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Budgie vs KDE Plasma: catalog facts
Budgie	KDE Plasma
Best for: Linux users who want a simple, tidy desktop environment	Best for: Use a full Linux desktop with configurable panels, widgets and window behavior
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	Offers extensive desktop appearance settings Integrates with KDE applications and system settings
Linux only Usually installed through a distribution rather than as a standalone app	Availability and default configuration depend on the Linux distribution.
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 KDE Plasma kde.org/plasma-desktop Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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