AlmaLinux OS

AlmaLinux OS is ranked #1 of 45 in operating systems on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, Self-hosted, Windows. There is a free plan.

AlmaLinux OS plans and pricing

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AlmaLinux OS Free Free enterprise Linux distribution · no fees or charges · commercial support is available separately almalinux.org · 29 Sept 2026

Compared on operating systems

Free plan: Yes
Device types: Servers, workstations, virtual machines, cloud instances, containers, Raspberry Pi devices, WSL environments
CPU architectures: x86_64, aarch64, ppc64le, s390x; some releases also list x86_64_v2 and i686 userspace
Support lifecycle: About 10 years per major version; minor versions reach end of life when the next minor version is released
Built-in management: DNF package updates and updateinfo errata; cloud images support cloud-init initialization
App compatibility: RPM/DNF package repositories; Docker and OCI container images; UBI-compatible image variants; WSL supports Linux command-line and GUI apps
Deployment models: Bare metal installation, virtual machines, cloud images, containers, live media, Vagrant boxes, Incus/LXC, WSL, Raspberry Pi

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AlmaLinux OS

What it is: AlmaLinux OS is a free, open-source, community-owned enterprise Linux distribution that is binary compatible with RHEL.
Who it is for: The project describes it as an option for people who need an enterprise-grade Linux distribution without a commercial license agreement, including users seeking a CentOS Linux replacement.
Architectures: ISO downloads are available for x86_64, aarch64, ppc64le, and s390x architectures.
Cloud images: Official cloud images are provided for Amazon AWS, Generic Cloud, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, OpenNebula, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Containers and virtual machines: The project provides OCI, Docker, and UBI-compatible container images, plus Vagrant images for Libvirt, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, VMware, and Parallels.
Desktop options: Live Media images are offered with GNOME, GNOME Mini, KDE, XFCE, and MATE desktop options.
Windows use: AlmaLinux provides a WSL image for running its terminal environment on Windows.
Security updates: The Foundation publishes errata for security issues and bug fixes, with analysis of their significance.
Package verification: AlmaLinux packages are GPG-signed and verified by default when installed.
Compliance tools: AlmaLinux provides OpenSCAP, SCAP Workbench, OVAL streams, and CIS tooling to audit or harden systems.
Certifications: The project states that AlmaLinux OS 9.2 is FIPS 140-3 validated and Common Criteria certified.
Support: Community support is available through forums, chat, and Reddit, while commercial support is offered by listed providers including Cybertrust Japan and TuxCare.
Support lifetime: The site says stable, tested updates and security patches are planned for AlmaLinux OS 8.x until 2029 and 9.x until 2032.
Governance: The AlmaLinux OS Foundation is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit that stewards the project, with a community-elected board.
Price from: Free

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Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Operating Systems in 2026#1 of 45

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Sources

almalinux.org· checked 29 Sept 2026
almalinux.org/security/· checked 29 Sept 2026
almalinux.org/foundation/· checked 29 Sept 2026