Mint vs Zorin
Mint draws more interest (#2 vs #6).
your computer is older or low on memory.
Polished desktop with Windows- and macOS-style layouts; aimed at people leaving Windows.
| Mint #2 · Debian | Zorin #6 · Debian | |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity rank (12 months) | 2 | 6 |
| Rank last month | 2 | 11 |
| Index | 299 | 297 |
| Family | Debian | Debian |
| Based on | Ubuntu | Ubuntu |
| First released | 2006 | 2009 |
| Latest release | 22.3 LTS | - |
| Supported until | Apr 2029 | - |
| GitHub stars | 5,652 | - |
| Commits, last 30 days | 103 | - |
| Telemetry (OS default) | None | Anonymous count, on by default |
Pros and cons
Mint
Good
- Windows-style Cinnamon desktop that feels familiar
- Media codecs and drivers offered at install
- Built on Ubuntu LTS, so most Ubuntu guides apply
Trade-offs
- Newest apps and kernels arrive later than on Fedora or Arch
- Wayland support is behind GNOME and KDE
- No official ARM builds
Zorin
Good
- Layouts that mimic Windows or macOS
- Polished, beginner-focused setup
- Ubuntu LTS base with long support
Trade-offs
- Some layouts and extras need the paid Pro edition
- New major versions arrive well after Ubuntu's
- Smaller community than Ubuntu or Mint
Questions
Is Mint or Zorin more popular?
Mint draws more interest over the last 12 months (#2 vs #6 in our popularity ranking). That measures interest, not installs.
Which is better for beginners, Mint or Zorin?
Both suit people new to Linux. The choice mostly comes down to the desktop you prefer.
Which runs better on an older computer?
Mint is the lighter choice and is known for running well on older hardware.
Does Mint or Zorin collect telemetry?
Mint: none. Zorin sends an anonymous count by default (you can turn it off). 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).