Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

BusyBox VS UserLAnd

Compare BusyBox VS UserLAnd and see what are their differences

BusyBox logo BusyBox

BusyBox is a single binary that provides several stripped-down Unix tools in a single executable.

UserLAnd logo UserLAnd

Easiest way to run GNU/Linux Distros on Android - no root required
  • BusyBox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-04-14
  • UserLAnd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-19

BusyBox features and specs

  • Lightweight
    BusyBox is designed to be a minimalistic utility that combines tiny versions of many common UNIX utilities into a single small executable, making it ideal for systems with limited resources.
  • All-in-One
    It provides a comprehensive suite of tools and utilities in one package, eliminating the need to install and manage multiple separate utilities.
  • Customizable
    BusyBox can be customized to include only the needed utilities, which allows for a tailored solution that fits the specific requirements of a project or system.
  • Open Source
    It is open source, meaning it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute, which encourages collaboration and community-driven improvements.
  • Widely Used in Embedded Systems
    BusyBox is popular in embedded systems and other environments where storage and processing power are limited, making it a proven choice for resource-constrained applications.

Possible disadvantages of BusyBox

  • Limited Functionality
    Being a smaller version of each utility, BusyBox may lack some of the advanced features found in full versions of UNIX utilities, which can be a limitation for complex tasks.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Certain scripts or applications that expect specific behaviors from standard Linux utilities might not work correctly with BusyBox due to subtle differences in functionality.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    Compared to mainstream distributions and their utilities, BusyBox might not be updated as frequently, which can be a concern for security or feature updates.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Customization
    Customizing BusyBox to include or exclude specific utilities can require a more in-depth understanding of both the system’s needs and the configuration options available.

UserLAnd features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    UserLAnd allows users to run full Linux distributions on Android devices through a simple installation process without rooting the device, making it accessible to a wider audience.
  • Versatility
    It supports various Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, and Alpine, providing flexibility for users to choose their preferred environment.
  • Open Source
    The app is open source, allowing developers to contribute to its improvement, ensuring transparency and fostering community collaboration.
  • No Root Required
    UserLAnd operates without requiring root access, ensuring device security and maintaining manufacturer warranties.

Possible disadvantages of UserLAnd

  • Performance Limitations
    Running Linux distributions on an Android device may not offer the same performance as native systems due to resource constraints of mobile devices.
  • Limited Hardware Integration
    Due to the abstraction layer provided by Android, UserLAnd may not fully leverage the hardware capabilities of the host device.
  • Complexity in Advanced Use
    While basic setup is simple, advanced configurations can become complex, requiring more technical knowledge from the user.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Initial installation and some operations may require a steady internet connection, which might be a limitation in offline scenarios.

BusyBox videos

What is BusyBox | Busybox demo

More videos:

  • Review - What Is Busybox and Why do we need it for Android?

UserLAnd videos

Debian MATE running on DeX using UserLand | Samsung DeX Videos

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to BusyBox and UserLAnd)
Terminal Tools
47 47%
53% 53
SSH
48 48%
52% 52
Server Management
51 51%
49% 49
Emulators
38 38%
62% 62

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare BusyBox and UserLAnd

BusyBox Reviews

Top 10 Best Apps To Use Linux Terminal on Your Android Device
BusyBox is an excellent option for Android users who want to have control in the internal Linux command-line shell. This terminal emulator for Android requires a rooted device to function properly. It is one of the most popular among its competitors. There is a pro version, but the vanilla edition is more than enough for casual users. It will provide you with numerous Unix...
Best Terminal Emulator for Android in 2021
BusyBox is a famous terminal emulator for quick and reliable performance. It needs the device to be rooted for executing the app. The emulator can work well with Linux kernel with GNU Core applications. It offers plenty of standard Unix tools with backup features to retrieve all data. The app provides the user to choose the desired applets for quick installation. It also...

UserLAnd Reviews

We have no reviews of UserLAnd yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, BusyBox should be more popular than UserLAnd. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

BusyBox mentions (17)

  • Revisit base container image for AWS services
    The busybox container is, as the name suggests, a base image that contains the minimum environment for BusyBox to work. It is also one of the official Docker images. The actual Dockerfile for creating this image is as follows:. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Making memcpy(NULL, NULL, 0) well-defined
    Https://busybox.net/~landley/c99-draft.html#7.20.6.1 "The abs, labs, and llabs functions compute the absolute value of an integer j. If the result cannot be represented, the behavior is undefined. (242)" 242 The absolute value of the most negative number cannot be represented in two's complement. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Docker, Linux, Security. Kinda.
    On to our second point, which is the cli utilities' implementation. Debian and Ubuntu use gnu's Coreutils while Alpine uses Busybox(remember, we are talking about the most used application container bases. You can install a desktop version of Alpine with GNU coreutils). Here we have the same situation as before, The GNU coreutils are bigger, do more and have a larger attack surface. Busybox is smaller, does not... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • The Awk Programming Language, Second Edition
    AWK runs everywhere. Perl and Python do not. Busybox has their own independent AWK implementation. https://busybox.net/ https://frippery.org/busybox/ Also see the first edition of the AWK manual online here: https://archive.org/details/pdfy-MgN0H1joIoDVoIC7. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • This would have made my life so much easier in the beginning....
    A majority of routers are already based on the Linux kernel. Many are just BusyBox. The most common Linux firewalls are iptables and nftables. With the latter being the most popular one due to being around longer. They are really fine grained and powerful. Source: about 2 years ago
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UserLAnd mentions (11)

  • Lindroid
    How does it compare to Termux / UserLAnd? See https://termux.dev and https://userland.tech For my purposes Lindroid seems less powerful as it requires root and AOSP patches. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Apple Introduces M4 Chip
    I get frustrated seeing this go into the iPad and knowing that we can't get a shell, and run our own binaries there. Not even as a VM like [UserLAnd](https://userland.tech). I could effectively travel with one device less in my backpack but instead I have to carry two M chips, two displays, batteries, and so on... It's great to see this tech moving forward but it's frustrating to not see it translate into a more... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Do you think that it's real? I don't trust it just even by the fact it costs 2€...
    It's basically a Linux virtual machine on Android, running Linux applications - see https://userland.tech/ and https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=8617260147938950881. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Blog is hosted on my Android phone
    > I only wish Android phones would be more open to put a full Linux distro on them. You can: https://userland.tech/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • chromium driver not working on proot-distro (need snap ?!)
    Awesome, feel free to ask any other questions, I love discussing about anything Linux-relevant. I'll add and mention that UserLAnd might be useful for you. Link: https://userland.tech. Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing BusyBox and UserLAnd, you can also consider the following products

Termux - Terminal emulator and Linux environment for Android

GNU Core Utilities - The GNU Core Utilities or coreutils is a package of GNU software containing many of the basic...

Linux Deploy - This application is open source software for quick and easy installation of the operating system...

Toybox (Linux command line utilities) - Toybox combines common Linux command line utilities together into a single BSD-licensed executable...

AnLinux - Run Linux On Android Without Root Access.

MSYS2 - A Cygwin-derived software distro for Windows using Arch Linux's Pacman