Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Endless OS VS Tails

Compare Endless OS VS Tails and see what are their differences

Endless OS logo Endless OS

Endless OS is a Linux-based operating system which provides a simplified and streamlined user...

Tails logo Tails

Tails is a Debian based live CD/USB with the goal of providing complete Internet anonymity for the...
  • Endless OS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-15
  • Tails Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-25

Endless OS features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Endless OS is designed with simplicity in mind, featuring a straightforward, easy-to-navigate interface that is ideal for beginners and those less familiar with computers.
  • Pre-installed Applications
    Comes with a large number of pre-installed applications, including educational tools and resources, making it suitable for educational purposes and areas with limited internet connectivity.
  • Offline Functionality
    Designed to work well in environments with limited or no internet access, as it includes many tools and resources that do not require an internet connection.
  • Stable System
    Endless OS is based on a stable, immutable core operating system with automatic updates that help ensure security and reliability.
  • Free and Open Source
    Available for free and built on open-source principles, allowing users to view, modify, and distribute the source code.

Possible disadvantages of Endless OS

  • Limited Software Availability
    Relies on Flatpak for app distribution, which can result in a limited selection compared to traditional Linux distributions that use package managers like APT or RPM.
  • Customization Restrictions
    Offers less flexibility for users who wish to heavily customize their desktops or system settings compared to other Linux distributions.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Although improving, there can still be issues with hardware compatibility, particularly with newer peripherals or proprietary hardware components.
  • Not Ideal for Advanced Users
    Due to its focus on simplicity and ease of use, it may not meet the needs of power users or developers looking for a highly configurable environment.
  • Size and Resource Usage
    The inclusion of numerous pre-installed applications can result in a larger installation size, consuming more disk space even if certain applications are not needed by the user.

Tails features and specs

  • Privacy-focused
    Tails is designed to preserve your privacy and anonymity by routing internet traffic through the Tor network, which conceals your IP address and encrypted communications.
  • Amnesic System
    Tails runs from a USB stick or DVD and does not leave any traces on the computer, as it operates entirely in memory and does not alter the hard drive.
  • Pre-installed Security Tools
    Tails comes with a suite of pre-installed applications configured for security, including a web browser, instant messaging client, email client, office suite, and more.
  • Regular Updates
    The development team behind Tails releases regular updates and security patches, ensuring that the system remains up-to-date against vulnerabilities.
  • Open Source
    Tails is open source, meaning its source code is available for anyone to inspect, ensuring transparency and allowing the community to contribute to its development.

Possible disadvantages of Tails

  • Performance Limitations
    Running from a USB stick or DVD typically results in slower performance compared to an installed operating system.
  • Limited Persistence
    While Tails is designed to be amnesic, it offers limited options for persistence, meaning that any changes made or files created are not saved unless explicit steps are taken to store data on an encrypted persistent volume.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    For new users or those unfamiliar with Linux-based systems, Tails may have a steep learning curve, making it challenging to understand and use effectively.
  • Software Restrictions
    Tails includes a curated set of software focused on privacy and security, which means some commonly used applications are not available by default and need additional effort to install and configure.
  • Internet Dependency
    Since Tails relies heavily on the Tor network, disruptions or limitations in Tor service can impact the effectiveness and availability of anonymity services.

Analysis of Tails

Overall verdict

  • Tails is generally regarded as a good tool for enhancing privacy and security online. It is widely recommended by privacy advocates and has a solid reputation in the community for effectively protecting users' identities and data.

Why this product is good

  • Tails, which stands for The Amnesic Incognito Live System, is a security-focused Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at preserving privacy and anonymity. It achieves this by routing internet connections through the Tor network and leaving no trace on the machine unless explicitly asked. This makes it particularly useful for users who are concerned about surveillance, censorship, and privacy breaches. Tails also includes a suite of cryptographic tools to encrypt files, emails, and instant messaging, making it a robust choice for privacy-conscious users.

Recommended for

  • Journalists and activists operating in repressive environments
  • Whistleblowers needing anonymity
  • Privacy-conscious individuals
  • Users who require a secure way to browse the internet without leaving traces
  • Individuals concerned about mass surveillance

Endless OS videos

Endless OS Review

More videos:

  • Review - Endless OS 4.0: A Wonderful Linux Distro You Need To See
  • Review - Endless OS Amazing Linux Distro You Need to Try - It Has Everything you need!

Tails videos

Tails OS Installation And Review - Access The Deep Web/Dark Net

More videos:

  • Review - Tails Reviews Sonic The Hedgehog Movie | Post Credits Scene Reaction
  • Review - 5 Reasons to Use Tails | Privacy Linux

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Endless OS and Tails)
Linux
11 11%
89% 89
Operating Systems
14 14%
86% 86
Linux Distribution
15 15%
85% 85
Cloud Computing
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Endless OS and Tails. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Endless OS and Tails

Endless OS Reviews

The 10 Best Immutable Linux Distributions in 2024
It depends on the distribution. Some, like Endless OS and Fedora Silverblue, are designed with user-friendliness in mind and can be a good option for beginners interested in a more stable and secure computing environment. Others might have a steeper learning curve due to their specialized nature or unique management tools.

