Monthly archive

Most Popular Linux Distributions – March 2026

In March 2026, Starbuntu was the most-viewed operating system on OpenSourceFeed, ahead of CachyOS and Puppy Linux. Budgie Desktop led the desktop environments. The biggest climber in the top 50 was Slackel, up from #102 to #32.

Mar 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026 · compared with February 2026

See the live ranking →

Operating Systems

#1 Starbuntu

Ubuntu-based

– 100/100

#2 CachyOS

Arch-based

Latest: CachyOS August 2026

▲ 1 52/100

#3 Puppy Linux

Independent

Latest: Puppy Linux 7.5 Xenialpup

▲ 53 47/100

Biggest risers

Slackel #102 → #32 ▲ 70 places up from rank 102
Debian #89 → #26 ▲ 63 places up from rank 89
openSUSE #106 → #45 ▲ 61 places up from rank 106

Biggest fallers

CutefishOS #5 → #37 ▼ 32 places down from rank 5
Solus Linux #17 → #43 ▼ 26 places down from rank 17
Damn Small Linux (DSL) #14 → #39 ▼ 25 places down from rank 14

1 Starbuntu Ubuntu-based Openbox –No change 100 out of 100
2 CachyOS Arch-based KDE PlasmaXfceMATE ▲ 1 places up from rank 3 52 out of 100
3 Puppy Linux Independent JwmRoxfiler ▲ 53 places up from rank 56 47 out of 100
4 EndeavourOS Arch-based XfceMATECinnamon ▲ 22 places up from rank 26 42 out of 100
5 Clover OS or CloverOS Gentoo-based Fvwm ▼ 3 places down from rank 2 39 out of 100
6 Arch Linux Independent GNOMEKDE PlasmaMATE ▲ 37 places up from rank 43 37 out of 100
7 Raspberry Pi OS Debian-based Labwc (wayland)Pixel (legacy) ▼ 3 places down from rank 4 35 out of 100
8 Linux Mint Ubuntu-based MATECinnamonXfce ▲ 26 places up from rank 34 32 out of 100
9 deepin Debian-based Deepindesktop ▲ 4 places up from rank 13 31 out of 100
10 ROSA Linux Independent GNOMEXfceKDE Plasma ▼ 4 places down from rank 6 31 out of 100
11 4MLinux Independent Jwm ▼ 1 places down from rank 10 29 out of 100
12 Ubuntu Debian-based UnityGNOMECutefish ▲ 12 places up from rank 24 29 out of 100
13 Redox OS Independent Optional gui orbital ▲ 56 places up from rank 69 27 out of 100
14 elementary OS Ubuntu-based Pantheon ▲ 22 places up from rank 36 24 out of 100
15 Lubuntu Ubuntu-based LXDELXQt ▲ 6 places up from rank 21 24 out of 100
16 antiX Debian-based IcewmFluxboxJwm ▲ 36 places up from rank 52 23 out of 100
17 Kali Linux Debian-based XfceGNOMEKDE Plasma ▲ 59 places up from rank 76 23 out of 100
18 Calculate Linux Gentoo-based KDE PlasmaMATEXfce ▲ 35 places up from rank 53 21 out of 100
19 Fedora Linux Independent GNOMEKDE PlasmaMATE ▲ 56 places up from rank 75 21 out of 100
20 KITE GNU/Linux Ubuntu-based GNOMELXDE ▲ 13 places up from rank 33 21 out of 100
21 Ultimate Edition Ubuntu-based BudgieGNOMEKDE Plasma ▼ 14 places down from rank 7 21 out of 100
22 Linux Lite Ubuntu-based Xfce ▲ 16 places up from rank 38 19 out of 100
23 Mauna Linux Debian-based XfceGNOMEMATE ▼ 14 places down from rank 9 19 out of 100
24 Pop!_OS Ubuntu-based GNOME ▲ 44 places up from rank 68 19 out of 100
25 Tails Debian-based GNOME ▼ 10 places down from rank 15 19 out of 100
26 Debian Independent GNOMEKDE PlasmaXfce ▲ 63 places up from rank 89 18 out of 100
27 feren OS Linuxmint-based Cinnamon ▲ 19 places up from rank 46 18 out of 100
28 FreeBSD Independent ▲ 19 places up from rank 47 18 out of 100
