Compare software

Budgie vs COSMIC: catalog facts
Budgie	COSMIC
Best for: Linux users who want a simple, tidy desktop environment	Best for: Use System76's desktop environment with configurable workspaces and window tiling
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.
Linux	Linux
Complete desktop with its own panel and application menu Designed to stay out of the way while remaining customisable All 3 strengths for Budgie Complete desktop with its own panel and application menu Designed to stay out of the way while remaining customisable Active development with regular releases and progress posts	Combines desktop panels with workspace controls Supports tiling and floating workflows
Linux only Usually installed through a distribution rather than as a standalone app	Requires a distribution and graphics stack that support the current COSMIC release.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Budgie buddiesofbudgie.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for COSMIC github.com/pop-os/cosmic-epoch Catalog checked September 22, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.