Budgie Alternatives

Budgie is described as 'The Budgie Desktop is a feature-rich, modern desktop designed to keep out the way of the user. It consists of a number of components to provide a more complete desktop experience' and is a desktop environment in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Budgie for a variety of platforms, including Linux, BSD, Windows, Mac and Chrome OS apps. The best Budgie alternative is KDE Plasma, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Budgie are GNOME, Xfce, Cinnamon and MATE.

Budgie alternatives are mainly Desktop Environments but may also be Window Managers or Mobile OSs. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Budgie.

Budgie alternatives page was last updated

Budgie

Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment

The Budgie Desktop is a feature-rich, modern desktop designed to keep out the way of the user. It consists of a number of...

More about Budgie

KDE Plasma
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Linux
BSD
postmarketOS
26 KDE Plasma alternatives
Plasma is a cross-device work environment by the KDE Community where trust is put on the user's capacity to best define their own workflow and preferences.
- - KDE Plasma is the most popular Linux alternative to Budgie.
- - KDE Plasma is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Budgie.
Suggest and vote on features
KDE Plasma Features
1. LightweightKDE Plasma consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsKDE Plasma can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
3. Full-Text SearchKDE Plasma lets you search for specific words or phrases from inside a document or database.
Customizable
Themes
Transparency
Blurry transparency
Optimized for Fastboot mode
GNOME
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Linux
BSD
31 GNOME alternatives
GNOME 3 has been designed from the ground up to help you have the best possible computing experience. Learn about what it has to offer.
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GNOME Features
1. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsGNOME can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
2. LightweightGNOME consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Support for Multiple MonitorsGNOME supports the use of multiple displays.
4. Privacy focusedGNOME is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
5. Dark ModeGNOME supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
Clean design
Optimal performance
Themes
Xfce
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Linux
BSD
26 Xfce alternatives
Xfce (pronounced as four individual letters) is a free software desktop environment for Unix and other Unix-like platforms, such as Linux, Solaris and BSD. It aims to be fast and lightweight, while still being visually appealing and easy to use.
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Xfce Features
1. LightweightXfce consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsXfce can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
3. Support for Multiple MonitorsXfce supports the use of multiple displays.
Customizable
Modular System
Cinnamon
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Linux
BSD
26 Cinnamon alternatives
Cinnamon is a Linux desktop which provides advanced innovative features and a traditional user experience. The desktop layout is similar to GNOME 2. The underlying technology is forked from GNOME Shell.
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Cinnamon Features
1. Dark ModeCinnamon supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
2. LightweightCinnamon consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. No TrackingCinnamon will not track you or use your personal data.
4. Privacy focusedCinnamon is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
High-dpi support
Customizable
MATE
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Linux
BSD
FreeBSD
OpenIndiana
GhostBSD
25 MATE alternatives
Many users of GNOME 2 dislike GNOME 3. MATE is a fork of the good old GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.
MATE has no features, suggest some!
LXDE
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Linux
BSD
27 LXDE alternatives
The "Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment" is an extremely fast-performing and energy-saving desktop environment. Maintained by an international community of developers, it comes with a beautiful interface, multi-language support...
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LXDE Features
1. LightweightLXDE consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
X server
Cairo Shell
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Windows
38 Cairo Shell alternatives
Cairo is a desktop environment for Windows. Its goal is to develop a desktop experience that increases productivity and advances current technology standards.
- - Cairo Shell is the most popular Windows alternative to Budgie.
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Cairo Shell Features
Customizable
LXQt
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Linux
BSD
26 LXQt alternatives
LXQt is the Qt port and the upcoming version of LXDE, the Lightweight Desktop Environment. It is the product of the merge between the LXDE-Qt and the .
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LXQt Features
1. LightweightLXQt consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
QT Based
X server
Enlightenment
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Mac
Linux
BSD
25 Enlightenment alternatives
Enlightenment is not just a window manager for Linux/X11 and others, but also a whole suite of libraries to help you create beautiful user interfaces with much less work than doing it the old fashioned way and fighting with traditional toolkits, not to mention a traditional...
- - Enlightenment is the most popular Mac alternative to Budgie.
Suggest and vote on features
Enlightenment Features
1. LightweightEnlightenment consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Phosh
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Linux
Linux Mobile
GNOME
29 Phosh alternatives
Phosh is a pure Wayland shell for GNOME on mobile devices like the Purism Librem 5.
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Phosh Features
Portable Linux
DDE
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Linux
Ubuntu
Deepin
24 DDE alternatives
DDE (Deepin Desktop Environment) is a Desktop Environment (DE) written in Qt for Deepin
DDE has no features, suggest some!
Emerge Desktop
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Environment
Windows
28 Emerge Desktop alternatives
Emerge Desktop is a replacement Windows "shell" (the desktop environment normally provided by Windows Explorer) for Windows 2000 and above. In order to replace Windows Explorer as a shell, it provides a system tray (the area that collects the icons collected at the...
Emerge Desktop has no features, suggest some!
Discontinued
Emerge Desktop is no longer maintained. Last version, 6.1.3, released in 2012, and the source code are still available on SourceForge

12 of 26 Budgie alternatives

Budgie Alternatives

KDE Plasma Features

GNOME Features

Xfce Features

Cinnamon Features

LXDE Features

Cairo Shell Features

LXQt Features

Enlightenment Features

Phosh Features