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Cinnamon vs LXQt: catalog facts
Cinnamon	LXQt
Best for: Use a Linux desktop with a traditional application menu, panel and system tray	Best for: Older or low-powered Linux machines that need a full but light desktop
Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.	Free Free and open source community project.
Linux	Linux
Provides familiar desktop navigation Supports applets, desklets and extensions	Low resource use compared with larger desktops Modular components that can be mixed with other software All 4 strengths for LXQt Low resource use compared with larger desktops Modular components that can be mixed with other software Wayland session usable on several compositors Regular releases and point updates
Third-party desktop extensions may need updates for new Cinnamon releases.	Fewer integrated features than KDE Plasma or GNOME Wayland support depends on the chosen compositor
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Cinnamon github.com/linuxmint/cinnamon Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for LXQt lxqt-project.org Catalog checked September 24, 2026

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