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GrapheneOS VS PureOS

Compare GrapheneOS VS PureOS and see what are their differences

GrapheneOS logo GrapheneOS

GrapheneOS is an open source privacy and security focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility.

PureOS logo PureOS

A user friendly, secure and freedom respecting OS for your daily usage
  • GrapheneOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-21
  • PureOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-20

GrapheneOS features and specs

  • Enhanced Privacy
    GrapheneOS provides robust privacy features by limiting app permissions and extensive endpoint isolation, which significantly reduces data mining capabilities.
  • Security Focus
    Designed with a strong emphasis on security, GrapheneOS incorporates advanced defensive technologies, including hardened memory allocators and enhanced sandboxing.
  • Regular Updates
    GrapheneOS frequently receives security patches and updates to ensure your device is protected against the latest threats.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, GrapheneOS allows for transparency and verification by the community, ensuring no hidden backdoors or malicious code.
  • Improved Performance
    With a streamlined and optimized operating system, users often experience improved performance and battery life compared to stock Android.

Possible disadvantages of GrapheneOS

  • Limited App Compatibility
    Due to its strong focus on security and privacy, some apps that rely on Google Play Services may not work properly or require additional setup.
  • Technical Expertise Required
    Installing and configuring GrapheneOS can be challenging for non-technical users, as it often requires knowledge of advanced topics like flashing custom ROMs and using ADB.
  • Reduced Features
    Some features found in stock Android, particularly those provided by Google, may be missing or need to be manually installed and configured.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    GrapheneOS supports a limited range of devices, primarily focused on Google's Pixel line, which may restrict its use for users with other hardware.
  • Community Support
    While the open-source community is active, users may find that support is less comprehensive compared to larger commercial offerings like those directly from Google or Apple.

PureOS features and specs

  • Privacy-focused
    PureOS is designed with privacy and security in mind, providing users with an operating system that prioritizes data protection and minimizes data collection.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, PureOS allows users to inspect and modify the code, fostering transparency and community-driven development.
  • Linux-based
    As a Linux-based OS, PureOS benefits from a stable and mature foundation, along with access to a wide range of software packages available in the Linux ecosystem.
  • User-friendly interface
    PureOS comes with a clean and modern user interface, making it accessible for both new and experienced users.
  • PureOS Store
    The OS includes the PureOS Store, which offers a variety of free and open-source applications that are curated for security and privacy.

Possible disadvantages of PureOS

  • Limited hardware compatibility
    PureOS may not be compatible with all hardware out of the box, potentially requiring additional effort or technical knowledge to get certain devices working.
  • Smaller user community
    Compared to more popular operating systems, PureOS has a smaller user base, which might limit community support and the availability of forums for troubleshooting.
  • Application availability
    While many common applications have alternatives available on PureOS, some specific applications may not be supported, limiting options for users dependent on those applications.
  • Performance trade-offs
    Focusing on privacy and security may lead to some performance trade-offs, such as slower updates or additional processes running in the background for security measures.

GrapheneOS videos

GrapheneOS Review: Your BEST Secure & Private Mobile OS!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - THIS is the most private and secure phone on the planet - GrapheneOS review and how to install
  • Review - First GrapheneOS Review

PureOS videos

PureOS 8.0 - Based on Debian 10 Buster and Using GNOME 3.30 as Default Desktop Environment

More videos:

  • Review - Is PureOS Really a Secure and Private OS?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GrapheneOS and PureOS)
Mobile OS
92 92%
8% 8
Mobile SDK
90 90%
10% 10
Roms
100 100%
0% 0
Operating Systems
64 64%
36% 36

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GrapheneOS and PureOS

GrapheneOS Reviews

Top 5 Secure Operating Systems for Privacy and Anonymity
GrapheneOS is a modern and sleek mobile operating system with a strong focus on privacy and robust security features. Developed as an open-source project, it builds upon the foundations of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) to deliver a secure, Google-free Android experience without sacrificing usability. Leveraging Android's existing security model, GrapheneOS...
Android Alternative: Top 12 Mobile Operating Systems
If security and privacy are your main reasons behind your search for an Android alternative, GrapheneOS fits the bill perfectly. It’s a security-hardened operating system, built with top-notch privacy protection in mind. GrapheneOS, earlier known as CopperheadOS, is also developed on Android, but the main developer, Daniel Micay has worked extensively to make GrapheneOS a...
Source: beebom.com
Open Source Mobile OS Alternatives To Android
GrapheneOS in an open source privacy-focused mobile operating system. It is focused on the research and development of privacy and security technology.
Source: itsfoss.com

