Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CalyxOS VS Ubuntu

Compare CalyxOS VS Ubuntu and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

CalyxOS logo CalyxOS

Privacy-focused operating system for smartphones based on Android and microG

Ubuntu logo Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.
  • CalyxOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-01
  • Ubuntu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12

CalyxOS features and specs

  • Privacy-Focused
    CalyxOS emphasizes user privacy by minimizing data collection and incorporating features like encrypted communications and privacy-respecting apps.
  • Security Enhancements
    Built on top of Android, CalyxOS includes additional security features such as verified boot and regular security patches to protect against vulnerabilities.
  • De-Googled Experience
    CalyxOS removes most proprietary Google software, providing a de-Googled experience for users who prefer not to have their data collected by Google services.
  • Compatibility with Android Apps
    CalyxOS supports F-Droid and Aurora Store, allowing users to install a wide range of open-source and Android apps while maintaining user privacy.
  • Regular Updates
    The OS receives regular updates to ensure that the latest security patches and features are available to users, helping to keep devices secure.
  • User Control
    CalyxOS provides users with a high level of control over their device's settings and permissions, enabling them to fine-tune their privacy and security.

Possible disadvantages of CalyxOS

  • Limited Device Support
    CalyxOS is only available for a relatively small number of devices, which limits its accessibility for users with different hardware.
  • Learning Curve
    Users who are accustomed to the traditional Android experience may face a learning curve when adapting to CalyxOS's different features and settings.
  • App Compatibility
    Some mainstream apps that rely heavily on Google services may not function as intended or may require additional configuration to work properly on CalyxOS.
  • Limited Official Support
    The level of official support and resources for troubleshooting might be limited compared to mainstream operating systems, potentially making it harder for some users to resolve issues.
  • Fewer Pre-Installed Apps
    While this is a benefit for those seeking a minimalist experience, some users might miss the convenience of having commonly used apps pre-installed.

Ubuntu features and specs

  • Open Source
    Ubuntu is an open-source operating system, meaning it's free to use, distribute, and modify. This allows users to customize their system to their liking and contributes to a large community of developers constantly improving the system.
  • Security
    Ubuntu places significant emphasis on security, providing regular updates and including a built-in firewall and virus protection. Its Unix-based kernel design adds an additional layer of security.
  • User-Friendly
    Ubuntu is designed to be user-friendly with an intuitive interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users. The Ubuntu Software Center simplifies the installation of applications.
  • Community Support
    An active and vast community of users and developers helps to solve issues and improve the OS. There are numerous forums, guides, and documentation available.
  • Performance
    Ubuntu tends to have better performance than some other operating systems on older hardware. It is less resource-intensive, leading to faster performance on a range of devices.

Possible disadvantages of Ubuntu

  • Software Compatibility
    Some software and applications, particularly those designed for Windows or macOS, may not be available or fully compatible with Ubuntu. Users might need to find alternatives or use compatibility layers like Wine.
  • Gaming
    While gaming on Linux, including Ubuntu, has improved, it still lags behind Windows in terms of the availability and performance of games. Many popular titles do not have native Linux support.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, transitioning to Ubuntu from another OS can involve a learning curve, especially for users unfamiliar with Linux commands and terminal operations.
  • Driver Support
    Users might face issues with hardware compatibility, as some device manufacturers do not provide Linux drivers. This can affect peripherals like printers, graphics cards, and network adapters.
  • Professional Software
    Certain professional-grade software in fields like video editing, graphic design, or specialized industry applications may not have Linux versions or equivalents. Professionals might need to dual-boot or use another OS for specific tasks.

CalyxOS videos

CalyxOS Review: The Private & Secure Android ROM For Everyone!

More videos:

  • Review - GrapheneOS vs CalyxOS ULTIMATE COMPARISON (Battery & Speed Ft. Stock Android & iPhone)

Ubuntu videos

Ubuntu 19.10 Review | The Best GNOME Desktop, Yet?

More videos:

  • Review - Review: Ubuntu 19.10 "Eoan Ermine"
  • Review - Ubuntu 19.04, My Review (And Why Most Users Should Avoid It)
  • Review - Ubuntu 24.04: An Excellent Linux Distro
  • Review - Ubuntu's Decline
  • Review - Ubuntu 24.04 Review: Why It's Time to Change Ubuntu's Release Cycle

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CalyxOS and Ubuntu)
Mobile OS
100 100%
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
100% 100
Mobile SDK
100 100%
0% 0
Operating Systems
3 3%
97% 97

User comments

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Reviews

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

CalyxOS Reviews

Android Alternative: Top 12 Mobile Operating Systems
It ships with Signal for encrypted messaging; Tor browser to access the web without any tracking; a free and trusted VPN from the Calyx Institute; the open-source Aurora Store, a Play Store alternative, and more. There are no Google services included in CalyxOS but if you want, you can sideload microG to get some of the Google services without sacrificing your anonymity. To...
Source: beebom.com

