Amazon Linux vs Ubuntu Server
| Amazon Linux | Ubuntu Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Paid from | — | $2.08/mo |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux | Linux, self-hosted |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Device types | EC2 instances; Docker container workloads | servers, virtual machines, cloud instances, IoT/edge devices |
| CPU architectures | x86-64 (x86-64v2); 64-bit ARM (aarch64, ARMv8.2+crypto; Graviton2 or later on EC2) | amd64, arm64, armhf, ppc64el, riscv64, s390x |
| Support lifecycle | AL2023 supported until June 30, 2029; standard support through June 30, 2027, then maintenance support. Individual LTS kernels are supported for four years. | LTS: five years standard security maintenance; Ubuntu Pro extends coverage to 10 years, with Legacy add-on extending it to 15 years. |
| Built-in management | DNF package manager; versioned repositories; AWS Systems Manager for fleet kernel update management | Landscape centralized estate management; Kernel Livepatch; security updates and hardening |
| App compatibility | RPM packages from AL2023 repositories; Docker-compatible container image; 32-bit userspace compatibility retained but deprecated | Ubuntu package repositories (Main and Universe); cloud images; server ISO installation |
| Deployment models | Amazon EC2 AMIs; Docker/container images usable in any environment, including local development | physical server, virtual machine, public/private/hybrid cloud, cloud image, IoT/edge device |
Both are listed in Best Operating Systems. On Inferse, Ubuntu Server scores higher on our published basis.