If you're running Ubuntu (or plan to), you've probably come across Ubuntu Pro - Canonical's enhanced edition of the popular Ubuntu distribution.
Whether you're working from a personal laptop or deploying to the cloud, here’s a personal breakdown of the benefits and trade-offs.
👍 Pros of Ubuntu Pro
🔐 Extended Security Maintenance (ESM)
Get security patches for thousands of additional packages (including universe), even after regular Long Term Support (LTS) ends.
💻 Great for Desktop Users Too
Includes updates for widely-used apps like Firefox, LibreOffice, and many Python/Node.js packages - super helpful for devs and researchers.
☁️ Cloud-Ready & Certified
Official support on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud with pre-built certified images.
📜 Compliance-Ready
Includes FIPS and CIS hardening profiles - useful for teams in regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
🆓 Free for Individuals and Small Teams
Ubuntu Pro is free for up to 5 personal machines or 50 machines for organizations - perfect for small teams and solo developers.
⚠️ Cons of Ubuntu Pro
💸 Paid Beyond the Free Tier
Large orgs will need to pay - might not be ideal for schools or small orgs on tight budgets.
📦 Still Ubuntu at Its Core
You're not getting bleeding-edge features - just longer and broader support for what’s already there.
🐢 Patch Lag on Universe Packages
Security updates on universe packages can lag behind rolling distros like Arch or Fedora.
🔒 Deeper Canonical Integration
Tools like Livepatch and Landscape are useful, but might pull you deeper into the Canonical ecosystem.
👨💻 My Take?
If you value security, support, and long-term stability, Ubuntu Pro is a solid option -especially in production or daily professional use.
But if you prefer bleeding-edge tech, minimal setups, or more control, sticking with regular Ubuntu (or exploring something like Arch, Fedora, or NixOS) might be more your style.
📝 Disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts and do not reflect the views of Canonical or the Ubuntu team.
Have you tried Ubuntu Pro on your desktop or server? What was your experience like?
Let’s talk below 👇