Best Windows Alternatives in 2026

5 private alternatives, vetted against our public criteria.

Windows ships with telemetry you can’t fully disable. These operating systems treat you as the customer, not the product.

Fedora Workstation: User friendly and easy to setup

Easy Set up Linux

Featured in our Top 10 Out-of-the-Box Privacy Tools list.

Encrypted Easy Set up Tor Linux

Ubuntu: User friendly and easy to setup

Easy Set up Linux

Tails: Portable, encrypted and secure through the Tor network

Encrypted For Experts Linux Portable Tor

Qubes OS: A reasonably secure operating system

For Experts