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Flatpak vs AppImage: catalog facts
Flatpak	AppImage
Free The open-source project is available without a license fee.	Free The open-source project is available without a license fee.
Linux	Linux
Sandboxed by default with permissions you can inspect and narrow One package works across distributions through shared runtimes	One file, no installation and no root required Works across distributions without repackaging
Runtimes are large, so the first few applications cost a lot of disk Sandbox escapes through broad filesystem permissions are common in practice	No sandboxing by default and no automatic updates unless the app adds them Desktop menu entries need a helper such as AppImageLauncher
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: LGPL-2.1	License: MIT
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 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

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