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Operating Systems · head to head

Linux Mint vs Eclipse Mosquitto

Linux Mint logo

Linux Mint

Operating Systems

Ubuntu-based Linux distribution built for familiarity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Eclipse Mosquitto logo

Eclipse Mosquitto

Networking

Small, EPL-licensed MQTT broker that runs on hardware other brokers cannot

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Linux Mint based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages are deliberately older than rolling distributions; Eclipse Mosquitto there is no clustering: Mosquitto is a single process, so high availability means building your own failover and accepting session loss on switchover.
  • They diverge on capability: Linux Mint covers Cinnamon desktop, Eclipse Mosquitto covers MQTT 5.0 support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Linux Mint and Eclipse Mosquitto actually diverge.

Attributes where Linux Mint and Eclipse Mosquitto differ
AttributeLinux MintEclipse Mosquitto
PlatformsLinux, DesktopLinux, Windows, macOS, Docker
CategoryOperating SystemsNetworking

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Linux Mint

  • Cinnamon desktop
  • Codecs included
  • Ubuntu package base
  • Update manager

Only in Eclipse Mosquitto

  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Very small footprint
  • Bridging
  • WebSockets listener
  • Command line clients
  • Dynamic security plugin

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Linux Mint

  • Moving a desktop or laptop off Windows with minimal retrainingnot Eclipse Mosquitto
  • Reviving older hardware that struggles with current Windows releasesnot Eclipse Mosquitto
  • Everyday desktop use where stability matters more than the newest packagesnot Eclipse Mosquitto

Eclipse Mosquitto

  • A home or building automation stack where the broker must run on the same small computer as everything elsenot Linux Mint
  • An industrial gateway that buffers local telemetry and bridges selected topics to a cloud brokernot Linux Mint
  • Local development and testing of MQTT clients without provisioning a cloud IoT servicenot Linux Mint
  • An air-gapped deployment where a broker with no licence server and no phone-home behaviour is a requirementnot Linux Mint

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Linux Mint

  • Based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages are deliberately older than rolling distributions
  • Cinnamon is less polished on fractional scaling and multi-monitor setups than GNOME or KDE
  • Smaller team than Ubuntu or Fedora, which shows in the pace of security response for its own components
  • Wayland support has lagged behind the major desktops

Eclipse Mosquitto

  • There is no clustering: Mosquitto is a single process, so high availability means building your own failover and accepting session loss on switchover.
  • Persistence is a local file rather than a replicated store, so a disk failure or an unclean shutdown can lose retained messages and queued QoS traffic.
  • Practical capacity is a few thousand concurrent clients on typical hardware, so a growing device fleet eventually forces a migration to a clustered broker.
  • The Eclipse Public Licence is weak copyleft rather than permissive, which some legal teams treat as a blocker when embedding the broker in a shipped commercial product.
  • There is no commercial support to buy from the project, so production incidents rely on community mailing lists or on paying a third party who happens to know the codebase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Linux Mint

Free
  • Linux MintFree
    • Full operating system
    • All updates
    • Community support

Eclipse Mosquitto

Free
  • Eclipse MosquittoFree
    • Eclipse Public License 2.0 with Eclipse Distribution Licence
    • MQTT 5.0, 3.1.1 and 3.1
    • No client or message limits beyond your hardware

Which should you pick?

Choose Linux Mint if

  • You need cinnamon desktop.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Desktop.
  • You also want codecs included.
Linux Mint review

Choose Eclipse Mosquitto if

  • You need mqtt 5.0 support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker.
  • You also want very small footprint.
Eclipse Mosquitto review

Questions people ask

Is Linux Mint or Eclipse Mosquitto better?
Neither clearly leads. Linux Mint starts at Free and Eclipse Mosquitto at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Linux Mint or Eclipse Mosquitto?
Linux Mint starts at Free and Eclipse Mosquitto at Free.
Does Linux Mint or Eclipse Mosquitto run on more platforms?
Linux Mint runs on Linux, Desktop. Eclipse Mosquitto runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker.
Can I use Linux Mint for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Linux Mint best used for?
Linux Mint is most often used for moving a desktop or laptop off windows with minimal retraining, reviving older hardware that struggles with current windows releases, everyday desktop use where stability matters more than the newest packages. Of those, moving a desktop or laptop off windows with minimal retraining and reviving older hardware that struggles with current windows releases are not what Eclipse Mosquitto is typically brought in for.
What can Linux Mint do that Eclipse Mosquitto cannot?
Linux Mint covers Cinnamon desktop, Codecs included, Ubuntu package base, Update manager. Eclipse Mosquitto covers MQTT 5.0 support, Very small footprint, Bridging, WebSockets listener.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Linux Mint: Is Linux Mint free?

Yes, entirely free and open source, funded by donations and sponsors.

Eclipse Mosquitto: Can Mosquitto be clustered?

No. It is a single process. High availability requires an external failover arrangement you build yourself.

Linux Mint: Is Linux Mint good for beginners?

It is one of the most commonly recommended distributions for people leaving Windows, because the desktop layout is conventional and media codecs are installed by default.

Eclipse Mosquitto: What licence is it?

Eclipse Public License 2.0 alongside the Eclipse Distribution License, a weak copyleft rather than a permissive licence.

Linux Mint: Can I run Ubuntu software on Linux Mint?

Yes. Mint is built on Ubuntu and uses its repositories, so nearly all Ubuntu packages and instructions apply.

Eclipse Mosquitto: How many clients can it handle?

A few thousand concurrent connections on ordinary hardware; beyond that, use a clustered broker.

Eclipse Mosquitto: Does it support MQTT 5?

Yes, along with 3.1.1 and 3.1.

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