Choosing a Linux Distro: Mobile Edition

Tired of being locked into the Android and iOS duopoly? Looking for more privacy, control, and freedom on your mobile device? Linux-based mobile distributions offer compelling alternatives that put you back in control of your phone or tablet. Unlike traditional desktop Linux distributions, mobile Linux distros face unique challenges around hardware compatibility, app ecosystems, and battery optimization. They do, however, offer a level of customization and privacy you can’t get from proprietary operating systems and help empower you to breathe new life into older devices.

Why Choose Linux Mobile?

Before diving into specific distributions, it’s worth understanding why you may want to use a Linux mobile OS and what trade-offs you’ll encounter.

The Case for Linux Mobile

Privacy and Control: Unlike Android and iOS, Linux mobile distributions don’t come with built-in tracking, advertising frameworks, or forced cloud integration. You control what data leaves your device and what apps have access to your information.

Sustainability: Mobile Linux can extend the life of older devices that manufacturers no longer support, keeping functional hardware out of landfills while providing security updates for years beyond the original support window.

True Customization: Want a tiling window manager on your phone? Different keyboard layouts? Complete control over the interface? Linux mobile makes it possible in ways that Android and iOS simply don’t allow.

Open Source Ecosystem: Everything from the kernel to the applications can be audited, modified, and improved by the community. No black boxes or proprietary restrictions.

The Possible Roadblocks

App Ecosystem: The biggest challenge is app compatibility. Popular Android apps won’t run natively, though solutions like Waydroid can help bridge this gap with varying degrees of success.

Hardware Support: Not all devices are supported, and even supported devices may have limitations with features like cameras, GPS, or cellular connectivity. The first step on this journey is often finding hardware that will work well as your current device may not even be an option.

Battery Life: Linux mobile distributions are still optimizing for mobile-specific power management, so battery life may not match highly optimized commercial mobile operating systems.

Learning Curve: While some distributions are user-friendly, expect to tinker and troubleshoot more than you would with mainstream mobile OSes.

The Distributions

postmarketOS

Origin: Austria
Date started: 2017
Based on: Alpine Linux
Desktop environment(s): Plasma Mobile, Phosh, Sxmo, and more
Backed by: community
Release cycle: Semi-rolling (edge) and Fixed (releases every 6 months)
Support: Versioned releases supported until 1 month after next release
Homepage: https://postmarketos.org
Difficulty level: expert

postmarketOS is not just another Android fork; it’s an ambitious project to create a true Linux distribution for mobile devices. By leveraging the ultra-lightweight Alpine Linux as its base, it aims to provide a decade-long life cycle for smartphones, transforming them from disposable gadgets into long-lasting, repairable computers.

A real Linux phone

Forget Android compatibility layers; postmarketOS runs genuine Linux mainline kernels where possible and userspace software. This means you can use standard Linux package managers to install thousands of command-line and GUI applications from the Alpine repositories. It’s the ultimate choice for Linux purists who want a pocket-sized computer.

Choose your own interface

Unlike monolithic mobile OSes, postmarketOS offers a choice of mature, Linux-based mobile interfaces like GNOME’s Phosh and KDE’s Plasma Mobile. You can even opt for minimalist tiling window managers like Sxmo. This flexibility allows you to tailor the phone’s workflow to your exact preferences, something unheard of in mainstream mobile systems.

Release Philosophy: Stable or Cutting-Edge?

postmarketOS offers two channels. The edge channel is a rolling release, providing the latest software and features directly from the development branch. The versioned releases (e.g., v25.06) are snapshots of edge that receive backported security and bug fixes, offering a more stable and tested experience. These versioned releases are supported until one month after the subsequent release.

Breathing new life into old hardware

A core mission of postmarketOS is sustainability. The project supports a vast array of devices, many of which are no longer supported by their manufacturers. If you have an old phone gathering dust in a drawer, chances are postmarketOS can give it a new, secure, and functional lease on life, keeping it out of a landfill.

The trade-off

The power and philosophy come with a trade-off: app compatibility. You won’t be running popular Android apps here without significant effort (e.g., Waydroid). postmarketOS is ideal for users who primarily rely on web apps, Linux-native software (e.g., Firefox, Telegram), and terminal utilities. It’s a platform for tinkerers, privacy advocates, and those who want to truly own their device.

If you envision your phone as a full-fledged, open, and repairable Linux computer, postmarketOS is the most compelling project making that a reality.

