postmarketOS vs Ubuntu Server
| postmarketOS | Ubuntu Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Paid from | — | $2.08/mo |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux | Linux, self-hosted |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Device types | phones, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks, single-board computers, x86_64 EFI systems | servers, virtual machines, cloud instances, IoT/edge devices |
| CPU architectures | aarch64, armv7, x86_64, riscv64 | amd64, arm64, armhf, ppc64el, riscv64, s390x |
| Support lifecycle | No fixed duration stated; stable kernel packages are kept up to date while the release is supported; device support depends on category and maintainers. | LTS: five years standard security maintenance; Ubuntu Pro extends coverage to 10 years, with Legacy add-on extending it to 15 years. |
| Built-in management | Stable and edge release channels; kernel and system package upgrades; automatic kernel upgrades required for community-category devices | Landscape centralized estate management; Kernel Livepatch; security updates and hardening |
| App compatibility | Alpine apk packages; Flatpak is primary application distribution for Duranium | Ubuntu package repositories (Main and Universe); cloud images; server ISO installation |
| Deployment models | Physical device installation; Duranium also uses standard GPT partitions on compatible laptops | physical server, virtual machine, public/private/hybrid cloud, cloud image, IoT/edge device |
Both are listed in Best Operating Systems. On Everything Xiaomi, Ubuntu Server scores higher on our published basis.