MATE Alternatives

MATE is described as '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' and is a very popular desktop environment in the os & utilities category. There are more than 10 alternatives to MATE for a variety of platforms, including Linux, BSD, Windows, Mac and Linux Mobile apps. The best MATE alternative is KDE Plasma, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like MATE are GNOME, Xfce, Cinnamon and COSMIC.

MATE iconMATE
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Many users of GNOME 2 dislike GNOME 3. MATE is a fork of the good old GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive...

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MATE alternatives page was last updated May 8, 2025
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  1. Window Maker icon
     7 likes
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    Window Maker has a reputation for being fast, efficient and highly stable. Window Maker has been characterized as reproducing "the elegant look and feel of the NeXTstep GUI" and is noted as "easy to configure and easy to use.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Window Maker Features

    1.  Unix-like

    Window Maker VS MATE

     
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    KDE 3.5 fork. A computer desktop environment for Unix-like operating systems with a primary goal of retaining the function and form of traditional desktop computers.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  No Tracking
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    Trinity Desktop Environment (TDE) VS MATE

     
  3.  2 likes
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    Fork of Enlightenment version 17 (commonly called E17) used as the main desktop environment on Bodhi Linux

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Moksha VS MATE

     
  4. Phosh icon
     3 likes
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    Phosh is a pure Wayland shell for GNOME on mobile devices like the Purism Librem 5.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Linux Mobile
    • GNOME

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Portable Linux
    2.  Mobile friendly

    Phosh VS MATE

     
  5. EDE icon
     8 likes
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    Equinox Desktop Environment is simple and small graphical desktop environment for UNIX operating systems

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Solaris

    EDE Features

    1.  X server

    EDE VS MATE

     
  6. GNUstep icon
     5 likes
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    GNUstep's core framework provides open source version of the Cocoa's (formerly known as OpenStep from NeXT) APIs and tools for as many platforms as possible.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    GNUstep Features

    1.  Unix-like
    2.  Free API

    GNUstep VS MATE

     
  7. Lomiri icon
     1 like
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    Lomiri is the open source mobile and desktop environment that adapts to you computing needs. Supported on all kinds devices.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Linux Mobile
    • Ubuntu Touch

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Support for Gestures
    4.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    5.  No Tracking

    Lomiri VS MATE

     
  8. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    The Common Desktop Environment was created by a collaboration of Sun, HP, IBM, DEC, SCO, Fujitsu and Hitachi. Used on a selection of commercial UNIXs, it is now available as open-source software for the first time.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD

    CDE (Common Desktop Environment) VS MATE

     
  9. UKUI icon
     2 likes
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    UKUI is a lightweight desktop environment based on pluggable framework for Linux and other Unix-like Distributions. It is developed using GTK and Qt.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CN flagChina

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Ubuntu Kylin

    UKUI Features

    1.  Windows-like

    UKUI VS MATE

     
  10. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Lumina is a lightweight, BSD licensed, standards-compliant desktop environment based upon Qt and Fluxbox. It is being developed on PC-BSD, and is being packaged for distribution on the PC-BSD package repository as well.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PC-BSD

    Lumina Desktop Environment VS MATE

     
  11. Elokab icon
     7 likes
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    Elokab Desktop Environment is an open-source independent desktop environment for Linux which uses QT libraries like KDE Plasma .

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Elokab Features

    1.  QT Based

    Elokab VS MATE

     
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