Pros

• True Linux distribution for phones, offering unparalleled customization and control
• Promotes sustainability by supporting old devices for years longer than manufacturers
• Strong focus on user privacy and security
• Active and passionate community driving innovation
• Choice between rolling release (edge) for latest features or stable releases for reliability

Cons

• Limited to no support for Android apps, which may be a deal-breaker for many
• Hardware functionality (e.g., calls, SMS, camera) can be incomplete depending on the device
• Requires a higher technical aptitude and a willingness to tinker
• Device support, while vast, is not universal

/e/OS

Origin: France
Date started: 2018
Based on: LineageOS, Android
Desktop environment(s): Bliss, other launchers available
Backed by: small corporation (Murena)
Release cycle: semi-rolling
Support: semi-rolling
Homepage: https://e.foundation
Difficulty level: intermediate

/e/OS is a privacy-focused mobile operating system that takes a different approach than postmarketOS. Rather than building from scratch, /e/OS is forked from LineageOS, which itself is based on Android. This approach prioritizes app compatibility while still delivering significant privacy improvements.

Less big tech, more privacy

/e/OS aims to provide a deGoogled experience by removing all Google services and blocking trackers and privacy-invasive apps. The distribution includes its own cloud services, app store, and default applications that respect user privacy. This mobile distro really helps to remove big tech surveillance from one of your most personal devices.

Run Android apps

One of /e/OS’s biggest advantages is Android app compatibility. Most Android apps will work without issues, though some that rely heavily on Google Play Services may have limitations. /e/OS includes microG, an open-source implementation of Google Play Services that enables many Google-dependent apps to function. The /e/OS App Lounge provides access to both open-source applications and popular Android apps, often with privacy ratings to help you make informed choices.

Hardware compatibility

While not all phones and tablets are supported, /e/OS has good coverage of popular devices including many Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Fairphone models. The project maintains an active list of supported devices, and installation is generally more straightforward than other mobile Linux options. Many older devices that Google and manufacturers no longer support can still run current versions of /e/OS, extending their useful life significantly.

Privacy-focused ecosystem

Beyond the operating system itself, /e/OS provides its own ecosystem of privacy-respecting services. This includes Murena Cloud for file storage and synchronization, a privacy-focused web search engine, and curated app recommendations. The entire experience is designed to be a drop-in replacement for Google’s ecosystem without the tracking and data collection.

If you want improved privacy, security, and longer support for your mobile device while maintaining the ability to run most Android apps, /e/OS offers an excellent balance.

Pros

• Excellent Android app compatibility with most apps working out of the box
• Much better privacy and security than stock Android
• Good device support including many popular models
• Complete privacy-focused ecosystem including cloud services
• Easier installation and setup than pure Linux mobile options

Cons

• Some Android apps that heavily rely on Google services may not work perfectly
• Still based on Android architecture, so not as fundamentally different as pure Linux options
• Smaller selection of supported devices compared to mainstream Android

Choosing the Right Mobile Linux Distribution

For Linux Enthusiasts and Tinkerers

postmarketOS is the clear choice if you:

• Want a “real” Linux experience on mobile
• Enjoy customizing and tweaking your system
• Primarily use web apps and Linux-native software
• Have an older device you want to revive
• Value complete control over your mobile computing experience

For Privacy-Conscious Android Users

/e/OS is ideal if you:

• Want to escape Google’s ecosystem while keeping Android app compatibility
• Need your banking apps, social media, and other popular Android apps to work
• Prefer a more polished, user-friendly experience
• Want privacy improvements without a steep learning curve
• Have a supported mainstream device

The Future of Mobile Linux

Mobile Linux distributions represent an important alternative to the Android/iOS duopoly. While they’re not yet ready to completely replace mainstream mobile operating systems for most users, they offer compelling advantages for those who value privacy, customization, and device longevity.

The ecosystem is rapidly improving. Hardware support is expanding, battery life optimizations are advancing, and app compatibility solutions are becoming more robust. More and more companies are creating purpose-built Linux mobile hardware, while projects like Waydroid are bridging the app compatibility gap.

Whether you choose postmarketOS for its pure Linux experience or /e/OS for its practical balance of privacy and compatibility, you’ll be supporting a future where users have real choices in mobile computing. These distributions prove that we don’t have to accept surveillance, planned obsolescence, and vendor lock-in as inevitable features of our mobile devices.

Mobile Linux is a journey of learning and experimentation, while not for everyone it can be a very rewarding experience.

This post is part of a series on Choosing a Linux Distro:

1. Which Desktop Environment?
2. Rolling or Fixed Release?
3. Community-Based or Corporate-Backed?
4. Which Distro?
5. Mobile Edition