Stable · COSMIC2.2search–
- 14KubuntuUbuntu with the KDE Plasma desktop.Beginner · Stable · KDE Plasma2.0search–
- 15openSUSE TumbleweedRolling releases with tested snapshots.Intermediate · Rolling · KDE Plasma1.9search–
- 16MX LinuxDebian Stable with a toolbox of helpful utilities.Beginner · Stable · Xfce1.4search–
- 17EndeavourOSAn approachable installer for an Arch-based system.Intermediate · Rolling · KDE Plasma0.8search–
- 18elementary OSA calm, consistent desktop with a design focus.Beginner · Stable · Pantheon0.4search–
- 19Garuda LinuxA striking Arch-based desktop with snapshots.Intermediate · Rolling · KDE Plasma0.3search–
- 20Nobara ProjectFedora, pre-tuned for gaming and streaming.Beginner · Stable · KDE Plasma0.0search–
More distros · group score, a separate 0–100 scaleHow it’s scored
Group score: ranked by Wikipedia readership, editor’s assessment, momentum. Scores here are relative to this group’s leader, so they aren’t comparable with the top 20.
- 21Fedora WorkstationA fresh GNOME desktop for curious minds.Intermediate · Stable · GNOME99.2group
- 22Gentoo LinuxCompile and tune every part of the system.Advanced · Rolling · Your choice69.1group
- 23Red Hat Enterprise LinuxCommercially supported enterprise Linux.Intermediate · Stable · GNOME63.2group
- 24SlackwareThe oldest maintained distribution, simple by design.Advanced · Stable · KDE Plasma51.6group
- 25TailsA portable live system built around privacy.Intermediate · Stable · GNOME48.0group1
- 26Alpine LinuxSmall, simple, security-minded, and container-friendly.Advanced · Stable · Xfce39.5group1
- 27Raspberry Pi OSThe official system for Raspberry Pi boards.Beginner · Stable · Raspberry Pi Desktop36.0group2
- 28Fedora Asahi RemixLinux on Apple Silicon Macs.Intermediate · Stable · KDE Plasma34.8group3
- 29Artix LinuxArch Linux without systemd.Advanced · Rolling · KDE Plasma30.5group1
- 30Void LinuxAn independent rolling system with runit.Advanced · Rolling · Xfce30.1group1
- 31Qubes OSSecurity through isolation in separate virtual machines.Advanced · Stable · Xfce29.4group1
- 32Rocky LinuxAn enterprise Linux built to match RHEL.Intermediate · Stable · GNOME28.1group2
- 33AlmaLinuxA community enterprise Linux for servers.Intermediate · Stable · GNOME23.7group
- 34LubuntuA lightweight Ubuntu flavour with LXQt.Beginner · Stable · LXQt22.6group
- 35antiXFast, systemd-free, and happy on very old PCs.Intermediate · Stable · Lightweight window managers21.2group
- 36Puppy LinuxTiny, runs from RAM, and boots almost anywhere.Intermediate · Stable · Lightweight window managers20.5group
- 37DevuanDebian without systemd, with a choice of init.Intermediate · Stable · Xfce18.3group2
- 38Parrot OSSecurity tools and a privacy-minded home edition.Intermediate · Stable · KDE Plasma16.1group1
- 39CentOS StreamThe continuously delivered upstream of RHEL.Intermediate · Stable · GNOME16.0group1
- 40XubuntuUbuntu with the light, steady Xfce desktop.Beginner · Stable · Xfce14.4group
- 41deepinA polished desktop environment with its own apps.Beginner · Stable · Deepin Desktop (DDE)13.0group
- 42Q4OSA classic desktop on Debian, with a Trinity edition for old PCs.Beginner · Stable · KDE Plasma12.4group
- 43SolusAn independent desktop with a curated rolling model.Beginner · Rolling · Budgie9.6group
- 44PCLinuxOSA long-running independent rolling desktop.Beginner · Rolling · KDE Plasma8.5group
- 45Peppermint OSA light Debian-based desktop with minimal defaults.Beginner · Stable · Xfce7.8group3
- 46MageiaA community fork of Mandriva with its own control center.Beginner · Stable · KDE Plasma7.2group1
- 47Linux LiteA lightweight Windows-style desktop for newcomers.Beginner · Stable · Xfce7.0group1
- 48Bodhi LinuxA minimal Ubuntu base with the elegant Moksha desktop.Intermediate · Stable · Moksha6.8group1
- 49KaOSA lean, independent rolling distro focused on Qt.Intermediate · Rolling · niri4.7group1
- 50SparkyLinuxDebian stable or testing, with many desktop choices.Intermediate · Stable · LXQt3.9group1
- 51Endless OSAn offline-friendly atomic desktop for learning.Beginner · Atomic · GNOME3.1group
Listed but not ranked (no separate reader-interest source): Fedora Silverblue, RakuOS, Nitrux, Anatase, openSUSE Leap, Linux Mint Debian Edition, Vanilla OS.
