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LXQt vs MATE: catalog facts
LXQt	MATE
Best for: Older or low-powered Linux machines that need a full but light desktop	Best for: Linux users who prefer a classic GNOME 2 style desktop
Free Free and open source community project.	Free Free to use; the project accepts donations.
Linux	Linux
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	Traditional desktop layout carried over from GNOME 2 Packaged in the official repositories of many distributions All 3 strengths for MATE Traditional desktop layout carried over from GNOME 2 Packaged in the official repositories of many distributions Interface translated into many languages
Fewer integrated features than KDE Plasma or GNOME Wayland support depends on the chosen compositor	Full releases arrive every few years Linux and Unix-like systems only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for LXQt lxqt-project.org Catalog checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for MATE mate-desktop.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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