Ubuntu Reviews

Top 9 Fastest Linux Distros in 2024
Ubuntu and Mint are both based on Debian and share many similarities. However, some differences may impact performances in certain use cases. For example, Ubuntu tends to be more resource-heavy than Mint, especially the GNOME desktop environment, on the other hand, is known for its lightweight Cinnamon desktop environment, which can be more responsive & faster.
Source: linuxsimply.com
10 Most Popular Linux Distros of the Year 2023
Ubuntu also has some lightweight games like chess and Sudoku. GNOME Files, formerly known as Nautilus, is the default file manager. It is recognized for its strong community support, regular releases, and focus on user experience. There are several Ubuntu flavors available as well per the demand of users such as Ubuntu Studio for users who need the best multimedia-supported...
12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use
Ubuntu uses Snaps for package management, and the latter is the reason the Linux community has started repelling it. They completely dropped out-of-the-box support for Flatpaks, as we mentioned in our Ubuntu 23.04 features list. Although it’s a good starting point for a complete beginner, we would argue there are better Linux distros to try than Ubuntu.
Source: beebom.com
Finding the Best Linux Distro for Your Organization
Based on the open source Ubuntu community, Canonical provides commercial support and services for Ubuntu Enterprise deployments. Ubuntu Enterprise is known for its ease of use, regular updates, and compatibility with cloud environments. Commercial versions include Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu for IoT, and Ubuntu Cloud -- all optimized versions for their...
The best Linux distributions (operating systems)
Around since 2004, Ubuntu is a classic Linux distribution. The operating system is aimed at different user groups and simplifies the first steps for beginners. On the one hand, Ubuntu is customizable, but also offers numerous technical tools to simplify installation and configuration. Many programs are pre-installed, and additional packages can be conveniently added. Ubuntu...
Source: www.ionos.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Ubuntu might be a bit more popular than CalyxOS. We know about 236 links to it since March 2021 and only 191 links to CalyxOS. 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.

CalyxOS mentions (191)

  • Google Pixel 4a old firmware is gone, trapping users on the buggy battery update
    I use pixel 3 with https://calyxos.org/ as a home phone to play music, record videos, pictures etc. Calyxos is still providing extended support for 4a, but microG doesn't work as well compared to sandboxed google play services on grapheneos (which is use on my 7a). So if google services are not too important go ahead with calyxos. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Debloat non-rooted Android devices
    For example https://androidauthority.com/grapheneos-3287030/ > "Even if you stomach the Pixel-only requirement" I have not and will not stomach that at all, nope! https://grapheneos.org/faq#supported-devices Nope! I wasn't paying attention, but if I remember, Alphabet/Google was funded to deploy/release Android operating system, and they also were financed to deploy some hardware phones before disappearing to let... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users
    I'm sure you did your research. I'm writing for other readers who are interested. There are a few alternatives, more can be found but this is a selection of the most prominent offerings. /e/OS: https://e.foundation/e-os/ GrapheneOS: https://grapheneos.org/ LineageOS: https://lineageos.org/ CalyxOS: https://calyxos.org/ PostmarketOS (based on Alpine Linux rather than Android): https://postmarketos.org/ (for some... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • us What's a good (under $500, preferably lower than $200 though) android for geeks?
    Ironically, Pixels are the best for de-Googling. GrapheneOS requires a Pixel, as does CalyxOS for the most part. If you don't want your money going to Google, a used/refurb Pixel gets around that in my opinion. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Youtube Premium via VPN
    Oh I see makes sense, one closed system needs another 😅 but if you look at Android, look at https://grapheneos.org/ and https://calyxos.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Ubuntu mentions (236)

  • How to Check PC Specs without Logging into Windows 11?
    For a quick and easy process, I am using Puppy Linux, an extremely light-weight Linux Distribution. I will download the latest Puppy Linux ISO File (I am going with Slackware Base S15Pup64 as it is lighter) and then create a bootable USB using Rufus. If you want a safe and hassle-free process, you can stick with Ubuntu Distribution. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Top 33 Ubuntu Linux Commands Every User Should Know (with Outputs)
    User@ubuntu:~ $ curl http://ubuntu.com User@ubuntu:~ $ curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name": "user", "age": 30}' http://example.com/api # -X POST: Specifies the request type as POST. # -H: Sets the request header, here specifying JSON content. # -d: Sends data with the request. User@ubuntu:~ $ curl -u username:password -O http://example.com/protectedfile.zip. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • How to Get Started with Bash Scripting for Automation
    Install a Linux distribution: Ubuntu, CentOS, or any preferred distro. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • How to use WSL 2 to Install Ubuntu on Windows 11?
    The system will list all the available Linux Distros. Popular Distros including but not limited to Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise and more will be displayed. Choose your distro accordingly. In this article, I am going to Install Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Long Term Support). - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • How to Setup Users and User Groups on Linux
    A Virtual machine - VM running on Linux environment, I recommend Ubuntu. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CalyxOS and Ubuntu, you can also consider the following products

GrapheneOS - GrapheneOS is an open source privacy and security focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility.

Linux Mint - Linux Mint is one of the most popular desktop Linux distributions and used by millions of people.

LineageOS - Operating system for smartphones and tablet computers, based on the Android

Fedora - Fedora creates an innovative, free, and open source platform for hardware, clouds, and containers that enables software developers and community members to build tailored solutions for their users.

Android - Android is an open source mobile operating system initially released by Google in 2008 and has since become of the most widely used operating systems on any platform.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.