Fedora vs Pop!_OS
Pop!_OS draws more interest (#5 vs #7).
you like KDE Plasma and lots of settings.
you're new to Linux or you play games on PC.
| Fedora #7 · RPM | Pop!_OS #5 · Debian | |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity rank (12 months) | 7 | 5 |
| Rank last month | 3 | 9 |
| Index | 297 | 298 |
| Family | RPM | Debian |
| Based on | - | Ubuntu |
| First released | 2003 | 2017 |
| Latest release | 45 | 24.04 LTS |
| Supported until | Dec 2027 | May 2029 |
| GitHub stars | 1,383 | 5,290 |
| Commits, last 30 days | 6 | 0 |
| Telemetry (OS default) | Anonymous count, on by default | None |
Pros and cons
Fedora
Good
- Recent software on a predictable six-month cycle
- Close to upstream GNOME and KDE
- Early adopter of new Linux tech (Wayland, PipeWire, Btrfs)
Trade-offs
- Each release is supported for only about 13 months
- Patented media codecs need extra setup
- Version upgrades twice a year
Pop!_OS
Good
- NVIDIA ISO with drivers ready
- COSMIC desktop with built-in tiling
- Made by a hardware vendor (System76) that tests it on laptops
Trade-offs
- Release timing follows System76, not Ubuntu's calendar
- COSMIC is newer and less mature than GNOME or KDE
- Fewer desktop choices than Ubuntu flavours
Questions
Is Fedora or Pop!_OS more popular?
Pop!_OS draws more interest over the last 12 months (#5 vs #7 in our popularity ranking). That measures interest, not installs.
Which is better for beginners, Fedora or Pop!_OS?
Pop!_OS is the easier start: it's aimed at people new to Linux. Fedora expects some Linux experience.
Is Fedora or Pop!_OS better for gaming?
Pop!_OS is set up with gaming in mind. Fedora can run Steam and Proton too, but needs more setup.
Does Fedora or Pop!_OS collect telemetry?
Fedora sends an anonymous count by default (you can turn it off). Pop!_OS: none. Apps you install have their own settings.
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).