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MATE vs GNOME: catalog facts
MATE	GNOME
Best for: Linux users who prefer a classic GNOME 2 style desktop	Best for: Use a Linux desktop organized around an activities overview and workspaces
Free Free to use; the project accepts donations.	Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.
Linux	Linux
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	Integrates application launching and workspace navigation Provides a consistent suite of desktop settings
Full releases arrive every few years Linux and Unix-like systems only	Shell extensions must match the installed GNOME version.
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 MATE mate-desktop.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for GNOME gnome.org Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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