FreeRTOS vs OpenWrt
FreeRTOS
freertos.orgOpenWrt
openwrt.orgSide by side
| Figure | FreeRTOS | OpenWrt |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · IoT Operating Systems | 7.6 (#5) | 8.7 (#2) |
| Spec score · Operating Systems | 7.7 (#22) | 8.6 (#5) |
| License | FreeRTOS is distributed under the MIT open source license and can be used for any purpose under that license. | The build environment is generally GPLv2, while bundled third-party components may use their own open-source or public-domain licenses. |
| Support | The maker lists community contributions and professional support through its partner ecosystem. | The project says support may be provided voluntarily by developers and users, but is not guaranteed. |
Plans
In their own words
FreeRTOS
FreeRTOS is a real-time operating system for microcontrollers and small microprocessors. It supports more than 40 processor architectures and more than 15 toolchains, including RISC-V and ARMv8-M. Its kernel includes Symmetric Multiprocessing, which can schedule tasks across identical processor cores that share memory, and a thread-safe TCP stack with IPv6 support. Libraries for AWS IoT services are included, with reference integrations that demonstrate security practices. FreeRTOS is distributed under the MIT open source license and can be used for any purpose under that license. LTS libraries receive security updates and critical bug fixes for two years. Preconfigured demos are available for official ports, and Windows and Linux ports plus QEMU projects let developers experiment without special hardware. The listed plan costs nothing. Community contributions and professional support through a partner ecosystem are also listed; commercial licenses and safety certification are available through a strategic partner.
OpenWrt
OpenWrt is a Linux operating system for embedded devices, commonly wireless routers. Its writable filesystem and optional package management let users customize devices by adding packages; the project lists more than 27,000 packages and services. Configuration is available through an SSH command-line interface or a web interface, and the Table of Hardware helps check device support before installation. Hardware capacity is a key consideration: OpenWrt identifies 8 MB flash and 64 MB RAM as bare minimums, while warning against devices at those limits for current, secure use. The downloads page lists OpenWrt 25.12.5 as the current stable release and describes development snapshots as generally untested. The older 24.10 release is slated to receive limited security and bug fixes for some time. OpenWrt is free software, with no subscription or licensing fees. The project says users should know GNU/Linux and basic networking concepts before installing it; voluntary support from developers and users is not guaranteed.