PureOS Reviews

The 10 Best Immutable Linux Distributions in 2024
Why it’s on the list: PureOS offers a great balance of immutability and usability. While not fully immutable, it incorporates many immutable principles, particularly in handling software updates and system stability.
The 5 Best Privacy-Focused Operating Systems
PureOS is a privacy-focused Linux distribution developed by Purism, a company committed to user privacy and open-source software. It comes pre-installed on Purism's Librem laptops and is designed to provide a secure and privacy-conscious computing environment.
Open Source Mobile OS Alternatives To Android
It’s more of a Linux-based smartphone rather than a Linux-based smartphone OS, but I believe that the convergent PureOS should be able to run on other devices with some tweaks.
Source: itsfoss.com
Top 15 Best Security-Centric Linux Distributions of 2020
PureOS is a user-friendly Debian-based distribution built with a focus on user privacy and security by Purism – the company behind Liberem computers and smartphones.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GrapheneOS seems to be a lot more popular than PureOS. While we know about 390 links to GrapheneOS, we've tracked only 13 mentions of PureOS. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GrapheneOS mentions (390)

  • /e/OS: A complete "deGoogled" mobile ecosystem
    False marketing. They are one of the least "deGoogled" ROMs out there[1]. If you want the only real "deGoogled" OS that prioritizes security and privacy, use GrapheneOS https://grapheneos.org/. [1] https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • FTC Pushed to Crack Down on Companies That Ruin Hardware via Software Updates
    > Smartphones are a tragedy itself. Security theatre destroyed it. If you're willing to buy a new device, then I recommend getting a Pixel on sale and flashing it with GrapheneOS[0]. No rooting required. Read up on it when you have a chance. Also, if you install the sandboxed Google Play Services layer (which doesn't require any Google account logins and has very limited access to the device) you will be able to... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • WhatsApp forces Pegasus spyware maker to share its secret code
    Just so you know: https://grapheneos.org/ and https://signal.org/ do exist! - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • LineageOS is currently installed on 1.5M Android devices
    It might be worth to switch to GrapheneOS if you have Pixel phones: https://grapheneos.org/ It is a more serious project than LineageOS in the sense that they take security very seriously and they take their development more professionally too. There are no disadvantages to using GrapheneOS compared to LineageOS. You can see a comparison here: https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Recommendations for an Android repair shop?
    If it still powers up but just won't boot you could try installing https://grapheneos.org/. Source: about 1 year ago
View more

PureOS mentions (13)

  • Laptops with Linux
    Librem 14 by Purism, can't recall the specifics for this one; sorry*. I do remember that we owe PureOS to them. Source: over 1 year ago
  • I am losing my mind while protecting my online privacy
    Another option is PureOS, and you might even consider buying privacy-oriented hardware, such as the Libram product line of computers, laptops, smartphones from Purism, which is just one among many manufacturers in this market. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Are there any useable Linux phone Os besides Ubuntu Touch
    There's ClearOS https://www.clearos.com/products/clearos-editions/clearos-mobile and PureOS https://pureos.net/ which the Librem 5 uses. Source: over 2 years ago
  • GNOME is on which tablets or phones?
    Check following link. You can order gnome phone here. Https://pureos.net/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How to keep Debian FSF "approved"?
    If you can actually use a FSF distribution (you don’t need proprietary drivers) you can use PureOS from Purism. It is based on Debian and up streams all their work back to it. https://pureos.net/. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GrapheneOS and PureOS, you can also consider the following products

CalyxOS - Privacy-focused operating system for smartphones based on Android and microG

Android - Android is an open source mobile operating system initially released by Google in 2008 and has since become of the most widely used operating systems on any platform.

LineageOS - Operating system for smartphones and tablet computers, based on the Android

Ubuntu Touch - Read more about Ubuntu Touch. Our free and open source mobile OS is made and maintained by UBports! We care about your freedom and privacy.

CopperheadOS - Secure Android built for encrypted and secure phones by a privacy focused company. Available as security-centric and privacy focused Google-free Android for the latest devices. Fully integrated with the latest IDS and MDM enterprise technologies.

postmarketOS - A real Linux distribution on the phone