How the rankings are calculated
Each signal is normalized to a 0–100 scale relative to the leader, then combined with fixed weights. Rank changes compare the same score for the previous period of equal length (all time: a week earlier).
Top 20: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, CachyOS, SteamOS, Bazzite, Zorin OS, Arch Linux, NixOS, Kali Linux, Omarchy, Manjaro, Pop!_OS, Kubuntu, openSUSE Tumbleweed, MX Linux, EndeavourOS, elementary OS, Garuda Linux and Nobara Project
Google Trends search interest
Average daily search interest for each distribution’s Google Trends topic, worldwide, relative to the most-searched one. Each export is joined to the saved history through the days they share, so the history stays on one continuous scale. Trends compares at most five topics at once, so 5 comparisons are exported on the same day; each repeats one distribution from another, and that shared distribution puts every comparison on the same scale. Distributions with very little search volume are marked approximate, because Trends reports whole numbers.
Source: Google Trends · data from Sep 6, 2026 to Oct 4, 2026Editor’s assessment
The editor’s 0–100 judgment of current popularity, from what they see across the internet.
Source: distro.watch editor · an opinion, not a measurementEveryone else
Reader interest
How many people looked the distro up on English Wikipedia during the period, as a share of the leader: half the leader’s readers scores 50.
Source: Wikipedia pageviewsEditor’s assessment
Our editor’s 0–100 judgment of each distro’s current popularity, from what they see across the internet: YouTube videos and comments, forums, social media, and community discussion. It is an opinion, published as its own signal so readers can weigh it themselves. Distros the editor hasn’t rated are scored on their data alone.
Source: distro.watch editor · an opinion, not a measurement; applied equally to every periodMomentum
Growth or decline in reader interest compared with the previous period of the same length.
Source: Change in pageviewsFrequently asked questions
What is the most popular Linux distro right now?
Over the last 30 days, Ubuntu ranks first, followed by Linux Mint and Debian, based on Google Trends search interest for the top 20, and Wikipedia readership, an editor’s assessment, and momentum for the rest. Rankings change with releases and news, so check the 7-day and all-time views too.
How is this different from the DistroWatch page hit ranking?
DistroWatch counts visits to its own distribution pages, which one site’s audience and repeated visits can skew. These rankings combine independent public sources, show each signal separately, and link every number to its source. An editor’s assessment is included as its own clearly labeled signal, with its weight shown above.
Does a higher rank mean a better distro?
No. The ranking measures attention: how many people read about and discuss a distribution. The best choice depends on your hardware and needs; use the distro finder or category pages for that.
How often are the rankings updated?
Google Trends data is added several times a week; it currently runs to Oct 4, 2026. Wikipedia readership is refreshed weekly; it currently ends on Oct 5, 2026.
Why are the top distros ranked with Google Trends?
Search interest is the closest public measure of how many people are looking for a distribution. Google Trends compares up to five topics at a time, so we export 5 comparisons on the same day, each repeating one distribution from another, and use that shared distribution to put all 20 on one scale (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, CachyOS, SteamOS, Bazzite, Zorin OS, Arch Linux, NixOS, Kali Linux, Omarchy, Manjaro, Pop!_OS, Kubuntu, openSUSE Tumbleweed, MX Linux, EndeavourOS, elementary OS, Garuda Linux and Nobara Project). They always rank above the rest, which are ranked by Wikipedia readership.
Why are some distros not ranked?
A distribution needs measured data to be ranked: its own English Wikipedia article. Editions without one are listed but not ranked, rather than scored unfairly. The editor’s assessment alone never ranks a distro.
Rankings you can actually read.
One anonymous self-report per browser. Results are a sample of distro.watch visitors, never a claim about global Linux usage.
What distro are you using right now?
Each visitor response counts once.
Reading the public sample…
What are visitors likely to try next?
Multiple choices are allowed, so these are mentions.
Reading the public sample…