NetBSD AlternativesOperating Systems and other similar apps like NetBSD

NetBSD is described as 'Free, fast, secure, and highly portable Unix-like Open Source operating system. It is available for a wide range of platforms, from large-scale servers and powerful desktop systems to handheld and embedded devices' and is a operating system in the os & utilities category. There are more than 10 alternatives to NetBSD for a variety of platforms, including BSD, Self-Hosted, Linux, Mac and Windows apps. The best NetBSD alternative is FreeBSD, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like NetBSD are Haiku, OpenBSD, GhostBSD and NomadBSD.

NetBSD iconNetBSD
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NetBSD is a free, fast, secure, and highly portable Unix-like Open Source operating system. It is available for a wide...

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NetBSD alternatives page was last updated Jan 22, 2025
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  1. FreeBSD icon

    FreeBSD

     260 likes
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    FreeBSD is an operating system used to power modern servers, desktops, and embedded platforms. A large community has continually developed it for more than thirty years. Its advanced networking, security, and storage features have made FreeBSD the platform of choice for many of...

    186 FreeBSD alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    FreeBSD screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Unix-like
    2.  Geeky
    3.  ARM support
    4.  Package Control
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  Ad-free

    FreeBSD VS NetBSD

     

    • FreeBSD is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to NetBSD.

    • FreeBSD is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to NetBSD.

    • FreeBSD is Free and Open SourceNetBSD is also Free and Open Source
    • FreeBSD is Privacy focused and LightweightNetBSD is not according to our users
  2. Haiku icon

    Haiku

     97 likes
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    Haiku is an open-source operating system that specifically targets personal computing. Inspired by the BeOS, Haiku is fast, simple to use, easy to learn and yet very powerful.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Haiku
    Haiku screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Multitasking
    2.  Independent
    3.  Native GUI
    4.  Portable
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Drag and Drop

    Haiku VS NetBSD

     
  4. OpenBSD icon

    OpenBSD

     64 likes
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    The OpenBSD project produces a FREE, multi-platform 4.4BSD-based UNIX-like operating system. Our efforts emphasize portability, standardization, correctness, proactive security and integrated cryptography.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • BSD
    Example OpenBSD 5.2 desktop using Gnome 3.4.2 desktop environment

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Unix-like

    OpenBSD VS NetBSD

     
  5. GhostBSD icon

    GhostBSD

     14 likes
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    GhostBSD is a user friendly desktop operating system based on FreeBSD , which attempts to conform to the Single Unix Specification. FreeBSD is known for its stability and security in server environments, which, incidentally, provides an...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CA flagCanada

    Platforms

    • BSD
    GhostBSD screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    GhostBSD VS NetBSD

     
  6. NomadBSD icon

    NomadBSD

     6 likes
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    NomadBSD is a persistent live system for USB flash drives, based on FreeBSD. Together with automatic hardware detection and setup, it is configured to be used as a desktop system that works out of the box, but can also be used for data...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • BSD
    NomadBSD screenshot 1

    NomadBSD Features

    1.  Portable

    NomadBSD VS NetBSD

     
  7. MINIX 3 icon

    MINIX 3

     9 likes
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    MINIX is a POSIX-compliant Unix-like operating system based on a tiny microkernel running in kernel mode with the rest of the operating system running as a number of isolated, protected, processes in user mode.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    MINIX 3 screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Educational

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Unix-like
    3.  Microkernel
    4.  Embeddable
    5.  ARM support

    MINIX 3 VS NetBSD

     

    • MINIX 3 is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to NetBSD.

    • MINIX 3 is Free and Open SourceNetBSD is also Free and Open Source
    • MINIX 3 is LightweightNetBSD is not according to our users
  9. Fusion OS icon

    Fusion OS

     1 like
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    A hobby OS implemented in Nim.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Fusion OS screenshot 1

    Fusion OS Features

    1.  UEFI Support

    Fusion OS VS NetBSD

     
  10. CRUX Linux icon

    CRUX Linux

     3 likes
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    CRUX is a lightweight GNU/Linux distribution for the x86-64 architecture targeted at experienced users. The primary focus of this distribution is keep it simple, which is reflected in a straightforward tar.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    CRUX Linux screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Linux-based
    2.  ARM support

    CRUX Linux VS NetBSD

     
  11. MidnightBSD icon

    MidnightBSD

     5 likes
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    MidnightBSD is a new BSD-derived operating system developed with desktop users in mind. It includes all the software you'd expect for your daily tasks — email, web browsing, word processing, gaming, and much more.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    MidnightBSD screenshot 1

    MidnightBSD Features

    1.  Unix-like

    MidnightBSD VS NetBSD

     
  12. ToaruOS icon

    ToaruOS

     1 like
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    ToaruOS is a completely-from-scratch hobby operating system: bootloader, kernel, drivers, C library, and user space including a composited graphical UI, dynamic linker, syntax-highlighting text editor, network stack, etc.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    ToaruOS screenshot 1

    ToaruOS Features

    1.  Unix-like

    ToaruOS VS NetBSD

     
  13. BlackBerry QNX icon

    BlackBerry QNX

     2 likes
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    Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, BlackBerry QNX has provided foundational software for many of the world’s mission-critical embedded systems since 1982. From nuclear power plants, surgical robots and class III life-critical medical devices to autonomous vehicles and brands like...

    125 BlackBerry QNX alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CA flagCanada

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted

    BlackBerry QNX Features

    1.  Embeddable
    2.  ARM support

    BlackBerry QNX VS NetBSD

     
  14. DragonFly BSD icon

    DragonFly BSD

     9 likes
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    DragonFly belongs to the same class of operating systems as other BSD-derived systems and Linux. It is based on the same UNIX ideals and APIs and shares ancestor code with other BSD operating systems. DragonFly provides an opportunity for the BSD base to grow in an entirely...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • BSD
    DragonFly BSD screenshot 1

    DragonFly BSD Features

    1.  Unix-like

    DragonFly BSD VS NetBSD

     
12 of 15 NetBSD alternatives