29 Nitrux Linux Debian-based Hyprland ▼ 13 places down from rank 16 18 out of 100
30 Vanilla OS Debian-based GNOME ▲ 27 places up from rank 57 18 out of 100
31 Raspbian Debian-based ▼ 9 places down from rank 22 16 out of 100
32 Slackel Slackware-based OpenboxMATE ▲ 70 places up from rank 102 16 out of 100
33 Sparky Linux Debian-based LXQtMATELXDE ▼ 5 places down from rank 28 16 out of 100
34 Trisquel GNU/Linux Ubuntu-based MATE ▲ 45 places up from rank 79 16 out of 100
35 Zorin OS Ubuntu-based GNOMEXfce ▲ 47 places up from rank 82 16 out of 100
36 Archman Arch-based XfceMATEKDE Plasma ▼ 17 places down from rank 19 15 out of 100
37 CutefishOS Debian-based Cutefish ▼ 32 places down from rank 5 15 out of 100
38 DragonFly FreeBSD-based AwesomeCinnamonFluxbox ▼ 6 places down from rank 32 15 out of 100
39 Damn Small Linux (DSL) Antix-based FluxboxJwm ▼ 25 places down from rank 14 15 out of 100
40 Gentoo Linux Independent BudgieCinnamonFvwm-crystal ▲ 8 places up from rank 48 15 out of 100
41 Gnoppix AI Linux Debian-based XfceGNOMEKDE Plasma ▲ 43 places up from rank 84 15 out of 100
42 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Independent GNOME ▲ 54 places up from rank 96 15 out of 100
43 Solus Linux Independent BudgieXfceGNOME ▼ 26 places down from rank 17 15 out of 100
44 NetBSD Independent ▲ 11 places up from rank 55 13 out of 100
45 openSUSE Independent GNOMEKDE PlasmaXfce ▲ 61 places up from rank 106 13 out of 100
46 Oracle Linux Red Hat-based GNOME ▲ 21 places up from rank 67 13 out of 100
47 Pardus Debian-based XfceGNOME ▲ 13 places up from rank 60 13 out of 100
48 Porteus Slackware-based CinnamonMATEKDE Plasma ▲ 46 places up from rank 94 13 out of 100
49 RedCore Linux Gentoo-based KDE Plasma ▲ 46 places up from rank 95 13 out of 100
50 SolydXK Debian-based XfceKDE Plasma ▲ 12 places up from rank 62 13 out of 100
51 Tiny Core Linux Independent ▲ 48 places up from rank 99 13 out of 100
52 KaOS Independent KDE Plasma ▲ 52 places up from rank 104 11 out of 100
53 Korora Fedora-based GNOMEKDE PlasmaMATE ▲ 37 places up from rank 90 11 out of 100
54 Mageia Independent GNOMEKDE PlasmaXfce ▼ 5 places down from rank 49 11 out of 100
55 MX Linux Debian-based XfceKDE PlasmaFluxbox ▼ 28 places down from rank 27 11 out of 100
56 Peppermint OS Debian-based LXDE ▼ 21 places down from rank 35 11 out of 100
57 PorteuX Linux Slackware-based CinnamonGNOMEKDE Plasma ▲ 29 places up from rank 86 11 out of 100
58 Salix Slackware-based Xfce ▲ 45 places up from rank 103 11 out of 100
59 Slax Linux Debian-based Fluxbox ▼ 20 places down from rank 39 11 out of 100
60 Uruk GNU/Linux Pureos-based MATE ▲ 20 places up from rank 80 11 out of 100
61 AerynOS (formerly Serpent OS) Independent GNOMECOSMIC ▼ 43 places down from rank 18 10 out of 100
62 Apricity OS Arch-based CinnamonGNOME ▼ 37 places down from rank 25 10 out of 100
63 ArchBang Arch-based Openboxi3 ▲ 25 places up from rank 88 10 out of 100
64 Arya Linux LFS-based MATEXfceGNOME ▼ 34 places down from rank 30 10 out of 100
65 Endless OS Debian-based GNOME ▼ 45 places down from rank 20 10 out of 100
66 KDE neon Ubuntu-based KDE Plasma ▲ 32 places up from rank 98 10 out of 100
67 Linux From Scratch Independent ▲ 24 places up from rank 91 10 out of 100
68 Neptune Debian-based KDE Plasma ▼ 9 places down from rank 59 10 out of 100
