Linux Mint vs Fedora

by Gralio Apr 24, 2025

Linux Mint and Fedora are both free, open-source Linux distributions but cater to different user needs. Linux Mint excels in user-friendliness, stability, and providing a complete out-of-the-box desktop experience, making it suitable for businesses prioritizing ease of use and reliability. Fedora leads with innovation, offering the latest software updates and specific editions for various technical uses, attracting users who need cutting-edge features.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 423 reviews and 48 websites, saving 2 hours, 45 minutes of reading.

Logo of Linux Mint
Logo of Fedora

About

Linux Mint is a free, full-featured operating system for desktops and laptops. It's designed for ease of use, resembling familiar operating systems, and comes with pre-installed productivity, multimedia, and internet applications. Linux Mint prioritizes user experience and a stable, reliable system with long-term support releases. It boasts a large and active community offering support and resources.
Fedora is a free, Linux-based operating system that offers a secure and customizable experience for a variety of uses. It provides different editions tailored for desktops, servers, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. Known for its innovative features and regular updates, Fedora is driven by a large community of developers.

Summary

Main difference
Linux Mint prioritizes stability and ease of use, offering a familiar desktop experience with long-term support, making it ideal for users transitioning from other operating systems. Fedora focuses on providing the latest software features and innovations with a faster release cycle, appealing more to developers and users who want cutting-edge technology.

Relative strengths of Linux Mint (compared to Fedora)

  • Linux Mint offers superior ease of use, especially for users familiar with Windows, thanks to its traditional desktop environments and focus on user-friendliness.

  • Linux Mint provides a better out-of-the-box experience with pre-installed multimedia codecs and productivity software like LibreOffice, requiring less initial setup.

  • Linux Mint generally offers greater stability due to its Long-Term Support (LTS) release model, based on Ubuntu LTS, which is beneficial for businesses needing reliable systems with less frequent major upgrades.

Relative weaknesses of Linux Mint (compared to Fedora)

  • Fedora provides access to newer software packages and kernel versions much faster than Linux Mint due to its rapid release cycle.

  • Fedora offers officially supported editions tailored for specific use cases beyond the desktop, such as Server, Cloud, and IoT, which Mint does not.

  • Fedora often incorporates cutting-edge technologies and serves as an upstream source for RHEL, making it a more innovative platform compared to Mint's focus on stability and refinement.

Who should use Linux Mint VS. Fedora

In our experience, Linux Mint is a top choice for those seeking a free, user-friendly desktop operating system. It's particularly good for users switching from Windows, offering a familiar interface and essential software out-of-the-box. We see individuals and businesses alike valuing its stability and customization options for everyday tasks on desktops and laptops.

Fedora is a free, open-source Linux operating system we often see used by developers, system administrators, and other technically focused users. People really appreciate its stability, customizability, and the fact that it's free. While some users note setup can be tricky and there might be compatibility issues, its strong community support helps. It's frequently chosen for development tasks, especially within the Software/IT and Education fields.

  • Our observations show Linux Mint is a solid choice for companies ranging from small businesses (1-100 employees) to large enterprises (1001+).

  • Linux Mint seems especially well-suited for users in Education and Software/IT/Telecommunications needing a stable, free OS.

  • We find Fedora is great for technically skilled individuals or teams in any size company who need a flexible, open-source OS.

  • Based on user profiles, Fedora is particularly popular within the Software/IT and Education sectors for development and technical tasks.

Linux Mint and Fedora features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

  • Ready to use software
    Supported

    Linux Mint comes with pre-installed software ready to use.

    Supported

    Fedora Workstation offers pre-installed software like LibreOffice and Firefox, ready for immediate use.

  • Office Suite
    Supported

    Linux Mint supports office suites like LibreOffice, WPS Office, and OnlyOffice.

    Supported

    Fedora supports office suites like LibreOffice, which includes word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, and databases, and supports import/export from/to PDF or Microsoft Office documents.

