Unity Desktop Environment AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Desktop Environments

The best Desktop Environment alternative to Unity Desktop Environment is KDE Plasma, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Unity Desktop Environment and 15 are Desktop Environments so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Desktop Environment alternatives to Unity Desktop Environment are GNOME, Xfce, Cinnamon and MATE.

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Unity Desktop Environment alternatives are mainly Desktop Environments but may also be Window Managers or Application Launchers.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Unity Desktop Environment.
Unity Desktop Environment iconUnity Desktop Environment
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Unity is a shell interface for the Gnome desktop environment developed by Canonical Ltd for its Ubuntu operating system. It is designed to make more efficient use of space given the limited screen size of netbooks.

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Unity Desktop Environment alternatives page was last updated May 6, 2022
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Alternatives
  1. KDE Plasma icon

    KDE Plasma

     431 likes
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    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.

    26 KDE Plasma alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • postmarketOS
    A typical Plasma desktop looks like this

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Desktop Environment
    2.  Themes
    3.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    4.  Transparency
    5.  Blurry transparency
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    10.  Full-Text Search
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Support for scripting

    KDE Plasma VS Unity Desktop Environment

     

    • KDE Plasma is the most popular Linux alternative to Unity Desktop Environment.

    • KDE Plasma is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Unity Desktop Environment.

    • KDE Plasma is Free and Open SourceUnity Desktop Environment is also Free and Open Source
    • KDE Plasma is Customizable, Lightweight and Privacy focusedUnity Desktop Environment is not according to our users
  2. GNOME icon

    GNOME

     487 likes
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    An easy and elegant way to use your computer, GNOME is designed to help you have the best possible computing experience.

    30 GNOME alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    GNOME 40

    Properties

    1.  Clean design
    2.  Optimal performance
    3.  Privacy focused
    4.  Lightweight
    5.  User friendly

    Features

    1.  Desktop Environment
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Dark Mode
    4.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Rolling Release
    9.  Themes

    GNOME VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  4. Xfce icon

    Xfce

     372 likes
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    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.

    26 Xfce alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    Xfce 4.14

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Desktop Environment
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Modular System
    4.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  No Tracking

    Xfce VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  5. Cinnamon icon

    Cinnamon

     192 likes
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    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.

    24 Cinnamon alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • IE flagIreland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    Cinnamon 4.2

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Customizable

    Features

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

    Cinnamon VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  6. MATE icon

    MATE

     141 likes
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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 and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.

    23 MATE alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD
    • OpenIndiana
    • GhostBSD
    MATE screenshot 1

    MATE VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  7. LXDE icon

    LXDE

     120 likes
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    The "Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment" is an extremely fast-performing and energy-saving desktop environment.

    27 LXDE alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • TW flagTaiwan

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    Screenshot of the LXDE desktop. It's simple, lightweight, fast, modern, internationalized, and standard-compliant.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  X server

    LXDE VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  9. LXQt icon

    LXQt

     49 likes
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    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 .

    26 LXQt alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    LXQt screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Desktop Environment
    2.  QT Based
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  No registration required
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  X server

    LXQt VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  10. Budgie icon

    Budgie

     44 likes
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    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.

    25 Budgie alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    A screenshot of the Budgie desktop running on Solus Linux. The Budgie settings manager is on the right, made specifically to customize the desktop. The rest of the settings are handled by the Gnome settings manager.

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts

    Budgie VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  11. Cairo Shell icon

    Cairo Shell

     48 likes
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    Cairo is a desktop environment for Windows. Its goal is to develop a desktop experience that increases productivity and advances current technology standards.

    43 Cairo Shell alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Cairo Shell screenshot 1

    Cairo Shell VS Unity Desktop Environment

     

    • Cairo Shell is the most popular Windows alternative to Unity Desktop Environment.

    • Cairo Shell is Free and Open SourceUnity Desktop Environment is also Free and Open Source
  12. Enlightenment icon

    Enlightenment

     51 likes
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    Enlightenment is a Window Manager, Compositor and Minimal Desktop for Linux (the primary platform), BSD and any other compatible UNIX system.

    25 Enlightenment alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Enlightenment screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Wayland Support
    2.  X server

    Enlightenment VS Unity Desktop Environment

     

    • Enlightenment is the most popular Mac alternative to Unity Desktop Environment.

    • Enlightenment is Free and Open SourceUnity Desktop Environment is also Free and Open Source
    • Enlightenment is LightweightUnity Desktop Environment is not according to our users
  13. Phosh icon

    Phosh

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

    28 Phosh alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Linux Mobile
    • GNOME
    Phosh screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Portable Linux
    2.  Mobile friendly

    Phosh VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
  14. Lomiri icon

    Lomiri

     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.

    39 Lomiri alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Linux Mobile
    • Ubuntu Touch
    Lomiri screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

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

    Lomiri VS Unity Desktop Environment

     
12 of 15 Unity Desktop Environment alternatives