KDE Plasma AlternativesTop Desktop Environments & Window Managers like KDE Plasma

One of the most popular alternatives to KDE Plasma is GNOME, which is free and open source. Other popular alternatives are Cinnamon, Xfce, Noctalia and LXQt. There's no shortage of Desktop Environments like KDE Plasma, with more than 25 alternatives for Linux, Windows, Mac and Chrome OS.

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KDE Plasma alternatives page was last updated Feb 16, 2026

GNOME
525 likes
An easy and elegant way to use your computer, GNOME is designed to help you have the best possible computing experience.
32 GNOME alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Linux
BSD
United States
+9
Good alternative?Is GNOME a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

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5comments
GNOME vs KDE Plasma Comments
Top Positive Comment by LinuxDoge · May 4, 2022
Very beautiful DE, modern and stable.

I prefer KDE for its simple, Windows-like look, as I dont like looking downward all the time and like the customizability of it, but GNOME is by far the best supported, stable and beautiful Linux DE.
Top Negative Comment by Ranogard · Jan 29, 2023
Can't be easily themed anymore, and possibly can't be themed at all in the future. If you don't like the dark adwaita theme because it looks like an ashtray and a graveyard combined, bad luck for you.
Positive comment by Guest · Mar 1, 2025
The are both pritty good!
3 of 5 comments
GNOME is Free and Open SourceKDE Plasma is also Free and Open Source
Cinnamon
207 likes
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.
26 Cinnamon alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
Ireland
EU
Platforms
Linux
BSD
Ireland
EU
Good alternative?Is Cinnamon a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

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2comments
Cinnamon vs KDE Plasma Comments
Positive comment by youlk1234 · Sep 3, 2025
It's better to give to a grandma/a kid to make sure she/he doesn't delete her/his taskbar, but it is still customizable and overall a great choice for productivity (like GNOME)
Positive comment by RemovedUser · Jun 14, 2025
if you used to use mint KDE than cinnamon will work just fine for you but for non debian distros use gnome
2 of 2 comments
Cinnamon is Free and Open SourceKDE Plasma is also Free and Open Source
Cinnamon is LightweightKDE Plasma is not according to our users
Xfce
388 likes
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.
31 Xfce alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Linux
BSD
Germany
EU
Good alternative?Is Xfce a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

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2comments
Xfce vs KDE Plasma Comments
Positive comment by Guest · May 11, 2018
Xfce is good because it's fast lightweight and has almost all of the features of Plasma
Comment by RemovedUser · Jun 14, 2025
is your pc shit? do you like light mode? well then xcfe is for you
2 of 2 comments
Xfce is Free and Open SourceKDE Plasma is also Free and Open Source
Xfce is LightweightKDE Plasma is not according to our users
Noctalia
21 likes
Noctalia is a beautiful, minimal desktop shell for Wayland built with Quickshell. It’s designed with a “quiet by design” philosophy, providing a complete desktop experience that stays out of your way.
38 Noctalia alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (MIT)
Application type
Desktop Environment
Platforms
Linux
+3
Good alternative?Is Noctalia a good alternative to KDE Plasma?
LXQt
59 likes
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 .
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
Taiwan
Platforms
Linux
BSD
Taiwan
Good alternative?Is LXQt a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

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1comment
LXQt vs KDE Plasma Comments
Positive comment by Guest · May 11, 2018
LXQt is in two words "Lightweight Plasma"
1 of 1 comments
LXQt is Free and Open SourceKDE Plasma is also Free and Open Source
LXQt is LightweightKDE Plasma is not according to our users
COSMIC
30 likes
COSMIC is the name for the main shell components in Pop_Shell.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Linux
United States
+5
Good alternative?Is COSMIC a good alternative to KDE Plasma?
MATE
146 likes
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.
24 MATE alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application type
Desktop Environment
Origin
International
Platforms
Linux
BSD
FreeBSD
OpenIndiana
GhostBSD
Global
+1
Good alternative?Is MATE a good alternative to KDE Plasma?
LXDE
124 likes
The "Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment" is an extremely fast-performing and energy-saving desktop environment.
32 LXDE alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application type
Desktop Environment
Origin
Taiwan
Platforms
Linux
BSD
Taiwan
+1
Good alternative?Is LXDE a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

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1comment
LXDE vs KDE Plasma Comments
Negative comment by Guest · May 11, 2018
LXDE Is old and lacking in features
1 of 1 comments
LXDE is Free and Open SourceKDE Plasma is also Free and Open Source
LXDE is LightweightKDE Plasma is not according to our users
Budgie
48 likes
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.
29 Budgie alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
International
Platforms
Linux
Global
+1
Good alternative?Is Budgie a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

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2comments
Budgie vs KDE Plasma Comments
Positive comment by youlk1234 · Sep 3, 2025
Budgie is modern, good for productivity, though it is not as customizable as Plasma
Negative comment by John Fastman · Jan 9, 2017
Budgie is a new desktop environment built on top of Gnome, essentially. It looks and feels nice in principle, but it's not the finished article. Slow and buggy, it might have a bright future but for the moment KDE's Plasma is much better.
2 of 2 comments
Budgie is Free and Open SourceKDE Plasma is also Free and Open Source
Budgie is LightweightKDE Plasma is not according to our users
Enlightenment
56 likes
Enlightenment is a Window Manager, Compositor and Minimal Desktop for Linux (the primary platform), BSD and any other compatible UNIX system.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Linux
BSD
United States
+3
Good alternative?Is Enlightenment a good alternative to KDE Plasma?
Compiz
161 likes
Compiz is a compositing manager adding fancy effects to your windows, from drop shadows to awesome desktop effects like the Desktop Cube or the Expo view.
32 Compiz alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application type
Window Manager
Origin
International
Platforms
Linux
Global
Good alternative?Is Compiz a good alternative to KDE Plasma?
Kera Desktop
10 likes
An easy, pleasant, speedy, and exciting way to use your favorite OS.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Desktop Environment
Window Manager
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Chrome OS
Good alternative?Is Kera Desktop a good alternative to KDE Plasma?

12 of 31 KDE Plasma alternatives

KDE Plasma AlternativesTop Desktop Environments & Window Managers like KDE Plasma

Alternatives list

GNOME

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GNOME vs KDE Plasma Comments

Cinnamon

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Cinnamon vs KDE Plasma Comments

Xfce

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Xfce vs KDE Plasma Comments

Noctalia

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LXQt

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LXQt vs KDE Plasma Comments

COSMIC

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MATE

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LXDE

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LXDE vs KDE Plasma Comments

Budgie

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Budgie vs KDE Plasma Comments

Enlightenment

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Compiz

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Kera Desktop

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