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Debian vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 15, 2026

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.9
Debian users save up to 60% on costs through no licensing fees, reduced maintenance, and effective use of older hardware.
Sentiment score
6.9
Ubuntu Linux offers cost savings and high ROI by eliminating paid licenses, extending equipment life, and enhancing performance.
There were direct cost savings since Debian has no licensing fees, and we did not require paid support, so it saved us considerable money.
Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree
We were able to save a substantial amount by using Linux instead of Windows and spending a lot of money on Windows licenses.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
I have seen a return on investment; specifically, the cost is around zero because there is no need for a license, and since my whole team uses Debian, we are fine with the number of employees needed.
DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.1
Debian users largely depend on reliable community resources and documentation, with minimal need for official customer support.
Sentiment score
6.5
Users primarily rely on community forums for Ubuntu support, appreciating the proactive and comprehensive help for troubleshooting issues.
We rely on community resources for support, such as documentation, forums, and asking questions online.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
Whenever I had a query, I used Google to search for it and found very helpful information from public platforms.
Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
While it does not have traditional paid customer support like some commercial distributions, the Debian community and documentation are very strong.
Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree
They responded well, understood that the issue was not on my end, and provided a patch within two days.
Manging Director at Winworth UK
The community around Ubuntu Linux is beneficial, providing answers to questions and assisting with issues.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
Ubuntu Linux has a comprehensive knowledge base for self-help.
Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Debian is praised for its scalability, reliability, and flexibility, handling diverse infrastructures and benefiting from excellent package management.
Sentiment score
7.2
Ubuntu Linux effectively scales across environments, praised for reliability and adaptability with tools like containers and Kubernetes.
We don't spin up new Debian instances arbitrarily.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
As the growth of our infrastructure is required, we can host many Debian servers.
Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
We decided to use Debian because we needed a more stable and predictable base, especially for long-running systems where frequent changes or upgrades could cause issues.
Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree
In a server environment, it can seamlessly adapt to increased customer demand.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
Any Linux is scalable in terms of capacity, and on a day-to-day basis, we use scalability options with the help of Kubernetes clusters.
Associate Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
So far, I do not have any issues related to security in Ubuntu Linux.
System Administrator at mmcytech
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.6
Debian is highly stable and reliable, ideal for production systems, but slow software adoption and fragmented documentation are drawbacks.
Sentiment score
7.8
Ubuntu Linux is praised for its high stability and reliability, especially LTS versions, in development and server management.
I rate Debian an eight out of ten because it excels in stability, reliability, and package management, which are very important for long-running production systems.
Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree
That long-term support has helped me and my customers by being stable and running well.
Embedded Developer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
In my experience, Debian is very stable.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
The system has been completely stable, which makes it deserve a perfect score.
BA at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Ubuntu Linux is extremely stable and maintains uptime effectively.
Manging Director at Winworth UK
Ubuntu Linux is generally stable, though there can be occasional issues with new hardware integration.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
 

Room For Improvement

Debian users call for improved package management, communication, UI, hardware support, software updates, installation, and security enhancements.
Ubuntu Linux requires enhanced software compatibility, user interface, documentation, hardware integration, marketing, and improved update and firewall systems.
I believe security on Debian is top-notch due to its long history and the many individuals and organizations that rely on it, meaning there are many eyes on it.
Founder at a media company with 1-10 employees
If Debian had a memory-based distribution, similar to Alpine, that would be great, as we could get benefits in terms of memory or embedded systems.
DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd
Debian was easy to set up.
Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
There is a push towards integrating AI into software for various purposes like video and sound processing.
Manging Director at Winworth UK
Stability issues occur when integrating new components due to physical or technical challenges.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
Unlike CentOS, Ubuntu Linux lacks an easily accessible inbuilt repository where dependencies or packages are easily found.
Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions
 

