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Raspberry Pi OS Lite vs Armbian: catalog facts
Raspberry Pi OS Lite	Armbian
Free Free to download and use on Raspberry Pi hardware.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux
Official, supported OS for Raspberry Pi boards Current Debian 13 base with a recent kernel	Supports more than 300 ARM boards Kernels patched and tested per board
No graphical desktop; setup is done from the command line Only runs on Raspberry Pi hardware	Only for ARM hardware Support quality can vary between boards
Downloadable app, Operating system	Operating system
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
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 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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