Operating Systems · head to head
Manjaro vs FreeBSD
Manjaro
Operating Systems
Arch-based Linux distribution with an installer and sane defaults
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
FreeBSD
Operating Systems
Unix-like operating system for servers and appliances
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Manjaro holding packages back from Arch can break AUR packages built against current Arch, which is its best-known complaint; FreeBSD much smaller hardware and driver support than Linux, especially on laptops and new devices
- They diverge on capability: Manjaro covers Graphical installer, FreeBSD covers Unified base system.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Manjaro and FreeBSD actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Operating Systems).
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 Manjaro
- Graphical installer
- Delayed updates
- Hardware detection
- Multiple desktops
Only in FreeBSD
- Unified base system
- ZFS integration
- Jails
- Permissive licence
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Manjaro
- Wanting Arch and the AUR without the manual installnot FreeBSD
- Desktops needing current package versions with some stability buffernot FreeBSD
- Hardware that benefits from automatic proprietary driver handlingnot FreeBSD
FreeBSD
- Storage servers where ZFS integration and data integrity are the prioritynot Manjaro
- Network appliances and firewallsnot Manjaro
- Products that need a permissive licence for embedded or commercial redistributionnot Manjaro
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Manjaro
- Holding packages back from Arch can break AUR packages built against current Arch, which is its best-known complaint
- Still a rolling release, so updates can require intervention and are not fit-and-forget
- The project has had public incidents around expired certificates and governance that dented confidence
- Not as current as Arch nor as stable as a fixed-release distribution, which is the cost of sitting between them
FreeBSD
- Much smaller hardware and driver support than Linux, especially on laptops and new devices
- Most commercial software and container tooling targets Linux first, and FreeBSD support is often absent
- Smaller community and hiring pool, so operational knowledge is harder to source
- Desktop use is possible but is not where the project’s attention goes
Pricing, plan by plan
Manjaro
Free- ManjaroFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
FreeBSD
Free- FreeBSDFree
- Full operating system
- All updates
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Manjaro if
- You need graphical installer.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Desktop.
- You also want delayed updates.
Choose FreeBSD if
- You need unified base system.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Server, Self-hosted.
- You also want zfs integration.
Questions people ask
- Is Manjaro or FreeBSD better?
- Neither clearly leads. Manjaro starts at Free and FreeBSD at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Manjaro or FreeBSD?
- Manjaro starts at Free and FreeBSD at Free.
- Does Manjaro or FreeBSD run on more platforms?
- Manjaro runs on Linux, Desktop. FreeBSD runs on Server, Self-hosted.
- Can I use Manjaro for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Manjaro best used for?
- Manjaro is most often used for wanting arch and the aur without the manual install, desktops needing current package versions with some stability buffer, hardware that benefits from automatic proprietary driver handling. Of those, wanting arch and the aur without the manual install and desktops needing current package versions with some stability buffer are not what FreeBSD is typically brought in for.
- What can Manjaro do that FreeBSD cannot?
- Manjaro covers Graphical installer, Delayed updates, Hardware detection, Multiple desktops. FreeBSD covers Unified base system, ZFS integration, Jails, Permissive licence.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Manjaro: Is Manjaro free?
Yes, entirely free and open source.
FreeBSD: Is FreeBSD free?
Yes, free and open source under the permissive BSD licence.
Manjaro: Is Manjaro the same as Arch?
It is based on Arch and uses pacman and the AUR, but holds packages back for testing and ships a graphical installer, so it is not identical.
FreeBSD: FreeBSD or Linux?
Linux has far broader hardware support and is what most software targets. FreeBSD offers a unified base system, mature ZFS and jails, and a permissive licence, which matter most for storage, networking and embedded products.
Manjaro: Why can AUR packages break on Manjaro?
AUR packages are built against current Arch. Manjaro delays packages, so an AUR build can expect a library version Manjaro has not shipped yet.
FreeBSD: What are jails?
OS-level virtualisation that predates modern containers, isolating processes and filesystems with less overhead than a virtual machine.