Debian vs Manjaro
Debian draws more interest (#4 vs #10).
your computer is older or low on memory, you write software or you prefer tested updates on a fixed schedule.
you play games on PC or you want the newest software as soon as it's out.
| Debian #4 · Debian | Manjaro #10 · Arch | |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity rank (12 months) | 4 | 10 |
| Rank last month | 6 | 15 |
| Index | 298 | 295 |
| Family | Debian | Arch |
| Based on | - | Arch |
| First released | 1993 | 2011 |
| Latest release | 13.7 | - |
| Supported until | Aug 2028 | - |
| GitHub stars | - | 366 |
| Commits, last 30 days | - | 0 |
| Telemetry (OS default) | Off unless you opt in | - |
Pros and cons
Debian
Good
- Very stable and thoroughly tested
- Huge package archive
- Community-run with no company in control
Trade-offs
- Stable releases ship older software
- Less hand-holding at install than Ubuntu or Mint
- Non-free firmware and drivers may need extra steps on some hardware
Manjaro
Good
- Arch-based with graphical tools
- Holds updates back for testing
- Several desktops to choose from
Trade-offs
- Delayed updates can clash with AUR packages built for current Arch
- Has had certificate and infrastructure mishaps
- Not supported by the Arch community
Questions
Is Debian or Manjaro more popular?
Debian draws more interest over the last 12 months (#4 vs #10 in our popularity ranking). That measures interest, not installs.
Is Debian or Manjaro better for gaming?
Manjaro is set up with gaming in mind. Debian can run Steam and Proton too, but needs more setup.
How do updates differ between Debian and Manjaro?
Manjaro is a rolling release: software updates continuously, so you always have the newest versions. Debian ships tested releases on a schedule, so updates are fewer and calmer.
Which runs better on an older computer?
Debian is the lighter choice and is known for running well on older hardware.
Rankings from our composite index: English Wikipedia article views, DistroWatch page hits, GitHub stars and views on this site, built 2026-11-12. All of these measure interest, not installs. Repository activity from GitHub. Ratings come from signed-in LinuxStatistics users. "Pick if", pros and cons are LinuxStatistics editorial notes based on each project's own documentation. Release dates and support from endoflife.date (CC BY-SA 4.0).