Tails
Debian family, based on Debian · first released 2009
- Popularity rank
- #41
- Index
- 278
- Released
- 2009
- Latest release
- 7.17
privacy or security is the priority or you prefer tested updates on a fixed schedule.
Pros and cons
Good
- Routes all traffic through Tor
- Forgets everything on shutdown
- Runs from a USB stick on almost any PC
Trade-offs
- Not meant for everyday use
- Slower browsing through Tor
- Optional persistent storage must be set up
How Tails fits what you do
Everyday use: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Not mainly built as an everyday desktop
Gaming: Not the best fit
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- NVIDIA cards are poorly supported
- Graphics drivers and kernels update more slowly
- Steam and gaming tweaks are up to you
Older computers: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- No 32-bit images
Programming: Can work
Good
- A stable base that doesn't change under you
Trade-offs
- Language and tool versions can lag behind
- Fewer developer guides than the big distros
AI & Local LLMs: Not the best fit
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- No official CUDA packages, so NVIDIA AI tools need workarounds
- AMD ROCm isn't officially supported
Servers & home labs: Can work
Good
- Fixed releases with tested updates
Trade-offs
- Mainly a desktop system
Privacy & security: Good fit
Good
- Built with privacy or security as the goal
Trade-offs
- Usage data not checked by us yet
Music, video & graphics: Can work
Good
Nothing that stands out for this.
Trade-offs
- Creative apps and low-latency audio setup are up to you
- NVIDIA GPU acceleration is hard to set up
From our hand-written profile of Tails. Take the quiz to compare it with other distros for your setup.
Rank over time
| Window | Rank | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last month | #42 ▼ 1 | 278 | |
| 12 months | #41 | 278 |
Shorter windows react faster. A better rank there than over 12 months means interest is growing.
Telemetry
Not checked yet. We only list what we've confirmed in the project's own documentation.
Rate Tails
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Ranking 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. Release dates and support from endoflife.date (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ratings come from signed-in LinuxStatistics users.