Ubuntu apps can be installed through App Center, APT, Snap, Flatpak, or AppImage. Choose the source the app’s publisher or Ubuntu recommends: App Center is the simplest starting point, while the other options suit different software sources, update models, and permission needs. No format is universally best.
Install an app from Ubuntu App Center
- Open App Center from the Dock, or search for Software in Activities.
- Search for the app or browse categories, then select it.
- Press Install and authenticate with your password if prompted.
Ubuntu’s application-installation guide says App Center offers Snap and Debian packages. Ubuntu’s Snap and deb documentation says Snaps are shown by default and listed first when an app is available in both formats.
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Install with APT or a downloaded Debian package
APT manages Debian-format packages from configured repositories. In Terminal, refresh the package index, then install the package by its repository package name:
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sudo apt install <package-name>sudo apt update refreshes the local package index; it does not install an app on its own. For a downloaded .deb file, Ubuntu documents this command:
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sudo apt install ./<package>.debDeb packages commonly use shared system libraries and integrate closely with Ubuntu. Most deb app versions are tied to the Ubuntu release, and they have full access to system resources. Dependencies can make a deb use less disk space than a Snap. Security updates for deb packages are installed automatically by default; apply other available updates through Software Updater. These are typical format characteristics, not guarantees for every package.
Install with Snap
Snap is Canonical’s package format and is preinstalled on Ubuntu, according to the Ubuntu software-management overview. To install a Snap in Terminal, use its package name:
sudo snap install <package-name>Snaps update daily by default and are released independently of the Ubuntu release, so an app may have a newer version than its release-tied deb. They use a base runtime and can bundle additional dependencies, which may increase disk use.
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Snaps are generally sandboxed, and permissions can be managed in Settings. However, some developer-tool Snaps use classic confinement and have full access to system resources. Check the confinement and permissions for the particular app rather than assuming every Snap is isolated.
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Install Flatpak from Flathub
Flatpak is a cross-distribution format commonly used for desktop apps. Ubuntu Wiki describes it as community-supported through Universe and says Ubuntu support dates back to Ubuntu 18.10; this is the support history stated by the Ubuntu Wiki page last edited July 25, 2026, not a Flatpak release date. The page is marked as needing testing, so check it for changes that apply to your Ubuntu release.
To set up Flatpak with Flathub and install an app, open Terminal and run:
sudo apt install flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak install flathub <application-id>Replace <application-id> with the app’s identifier on Flathub. Ubuntu Wiki recommends Bazaar for managing Flatpaks on Ubuntu: Ubuntu ships App Center rather than GNOME Software, which is used as the Flatpak manager on some other GNOME-based distributions. The Wiki describes browsing Flathub and selecting Install to open Bazaar.
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Run an AppImage
An AppImage is a self-contained application bundle rather than a conventional package installation. Download it from a source you trust, then grant it execute permission and run it:
chmod +x Application.AppImage
./Application.AppImageAppImages are portable and do not require root privileges for this basic run method. The Ubuntu Wiki’s software-management overview says they have no central repository or automatic updating and offer limited integration with system tools. Some launcher setups may provide optional sandboxing, but that is not guaranteed by the AppImage format. Verify the publisher and download location; the format itself does not establish that a file is safe.
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| Decision | APT / deb | Snap | Flatpak | AppImage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical source | Configured Ubuntu or other APT repository | Snap Store | Flathub or another remote | Publisher or another download source |
| Install route | App Center or sudo apt install |
App Center or sudo snap install |
Install Flatpak, add a remote, install the app | Download, make executable, run |
| Updates | Security updates automatic by default; other updates through Software Updater | Daily automatic updates by default | Ubuntu Wiki overview says manual or automatic | No built-in automatic updating in Ubuntu Wiki comparison |
| Permissions | Full access to system resources | Usually sandboxed and configurable; classic confinement is an exception | Sandbox with fine-grained permissions, according to Ubuntu Wiki | Optional sandboxing depends on launcher and setup |
| Dependencies and disk | Shared libraries; can use less disk than Snap | Base runtime plus possible bundled libraries; may use more disk | Shared runtimes | Dependencies bundled; self-contained files can be larger |
| Integration | Deep Ubuntu integration | App Center and system integration | Bazaar recommended by Ubuntu Wiki for management on Ubuntu | Portable, with limited system-tool integration |
These are format-level tendencies documented by Ubuntu, not promises for every app. The reviewed Ubuntu pages do not provide controlled, comparable measurements for startup speed, download size, total disk use across equivalent apps, or security outcomes. Do not infer that one format is universally fastest, smallest, or safest.
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- Start with App Center if you want the simplest graphical install and the app is listed there.
- Use APT when the app is available in a configured Ubuntu repository or the publisher provides a Debian package and recommends it.
- Consider Snap when Ubuntu or the publisher recommends it, particularly for third-party software that benefits from a newer release or the Snap permission model.
- Use Flatpak if the app is distributed through Flathub and you are willing to set up Flatpak and manage it with the Ubuntu-recommended route.
- Use AppImage when the publisher distributes the app that way and you prefer a portable file over a package-manager installation.
Ubuntu Desktop documentation, Snap and deb packages (version 26.04 documentation, last updated June 22, 2026), states: “If an app is available both as a snap and a deb, we generally recommend installing the snap version, especially if the app comes from a third-party developer.” That is Ubuntu’s general recommendation, not a rule that overrides the app’s own documented installation guidance or the tradeoffs: debs usually use less disk and have full system access, while Snap confinement is not universal.
Check the source before installing
Ubuntu warns that third-party software repositories are not checked by Ubuntu members for security or reliability and may contain harmful software. Add a repository only if you trust its source, and follow the signing-key instructions when configuring it. Ubuntu explains this in its repository setup guide. A format label alone is not proof of safety: check who publishes the app, where the package or file comes from, and what permissions it receives.
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