Compare software

Cygwin vs Ubuntu on WSL: catalog facts
Cygwin	Ubuntu on WSL
Free Free and open source.	Free Free to download and use.
Windows, Command line	Windows
Large package collection of GNU and Unix tools POSIX API layer for porting Unix software to Windows	Full Ubuntu userland and package repositories on Windows GPU and CUDA support through native Windows NVIDIA drivers
Cannot run native Linux binaries; software must be rebuilt Requires Windows 8.1 or later for current versions	Requires Windows and WSL; not a standalone operating system Mainly a terminal environment rather than a full Linux desktop
Downloadable app	Downloadable app, Operating system
Open source	Open source
License: GPL and LGPL (varies by package)	License: Mixed open-source licenses
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

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