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Armbian vs Raspberry Pi OS Lite: catalog facts
Armbian	Raspberry Pi OS Lite
Free Free and open source.	Free Free to download and use on Raspberry Pi hardware.
Linux	Linux
Supports more than 300 ARM boards Kernels patched and tested per board	Official, supported OS for Raspberry Pi boards Current Debian 13 base with a recent kernel
Only for ARM hardware Support quality can vary between boards	No graphical desktop; setup is done from the command line Only runs on Raspberry Pi hardware
Operating system	Downloadable app, Operating system
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.