Operating Systems · head to head
Manjaro vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Manjaro
Operating Systems
Arch-based Linux distribution with an installer and sane defaults
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Operating Systems
Commercial Linux distribution with long-term support
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Manjaro has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription cost per system is significant and scales with fleet size
- They diverge on capability: Manjaro covers Graphical installer, Red Hat Enterprise Linux covers Ten-year lifecycle.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Manjaro and Red Hat Enterprise Linux actually diverge.
| Attribute | Manjaro | Red Hat Enterprise Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | Per-system annual subscription; developer subscriptions available at no cost |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Desktop | Linux, Server, Cloud |
Identical on both: 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 Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Ten-year lifecycle
- Certified ecosystem
- Commercial support
- SELinux and compliance tooling
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 Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Desktops needing current package versions with some stability buffernot Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Hardware that benefits from automatic proprietary driver handlingnot Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Regulated industries needing a contracted party accountable for security fixesnot Manjaro
- Applications certified against a specific OS that must not move for yearsnot Manjaro
- Enterprises procuring against hardware and ISV certification listsnot 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
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Subscription cost per system is significant and scales with fleet size
- Packages are deliberately older than current upstream, which frustrates developers wanting recent toolchains
- The 2023 source availability changes strained relations with downstream rebuilds and remain contentious
- Considerable overkill for workloads with no compliance or support requirement
Pricing, plan by plan
Manjaro
Free- ManjaroFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Red Hat Enterprise Linux review.
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 Red Hat Enterprise Linux if
- You need ten-year lifecycle.
- You work on Linux, Server, Cloud.
- You also want certified ecosystem.
Questions people ask
- Is Manjaro or Red Hat Enterprise Linux better?
- Neither clearly leads. Manjaro starts at Free and Red Hat Enterprise Linux at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Manjaro or Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
- Manjaro has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Manjaro and On request for Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
- Does Manjaro or Red Hat Enterprise Linux run on more platforms?
- Manjaro runs on Linux, Desktop. Red Hat Enterprise Linux runs on Linux, Server, Cloud.
- Can I use Manjaro for free?
- Yes. Manjaro has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Red Hat Enterprise Linux starts at On request.
- 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 Red Hat Enterprise Linux is typically brought in for.
- What can Manjaro do that Red Hat Enterprise Linux cannot?
- Manjaro covers Graphical installer, Delayed updates, Hardware detection, Multiple desktops. Red Hat Enterprise Linux covers Ten-year lifecycle, Certified ecosystem, Commercial support, SELinux and compliance tooling.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Manjaro: Is Manjaro free?
Yes, entirely free and open source.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux: Is Red Hat Enterprise Linux free?
The software is open source but the product is sold as a per-system subscription. Red Hat offers no-cost developer subscriptions for individual development use.
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.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux: What does the subscription actually buy?
Support, security backports over a ten-year lifecycle, and hardware and software certifications. Not the code, which is open.
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.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux: Why do enterprises pay for Linux?
Accountability and lifecycle. A contracted vendor answering for a CVE, and an OS that stays supported long enough to avoid re-certifying applications every two years.
Related pages
More on Red Hat Enterprise Linux
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