Setup Cost

Debian is cost-effective and appealing for enterprises due to its free licensing and efficient integration on platforms like AWS.
Ubuntu Linux is favored by enterprises for its cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and optional support services, enhancing affordability.
My experience with Debian's pricing, setup cost, and licensing has been that it is all free.
IT Support Manager at a educational organization with 5,001-10,000 employees
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that Debian is free, so there is no price.
SRE at Akamai
As long as I remain within the limit of that credit, I can create machines as much as I want without exceeding the monthly limit.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
For an enterprise-wide scalable operating system with professional services, you can select Ubuntu Linux at a reasonable price.
Owner at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
The setup cost is free.
Head of mission at CapHornier
Ubuntu Linux is open-source, leading to cost savings through its free availability.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
 

Valuable Features

Debian offers compatibility, stability, and customization with a vast software library, enhancing performance and security for efficient operations.
Ubuntu Linux impresses with security, speed, and flexibility, offering stability, customization, and robust package management for diverse applications.
Debian's stability helps me in my daily work because my work relies on stability; I'm trying to deploy production workloads, and Debian offers that stability for me.
DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd
Debian has kept my workflow secure by maintaining system stability with day-to-day or monthly updates with security patches, securing the system from external attacks.
Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Debian has positively impacted my organization primarily in cost-efficiency, with on-premises hardware running faster and cheaper.
IT Support Manager at a educational organization with 5,001-10,000 employees
Ubuntu Linux's open-source nature supports community contributions, bolstering its development and support ecosystem.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
Ubuntu Linux supports remote troubleshooting via SSH, allowing connection from anywhere, which is beneficial for troubleshooting server issues.
Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions
In terms of security, I am satisfied with Ubuntu Linux and I can rely on its security features more than I can with Windows.
Solution Architect at TB
 

Categories and Ranking

Debian
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubuntu Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
3rd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
150
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Debian is 6.1%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 8.8%, down from 14.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Ubuntu Linux8.8%
Debian6.1%
Other85.1%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Badal Shrivastav - PeerSpot reviewer
Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree
Reliable platform has supported long-term on-prem deployments and predictable OTA updates
If I consider how Debian can be improved, it could be more accessible in making newer software versions available for users who need recent features while still maintaining default stable behavior. While backports help, the workflow could be streamlined. The release cycle can feel slow for rapidly evolving tools, and better guidance around mixing stable, backports, and testing would help. Regarding hardware support, Debian can be improved by supporting multiple BSPs, making it more versatile in the embedded domain. Hardware support for new devices can sometimes lag behind, which is understandable given Debian's focus on stability. Clearer guidance on handling newer hardware or firmware would be beneficial.
Salim Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
System Administrator at mmcytech
Has supported secure application hosting and reliable server management
I find the GUI to be good in Ubuntu Linux, and I appreciate the open SSH. The fact that it is free since it is open and open-source is why I appreciate it and feel it is secured. We have multiple different kinds of support related to Ubuntu Linux, including official support and other options. I am currently using laptops, desktops, and servers, and Ubuntu Linux supports all these devices. If I need it for Raspberry Pi or something similar, I can download another Linux distribution. Ubuntu Linux is scalable, especially for servers. We prefer using Ubuntu Linux Servers rather than Windows. The biggest advantage of Ubuntu Linux for me is that it is open-source, secured, and scalable.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
19%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
9%
Computer Software Company
6%
Comms Service Provider
11%
University
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business85
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise52
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Debian?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that Debian is free, so there is no price.
What needs improvement with Debian?
Debian is already really great, so there is nothing to complain about regarding improvements. I do not have anything else to add about needed improvements.
What is your primary use case for Debian?
I have been using Debian for around 10 years now. My main use case for Debian is that it's a regular Linux operating system with many use cases and system servers. One specific example of how I use...
Which would you choose - Ubuntu Linux or Oracle Linux?
Ubunto Linux is a complete Linux operating system that is freely available with both community and professional support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very app...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubuntu Linux?
My experience with the pricing for Ubuntu Linux is that I always use the free version, so I never paid for any installations or support.
What needs improvement with Ubuntu Linux?
I was thinking that Ubuntu Linux and Windows would work on the same machine. With Windows 11, they came together, so it is a good thing. On the GUI, when I use SSH or PuTTY or what is called a cons...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

Debian 12
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo
Find out what your peers are saying about Debian vs. Ubuntu Linux and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,797 professionals have used our research since 2012.