Amazon Linux vs Pop!_OS
Amazon Linux
aws.amazon.comPop!_OS
system76.comSide by side
| Figure | Amazon Linux | Pop!_OS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 2 |
| Spec score · Operating Systems | 8.0 (#14) | 8.0 (#16) |
| Spec score · Linux Distributions | 8.0 (#7) | 8.1 (#6) |
| Security | AL2023 includes configurable security policies such as SELinux modes and FUTURE or LEGACY system cryptographic policies. | The maker says Pop!_OS includes memory-safe Rust code and provides full-disk encryption during installation. |
| Support | AL2023 receives five years of support for each version and is supported until June 2029. | System76 offers documentation and says its support team can help owners of System76 computers through support tickets. |
| Updates | AL2023 locks AMIs and container images to a specific package repository version for deterministic behavior, while allowing customers to select when they take updates. | Security patches and features arrive through rolling updates and periodic version upgrades that users schedule. |
Plans
In their own words
Amazon Linux
Amazon Linux is AWS’s portfolio of Linux-based operating systems for EC2 instances and Docker container workloads. Amazon Linux 2023 is an RPM-based general-purpose distribution designed for AWS integration and cloud scale. It is optimized for EC2 and works with Systems Manager and the AWS CLI. Versioned repositories lock machine images and container images to a package state while letting customers choose when to update. AWS provides an EC2 image launchable from the console, SDK or CLI, plus container images usable outside AWS, including local development. The distribution supports x86-64 and 64-bit ARM architectures, including Graviton2 or later on EC2, and uses DNF. AL2023 offers configurable SELinux and cryptographic policies, kernel live patching, and five years of support through June 2029. Amazon Linux 2027 is available as a public preview for non-production testing, with separate support limits.