Windows 11 Alternatives 2026: 5 Free Options
Windows 11 alternatives: Ubuntu Desktop, Linux Mint, Fedora Workstation, Zorin OS and 1 more. Prices and licenses checked October 22, 2026.
•2 min read•Browsers & System Utilities
Verdict:Windows 11 is sold under Microsoft's license terms, and eligible Windows 10 PCs upgrade free through Windows Update. People searching for alternatives usually want to avoid a license, run an older PC, or drop telemetry and ads. Linux Mint is the easiest landing for a Windows user, with a layout close to what they know, and it is free and open source. Ubuntu is the safest choice for support and documentation. Fedora Workstation gives newer software and suits people comfortable with updates. Zorin OS can mimic the Windows desktop, with a free Core edition. ChromeOS Flex is for old machines used mostly in a browser, and device management needs a paid Enterprise Upgrade. The trade-off is software. None of these run Windows apps natively. Office, Adobe tools, many games with anti-cheat, and some vendor drivers are the usual blockers, and you may need a virtual machine or a replacement. Check your must-have apps before you wipe a disk, test from a live USB, and back up first. Stay on Windows if your work depends on Windows-only software. Move if your tasks live in a browser, an editor or a terminal.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Desktop | Free (free download; Ubuntu Pro free for personal use on up to five machines) | Linux, x86-64, ARM64 | The most widely documented Linux desktop | Docs only |
| Linux Mint | Free (free of cost) | Linux | First-time switchers from Windows | Docs only |
| Fedora Workstation | Free (free, no ads) | Linux | Users who want current software | Docs only |
| Zorin OS | Free (Core edition is free to download and use) | Linux | Windows-like Linux look | Docs only |
| ChromeOS Flex | Free (free of charge; device management needs paid ChromeOS Enterprise Upgrade) | PCs, Macs | Reviving old hardware for browser-based work | Docs only |
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Good fit if
- You want the easiest switch from Windows (Linux Mint is the pick)
- You want the best-supported Linux (Ubuntu Desktop is the pick)
- You want newer software and do not mind upgrades (Fedora Workstation is the pick)
- You want a desktop that looks like Windows (Zorin OS is the pick)
- You have an old PC used for web apps (ChromeOS Flex is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You rely on Windows 11 features or integrations that these tools do not replicate
Windows 11 today: See pricing page (Windows 11 pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Why people look for Windows 11 alternatives
Windows 11 sets a hardware floor: UEFI with Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, a 64-bit processor with at least 2 cores at 1 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage and DirectX 12 graphics. Home and Pro also need internet access and a Microsoft account during initial setup. Microsoft states that Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, with no more technical assistance, feature updates or security updates, and suggests Extended Security Updates or a new PC for hardware that cannot run Windows 11.
Ubuntu Desktop
Compared with Windows 11: Free desktop Linux with 26.04.1 LTS and five years of updates, extendable with Ubuntu Pro, which is free for personal use on up to five machines. You lose native Windows apps, but pay no license.
Price: Free (free download; Ubuntu Pro free for personal use on up to five machines) (Ubuntu Desktop pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux, x86-64, ARM64. Not stated (open source).
Best for: The most widely documented Linux desktop.
Linux Mint
Compared with Windows 11: Free and open source, based on Debian and Ubuntu. Its desktop layout feels closer to Windows than Ubuntu's, so the switch needs less relearning. Windows-only software still will not run natively.
Price: Free (free of cost) (Linux Mint pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux. Not stated (open source).
Best for: First-time switchers from Windows.
Worth knowing: Based on Debian and Ubuntu.
Fedora Workstation
Compared with Windows 11: Free, no ads, with a GNOME desktop and apps from Fedora repositories or Flathub. It moves faster than Ubuntu, so you get newer software at the cost of more frequent upgrades.
Price: Free (free, no ads) (Fedora Workstation pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux. Not stated (open source).
Best for: Users who want current software.
Worth knowing: GNOME desktop; apps from Fedora repositories or Flathub.
Zorin OS
Compared with Windows 11: Built on Ubuntu with a free Core edition and a Pro edition whose price you should check on its site. It can be styled to look like Windows, which eases the move.
Price: Free (Core edition is free to download and use) (Zorin OS pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Linux. Not stated.
Best for: Windows-like Linux look.
ChromeOS Flex
Compared with Windows 11: Provided free of charge for PCs and Macs from roughly the last 10 years. Cloud-based and quick to boot, but it lacks the security chips of a Chromebook and runs web apps, not Windows software.
Price: Free (free of charge; device management needs paid ChromeOS Enterprise Upgrade) (ChromeOS Flex pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: PCs, Macs. Proprietary.
Best for: Reviving old hardware for browser-based work.
Worth knowing: Cloud-based; lacks Google security chips and verified boot of ChromeOS devices.
Which one to pick
- You want the easiest switch from Windows: Linux Mint
- You want the best-supported Linux: Ubuntu Desktop
- You want newer software and do not mind upgrades: Fedora Workstation
- You want a desktop that looks like Windows: Zorin OS
- You have an old PC used for web apps: ChromeOS Flex
Limits of this review
Docs-only for Ubuntu Desktop, Linux Mint, Fedora Workstation, Zorin OS, ChromeOS Flex: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages and we did not test import from Windows 11. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you buy or migrate.
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Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing and product pages checked 2026-10-22: Windows 11, Ubuntu Desktop, Linux Mint, Fedora Workstation, Zorin OS, ChromeOS Flex. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.