69 Netrunner Debian-based KDE Plasma ▼ 3 places down from rank 66 10 out of 100
70 Pentoo Gentoo-based Xfce ▼ 59 places down from rank 11 10 out of 100
71 ReactOS Independent Windows 9x inspired desktop ▲ 34 places up from rank 105 10 out of 100
72 Sabayon Linux Gentoo-based KDE PlasmaGNOMEXfce ▼ 49 places down from rank 23 10 out of 100
73 Siduction Debian-based KDE PlasmaXfceLXQt ▲ 28 places up from rank 101 10 out of 100
74 Trident Trueos-based Lumina ▼ 34 places down from rank 40 10 out of 100
75 Ubuntu Cinnamon Ubuntu-based Cinnamon ▼ 46 places down from rank 29 10 out of 100
76 Ubuntu Unity Ubuntu-based Unity ▲ 21 places up from rank 97 10 out of 100
77 Voyager Live Debian-based GNOMEXfce ▼ 35 places down from rank 42 10 out of 100
78 CRUX Independent Openbox ▼ 70 places down from rank 8 8 out of 100
79 Devuan GNU+Linux Debian-based Xfce ▼ 48 places down from rank 31 8 out of 100
80 Manjaro Linux Arch-based KDE PlasmaXfceMATE ▼ 15 places down from rank 65 8 out of 100
81 Q4OS Debian-based TrinityKDE Plasma ▼ 69 places down from rank 12 8 out of 100
82 RefreshOS Debian-based KDE Plasma ▲ 26 places up from rank 108 8 out of 100
83 Shark Linux Debian-based MATE ▼ 22 places down from rank 61 8 out of 100
84 SpiralLinux Debian-based CinnamonXfceGNOME ▼ 6 places down from rank 78 8 out of 100
85 TrueOS FreeBSD-based Lumina ▼ 34 places down from rank 51 8 out of 100
86 Ubuntu Budgie Ubuntu-based Budgie ▼ 16 places down from rank 70 8 out of 100
87 Xubuntu Ubuntu-based Xfce ▼ 6 places down from rank 81 8 out of 100
88 Antergos Arch-based CinnamonGNOMEKDE Plasma ▲ 12 places up from rank 100 6 out of 100
89 Chakra Linux Independent KDE Plasma ▼ 16 places down from rank 73 6 out of 100
90 Kodachi Linux Debian-based Xfce ▼ 53 places down from rank 37 6 out of 100
91 MakuluLinux Debian-based XfceCinnamon ▼ 27 places down from rank 64 6 out of 100
92 Ubuntu GNOME Ubuntu-based GNOME ▲ 15 places up from rank 107 6 out of 100
93 Ubuntu MATE Ubuntu-based MATE ▼ 52 places down from rank 41 6 out of 100
94 Bodhi Linux Ubuntu-based Moksha ▼ 49 places down from rank 45 5 out of 100
95 Elive Linux Debian-based Enlightenment ▼ 12 places down from rank 83 5 out of 100
96 MidnightBSD FreeBSD-based LuminaGNOME ▼ 4 places down from rank 92 5 out of 100
97 OpenMandriva Independent KDE Plasma ▼ 47 places down from rank 50 5 out of 100
98 Parsix GNU/Linux Debian-based GNOME ▼ 5 places down from rank 93 5 out of 100
99 PCLinuxOS Independent XfceKDE PlasmaMATE ▼ 14 places down from rank 85 5 out of 100
100 ArchLabs Arch-based Openbox ▼ 29 places down from rank 71 3 out of 100
101 ArcoLinux Arch-based XfceOpenboxi3 ▼ 29 places down from rank 72 3 out of 100
102 Enso OS Ubuntu-based Xfce ▼ 28 places down from rank 74 3 out of 100
103 GhostBSD FreeBSD-based MATE ▼ 49 places down from rank 54 3 out of 100
104 Maui Linux Kdeneon-based KDE Plasma ▼ 46 places down from rank 58 3 out of 100
105 BackBox Linux Ubuntu-based Xfce ▼ 61 places down from rank 44 2 out of 100
106 Kubuntu Ubuntu-based KDE Plasma ▼ 43 places down from rank 63 2 out of 100
107 NomadBSD FreeBSD-based Openbox ▼ 30 places down from rank 77 2 out of 100
108 UbuntuDDE Remix Ubuntu-based Deepindesktop ▼ 21 places down from rank 87 2 out of 100

