1
Also covers git, open source, and python · same kind of open-source project
Browse GitHub star and fork rankings, including daily updated top repositories grouped by programming language.
Alternatives
The Best Linux Alternatives in 2026
24 alternatives1 free · 17 open source
Looking for something like Linux? Here are 24 alternatives, ranked by how closely they match it on purpose, features and platforms. Of these, 1 are free or have a free plan and 17 are open source.
This GitHub Desktop fork adds support for various Linux distributions.
Top picks at a glance
First suggestionGithub RankingBrowse GitHub star and fork rankings, including daily…Free or freemium optionForgejoForgejo compares software forges and describes its…Another optionGhgrabghgrab browses and downloads files from GitHub, GitLab…
Quick comparison
| # | Alternative | Pricing | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Github Ranking | — | Yes | — |
| 2 | Ghgrab | — | Yes | — |
| 3 | git-sim | — | Yes | — |
| 4 | Active Forks | — | Yes | Browser extension |
| 5 | Lovely Forks | — | Yes | Browser extension |
| 6 | Gitstar Ranking | — | Not stated | Web |
| 7 | Difftastic | — | Not stated | Web |
| 8 | Profile Readme Generator | — | Yes | — |
| 9 | Imgbot | — | Yes | — |
| 10 | Cal.com core team | — | Yes | — |
All Linux alternatives
2
Also covers git, open source, and python · same kind of open-source project
ghgrab browses and downloads files from GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg, Gitea, and Forgejo without logging in.
3
Also covers git, open source, and python · same kind of open-source project
git-sim visually simulates Git operations in a repository from a terminal command.
4
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Active Forks finds currently active forks of a software project on GitHub.
5
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Spot notable forks of GitHub projects with Lovely Forks, a browser extension available for Firefox and Chrome.
6
Gitstar Ranking
gitstar-ranking.comAlso covers git and python
Compare rankings for GitHub users, organizations, and repositories with Gitstar Ranking.
7
Difftastic
difftastic.wilfred.me.ukAlso covers git and python
Compare files by syntax rather than line by line with Difftastic, a structural diff command-line tool.
8
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Create a personalized GitHub profile README with this generator, which builds a README quickly from user input.
9
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Imgbot compresses image files in GitHub repositories and opens a pull request for review after applying the changes.
10
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
This GitHub project page lists contributors to calcom/cal.diy, a scheduling infrastructure project.
11
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Code changes are compared by Difftastic using syntax-aware structural diffs.
12
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Use Ungit to manage Git repositories through a graphical interface available across platforms.
13
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Repositories can be synced between remote and local folders with GitSync, a mobile Git client.
14
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Git diffs, grep results, and blame output can be viewed with syntax highlighting through Delta.
15
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Explore open-source projects built by Brazilian developers in this curated repository list.
16
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Update multiple repositories with one command using multi-gitter, a tool for coordinated repository changes.
17
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Manage Git repositories on Android with PuppyGit, a mobile Git client.
18
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
Run Git commands through lazygit, a terminal interface for managing Git repositories.
19
Also covers git and open source · same kind of open-source project
git-quick-stats provides command-line summaries and statistics for Git repositories.
20
Also covers git · free
Forgejo compares software forges and describes its distribution, governance, and transparency features.
21
Upd.dev
upd.devAlso covers git
Upd.dev provides free code hosting and package distribution for publishing code, releases, and packages.
22
useful-forks
useful-forks.github.ioAlso covers git
Useful Forks uses the GitHub API to find forks of repositories. Its page notes that API rate limits may restrict results.
23
GitPop3
andremiras.github.io/gitpop3Also covers git
GitPop3 helps visitors find the most popular fork of a project hosted on GitHub.
24
Active-Forks
techgaun.github.io/active-forks/index.htmlAlso covers git
Active GitHub Forks helps users find active forks of a specified repository.
No alternatives match this filter.
Alternatives to similar tools
Github Ranking24 alternativesDifftastic24 alternativesProfile Readme Generator24 alternativesGitstar Ranking24 alternativesgit-sim24 alternativesCal.com core team24 alternatives
What is the best alternative to Linux?
Based on features, tags and platforms, the closest alternatives to Linux are Github Ranking, Ghgrab, and git-sim.
Is there a free alternative to Linux?
Yes. Forgejo is free or offer a free plan.
Are there open-source alternatives to Linux?
Yes: Github Ranking, Ghgrab, git-sim, and Active Forks.
Alternatives are suggested from the purpose and features described in our listings. Different pages for the same product appear once. Read each description to check whether it fits your task. How we choose alternatives · Suggest an alternative