Tails Reviews

Best Linux distro for privacy and security of 2024
All connections are routed through the anonymity network Tor, which conceals your location. The applications in Tails have also been carefully selected to enhance your privacy – for example, there’s KeePassX - which, while not the best password manager, is still pretty good - and Paperkey, a command line tool used to export OpenPGP secret keys to print on paper. There are...
Top 5 Secure Operating Systems for Privacy and Anonymity
Tails has the option for persistent storage which can improve usability, albeit at the cost of some anonymity. Although it enables saving files across sessions, it creates a trace of your activities, which contradicts Tails' amnesic feature. However, you still preserve a high degree of privacy due to robust encryption. This is made possible due to how the persistent data is...
The 5 Best Privacy-Focused Operating Systems
Tails, short for "The Amnesic Incognito Live System," is a privacy-focused portable Linux distribution, designed with anonymity and security in mind. What makes Tails stand out is its focus on leaving no digital trace. It operates as a live OS, meaning you can run it directly from a USB stick or DVD without leaving any footprint on the host system.
Avoid The Hack: 11 Best Privacy Friendly Operating Systems (Desktops)
TAILS is a live operating system focusing on anonymity in addition to user privacy; TAILS effectively disappears, wiping data when you shut down the system.
Best Secure Linux Distros for Enhanced Privacy & Security
Tails uses the Tor network, a network heralded for its privacy and anonymity benefits, to keep users safe online. All connections run through this network - concealing users’ location and other private information. Tails comes with a secure browser, a secure email client and other secure Internet tools. Tails is the most well-known privacy-focused distro, and a popular...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Tails seems to be a lot more popular than Endless OS. While we know about 385 links to Tails, we've tracked only 21 mentions of Endless OS. 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.

Endless OS mentions (21)

  • Linux Distro for my 7 Year Old Child?
    Endless OS https://endlessos.com/ is a Debian based Linux distro running a modified version of GNOME. The primary focus of this distribution is a learning tool for schools and for those who otherwise my not have easy access to tech or internet connectivity. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Immutable Linux Distributions for Those Looking to Embrace the Future
    EndlessOS (started in 2017) is a distro based on debian that uses OSTree for an immutable root partition. It’s targeted at non-technical users and particularly suitable for not-always-online environments. https://endlessos.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Switching to Fedora Silverblue
    Some others are: Endless: https://endlessos.com/ - debs and os-tree SGOS: https://subgraph.com/sgos/hardening/index.en.html Intel Clear Linux: https://clearlinux.org/ CarbonOS: https://carbon.sh/ - BuildStream + nsbox. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • A reminder to Donate, and I need some help on how to
    2.) Endless OS - Even though I don't use this distro, I am sort of enamored by their vision and would like to give them a small donation as way of saying, "keep up the good work." Again, I can't find any information on how to donate on their site https://endlessos.com/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Educational version of linux
    The only one I know of at the moment is Endless OS. I used to think they were untrustworthy but they work with Gnome extensively so it should be good to use. I’m not sure of any other project that is well-maintained that might suit your needs. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Tails mentions (385)

  • Ten years from Snowden revelations – what's next for Tor and privacy online?
    I’m not sure about the Tor project, but the closely-related Tails project (which is excellent, BTW) seems to be uncomfortably adjacent to far-left anarchist groups. Their website, https://tails.boum.org, is hosted by one such group, and on it they prominently link to another anarchist “collective” called RiseUp. Why are we okay with this kind of implicit endorsement of violence-adjacent groups? It should be just... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • very strange
    I noticed that the website url https://tails.boum.org/ was changed to https://tails.net/. Does anyone know why? Source: over 1 year ago
  • My Mother Found Out I was Installing Linux...
    If you pop this onto a USB you can leave a beautiful Windows installation on your computer unfettled with: https://tails.boum.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • How does this work in Proton?! I was told it's impossible...
    If you want to factor out your host machine entirely whilst surfing the web, have a look at https://tails.boum.org/ . Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Is it possible for a skilled hacker or government to remotely access my computer?
    Tails is a security-focused Linux distro that (by default) only runs as a live-USB and is not meant to be used as a traditional daily-driver. As you've probably understood by now, it's a 'limited' system for the sake of security and privacy. At least it's assuring to have a far better protected distro than what distros like Arch/Debian/Fedora offer by default. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Endless OS and Tails, you can also consider the following products

Pop!_OS - A developer-focused minimalist Linux distro from System 76

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

Fedora Silverblue - The GNOME desktop experience you know and love in an atomic fashion.

Ubuntu - Ubuntu is a Debian Linux-based open source operating system for desktop computers.

openSUSE MicroOS - Micro Service OS built by the openSUSE community

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.