Ubuntu Server review
Free, multi-architecture Linux with five years of LTS maintenance and optional Pro services.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Ubuntu Server is an open-source Linux operating system for running workloads on physical servers, virtual machines, cloud instances and IoT or edge devices. Its deployment options include a server ISO and cloud images, and it supports amd64, arm64, armhf, ppc64el, riscv64 and s390x. That breadth makes it a fit for teams that want a common server OS across varied infrastructure, from smaller environments to data centers. The standard Ubuntu Server plan is free and includes five years of security and maintenance updates for LTS releases.
The main distinction is between the free OS and Ubuntu Pro subscriptions. According to the published plan details, Ubuntu Pro Workstation costs $25 per machine per year, while Ubuntu Pro Server with unlimited VMs costs $500 per machine per year. The Server plan adds an Ubuntu Pro subscription for a server with unlimited VMs; Pro also adds security maintenance for a wider open-source package stack, security hardening and compliance profiles. Free Ubuntu Pro Personal and Community subscriptions are also listed, for personal use and active Ubuntu community members respectively. Ubuntu Pro and its plan names should be checked against the intended server deployment before budgeting, since the $25 starting price is for the Workstation subscription, not the unlimited-VM Server plan.
For ongoing administration, Landscape provides centralized estate monitoring and management, while Kernel Livepatch applies kernel security patches while the system is running. Ubuntu Pro extends LTS security coverage to 10 years, with a Legacy add-on extending it to 15 years. These are useful additions for teams managing fleets or seeking longer maintenance and compliance options, but they are separate from the core free OS. Choose Ubuntu Server if free access, broad architecture support and deployment flexibility are central; consider another fit if the requirement is for a single included service level with extended maintenance and fleet tools at no subscription cost.
Ubuntu Server pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free LTS releases include five years of standard security maintenance.
- Supports six architectures and physical, virtual, cloud and edge deployments.
- Pro adds Landscape management, Livepatch and wider package security maintenance.
- Where it doesn't
- Standard LTS security maintenance lasts five years without Ubuntu Pro.
- Ubuntu Pro Server with unlimited VMs costs $500 per machine per year.
- Landscape and Livepatch are part of the Pro offering, not the free OS.
Ubuntu Server fact sheet, pricing and score →
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