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Debian

Free#2 of 29 in Server Operating System

Debian: A stable, broadly compatible server OS with APT, security updates and cloud images. Ranked #2 of 29 in Server Operating System by our editors (9.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for stable, broadly compatible general-purpose servers.

9.3/10Editor score

Visit Debian

Debian9.3 Visit Debian

At a glance

Editor score
9.3 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Stable, broadly compatible general-purpose servers
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Founded
1993
Facts checked
23 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Free, open-source system with more than 70,000 software packages
- APT handles package installation, removal and distribution upgrades
- Images support physical systems, OpenStack, QEMU, EC2 and Azure
Where it doesn't
- Support is provided through documentation and community channels
- No AI features are included
- 32-bit i386 support is limited to co-architecture use on amd64

Our verdict on Debian

Debian is a free, open-source operating system from the Debian Project for general-purpose servers, personal computers and cloud environments. Systems use the Linux or FreeBSD kernel, include system utilities and access to more than 70,000 packaged software options through APT. Debian 13 “trixie” is the current stable release and supports architectures including amd64, arm64, armhf, ppc64el, riscv64 and s390x. That combination suits teams seeking a broadly compatible foundation for self-hosted and cloud workloads.

There is no license charge for Debian, and the published model is a free plan. APT manages installation, removal and distribution upgrades for Debian packages (.deb), while the repository provides packaged software for common server needs. Deployment can start with installation images for physical computers or live boot media from CD, DVD or USB. For cloud operations, official images are available for OpenStack and local QEMU, with machine images for Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure. These options make Debian practical when infrastructure spans on-premises hardware and multiple cloud platforms.

Debian 13 has a five-year lifecycle: three years of full Debian support through August 9, 2028, followed by LTS through June 30, 2030. Support channels center on documentation and community resources, so organizations should plan their own operational processes around those channels. Debian is a strong fit for administrators who value stable releases, security updates, architecture choice and control over package management. Teams wanting built-in AI capabilities, a commercial support tier or broader 32-bit architecture coverage should evaluate alternatives alongside Debian.

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Debian pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on debian.org

Debian fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
License model	Not verified
Architecture support	Not verified
Management interface	Not verified
Long-term support	Not verified
Live kernel patching	Not verified
Container tooling	Not verified
Commercial support	Not verified
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Linux
Support	Docs, Community
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan
Website	debian.org
Facts checked	23 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Debian

See all Debian alternatives →

Debian vs the competition

Compare Debian with any tool side by side →

Used Debian? Be the first to review it

The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Debian for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

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Featured on iTechGuides

Debian is listed in our Server Operating System directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update