Desktop Environments

#1 Budgie Desktop

Latest: Budgie Desktop 10.7

▲ 6 100/100

#2 Cinnamon Desktop

Latest: Cinnamon 3.4 (Dead Link)

▲ 6 72/100

#3 GNOME Desktop Environment

Latest: GNOME 51

▲ 2 56/100

Biggest risers

LXQt Desktop Environment #16 → #8 ▲ 8 places up from rank 16
Cinnamon Desktop #8 → #2 ▲ 6 places up from rank 8
Budgie Desktop #7 → #1 ▲ 6 places up from rank 7

Biggest fallers

MATE Desktop #3 → #10 ▼ 7 places down from rank 3
Deepin Desktop #9 → #16 ▼ 7 places down from rank 9
KDE Plasma #1 → #6 ▼ 5 places down from rank 1

1 Budgie Desktop Budgie Desktop 10.7 ▲ 6 places up from rank 7 100 out of 100
2 Cinnamon Desktop Cinnamon 3.4 (Dead Link) ▲ 6 places up from rank 8 72 out of 100
3 GNOME Desktop Environment GNOME 51 ▲ 2 places up from rank 5 56 out of 100
4 helloSystem ▼ 2 places down from rank 2 56 out of 100
5 Lumina Desktop Lumina Desktop 1.4.0 ▲ 1 places up from rank 6 44 out of 100
6 KDE Plasma Plasma 5.14.4 ▼ 5 places down from rank 1 44 out of 100
7 Cutefish Desktop ▲ 3 places up from rank 10 41 out of 100
8 LXQt Desktop Environment LXQt 2.4.0 ▲ 8 places up from rank 16 38 out of 100
9 Xfce Xfce 4.20 ▼ 5 places down from rank 4 38 out of 100
10 MATE Desktop MATE Desktop 1.20 ▼ 7 places down from rank 3 34 out of 100
11 LXDE –No change 31 out of 100
12 Trinity Desktop ▲ 3 places up from rank 15 31 out of 100
13 Moksha Desktop –No change 25 out of 100
14 Pantheon Desktop –No change 25 out of 100
15 Regolith Desktop ▲ 2 places up from rank 17 22 out of 100
16 Deepin Desktop ▼ 7 places down from rank 9 19 out of 100
17 Enlightenment ▼ 5 places down from rank 12 19 out of 100

Rankings archive

Year in review 2025 2024 2023

2026 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

2025 Nov Dec

Methodology

Data source: Page views of each distribution and desktop page on OpenSourceFeed during this calendar month, from the Google Analytics Data API. Hits on old or alias URLs are merged into the main page.
Popularity score: Each entry's page views divided by those of the #1 entry in the same list, scaled to 100.
Rank change: Compared with the rank in February 2026. “NEW” means the entry was not ranked then.
Frozen data: This page is a snapshot. It is not updated after the period ends; see the live ranking for current numbers.