  • Open-source operating system
    Supported

    Linux Mint is a freely available, modifiable, and community-driven open-source operating system.

    Supported

    Fedora is a freely available and modifiable open-source operating system.

  • Processor compatibility
    Supported

    Linux Mint supports a wide range of processors, especially 64-bit architectures.

    Supported

    Fedora supports a wide range of processors, including Intel and AMD.

  • Driver availability
    Supported

    Linux Mint supports drivers via the Driver Manager tool.

    Supported

    Fedora supports a wide range of hardware through built-in and third-party drivers.

  • System Configuration
    Supported

    Linux Mint offers comprehensive system configuration tools.

    Supported

    Fedora offers various tools for configuring system settings, such as Cockpit, system-config-firewall, and package managers.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0.33
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Ease of Use
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    +0.8
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0.64
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Ease of Implementation
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
    -1
    Strongly negative sentiment

Linux Mint and Fedora Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+1
We couldn't find a pricing page for Linux Mint.
No data

User sentiment

Rather positive
+0.33
We couldn't find a pricing page for Fedora.

Linux Mint and Fedora review insights

404 reviews analysed from and

Users love

  • User-friendly interface, especially for those transitioning from Windows.
  • Highly customizable desktop environment.
  • Lightweight and fast, suitable for older hardware.
  • Robust and stable system with regular updates.
  • Open-source and free, with a large software repository.
  • Open-source and free, providing cost savings.
  • Stable and reliable performance, suitable for various tasks.
  • Fast boot times and efficient resource utilization.
  • Customizable interface and desktop environment options.
  • Strong community support and extensive documentation.

Users dislike

  • Some updates can lead to system instability.
  • Limited driver support for certain hardware, especially older devices.
  • Software compatibility issues with some Windows applications.
  • Occasional freezing issues and kernel errors reported.
  • Difficult initial setup process, often time-consuming.
  • Compatibility issues with certain software and hardware.
  • Limited software availability in official repositories; reliance on third-party repositories.
  • Frequent updates can be disruptive and occasionally introduce bugs.

Linux Mint and Fedora Ratings

  • G2
    4.5/5
    (161)
  • Capterra
    4.7/5
    (47)
  • G2
    4.4/5
    (196)

Company health

Employee growth

No change in the last year
1% increase in the last year

Web traffic

No data
2% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

No data
No data

How easy is Fedora's initial setup for a non-technical user?

Based on user feedback and non-functional ratings, Fedora's initial setup process is considered difficult and potentially time-consuming, particularly for non-technical users. Its 'Ease of Implementation' scores poorly, and the product is generally better suited for developers or technically experienced individuals comfortable with Linux systems and command-line interfaces.

Which product offers better out-of-the-box software for everyday use?

Linux Mint offers better out-of-the-box software for everyday use. It is explicitly designed to work immediately after installation and comes pre-equipped with a wide range of applications most users need, including a full productivity suite (LibreOffice), web browser, multimedia tools, and graphic design software. Its focus on user-friendliness, especially for those transitioning from other operating systems, contrasts with Fedora, which targets more technical users and developers and may require more configuration and software installation for common tasks.

What are the advantages of Linux Mint?

Linux Mint stands out for its user-friendly interface and familiar desktop experience, making it particularly advantageous for users transitioning from Windows. It offers excellent out-of-the-box functionality with pre-installed productivity, multimedia, and internet applications, requiring minimal setup. The operating system is recognized for being stable, reliable, and lightweight, performing well even on older hardware. Additional benefits include robust system tools like Timeshift for backups, an easy-to-use update manager, high customizability, long-term support options, and a strong community backing, all while being completely free and open-source.

What are the disadvantages of Linux Mint?

Based on user feedback, Linux Mint can sometimes experience system instability following updates. It may have limited driver support for specific hardware, particularly older devices, and users might encounter compatibility issues when trying to run certain Windows applications. Occasional freezing issues and kernel errors have also been reported by users.

Alternatives to Linux Mint and Fedora

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Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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