Operating Systems · head to head
Pop!_OS vs Manjaro
Pop!_OS
Operating Systems
Ubuntu-based Linux distribution tuned for developers and GPU work
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Manjaro
Operating Systems
Arch-based Linux distribution with an installer and sane defaults
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Pop!_OS built primarily around System76 hardware, so other machines get less attention; Manjaro holding packages back from Arch can break AUR packages built against current Arch, which is its best-known complaint
- They diverge on capability: Pop!_OS covers NVIDIA ISO, Manjaro covers Graphical installer.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pop!_OS and Manjaro actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), platforms (Linux, Desktop), 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 Pop!_OS
- NVIDIA ISO
- Auto-tiling
- Pop!_Shop
- Ubuntu base
Only in Manjaro
- Graphical installer
- Delayed updates
- Hardware detection
- Multiple desktops
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Pop!_OS
- Machine learning and graphics work needing NVIDIA drivers that work on first bootnot Manjaro
- Developers who want tiling without configuring a window managernot Manjaro
- System76 hardware, which it is built aroundnot Manjaro
Manjaro
- Wanting Arch and the AUR without the manual installnot Pop!_OS
- Desktops needing current package versions with some stability buffernot Pop!_OS
- Hardware that benefits from automatic proprietary driver handlingnot Pop!_OS
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Pop!_OS
- Built primarily around System76 hardware, so other machines get less attention
- Based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages lag current upstream
- A smaller team than Ubuntu or Fedora, and releases have sometimes slipped well behind the Ubuntu base
- The COSMIC desktop rewrite has been a long transition with the older GNOME-based version in maintenance
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Pop!_OS
Free- Pop!_OSFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
Manjaro
Free- ManjaroFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Pop!_OS if
- You need nvidia iso.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Desktop.
- You also want auto-tiling.
Choose Manjaro if
- You need graphical installer.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Desktop.
- You also want delayed updates.
Questions people ask
- Is Pop!_OS or Manjaro better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pop!_OS starts at Free and Manjaro at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Pop!_OS or Manjaro?
- Pop!_OS starts at Free and Manjaro at Free.
- Does Pop!_OS or Manjaro run on more platforms?
- Both run on Linux, Desktop, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Pop!_OS for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Pop!_OS best used for?
- Pop!_OS is most often used for machine learning and graphics work needing nvidia drivers that work on first boot, developers who want tiling without configuring a window manager, system76 hardware, which it is built around. Of those, machine learning and graphics work needing nvidia drivers that work on first boot and developers who want tiling without configuring a window manager are not what Manjaro is typically brought in for.
- What can Pop!_OS do that Manjaro cannot?
- Pop!_OS covers NVIDIA ISO, Auto-tiling, Pop!_Shop, Ubuntu base. Manjaro covers Graphical installer, Delayed updates, Hardware detection, Multiple desktops.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Pop!_OS: Is Pop!_OS free?
Yes, free and open source. System76 funds it through hardware sales.
Manjaro: Is Manjaro free?
Yes, entirely free and open source.
Pop!_OS: Why is there a separate NVIDIA download?
It ships with the proprietary GPU drivers already installed and working, which removes the most common first-day failure on Linux for GPU work.
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.
Pop!_OS: Is it just Ubuntu?
It is based on Ubuntu LTS and uses its repositories, with a different desktop, tiling, an NVIDIA image and System76 tuning on top.
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.