How Do Android-Based Operating Systems Compare?

If you want to replace the stock Android on your phone, the main alternatives are GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, LineageOS, /e/OS, iodeOS, and DivestOS (the last of which has been discontinued). Eylenburg's Tech Website compares six Android distributions plus stock Android in a single table, and the practical differences come down to three things: how hard they try to remove Google, how much they harden security, and which phones they actually run on. The right pick depends on your device model, your tolerance for setup work, and whether you need Google apps to keep working.

The distributions at a glance

The comparison table on Eylenburg's site covers these six distributions plus stock Android, and it is the most direct source for side-by-side detail.

What actually differs between them

De-Googling

This is the headline feature for most people. GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, /e/OS, iodeOS, and DivestOS all let you run without a Google account. The difference is how they handle the apps that expect Google services:

• GrapheneOS keeps Google Play in a sandbox so it has no special system privileges — you can install it, but it can't reach into the rest of the OS.
• CalyxOS and iodeOS offer microG, a reimplementation of Google's APIs, so apps that depend on Play Services work without the real thing.
• /e/OS ships its own app store and cloud services, aiming to replace Google's ecosystem outright rather than patch around it.
• LineageOS leaves the choice to you — no Google by default, but you can flash a Google apps package if you want.

Security hardening

GrapheneOS is the outlier here. It is built specifically around hardened memory allocation, stricter app sandboxing, and faster security patch delivery, which is why it is restricted to Pixel hardware — Pixels are the only phones that support the required verified boot and firmware update guarantees. The other distributions improve on stock Android's privacy defaults but do not match GrapheneOS's security model.

Device compatibility and install difficulty

This is usually the deciding constraint:

• GrapheneOS — Pixel only. Installation is a web-based flasher, relatively painless, but you must own a supported Pixel.
• CalyxOS — mostly Pixel, with a small number of other supported devices.
• LineageOS — the widest support by far, including phones that no longer receive vendor updates. This is the main reason to choose it: keeping an old device alive.
• /e/OS — broad support and, importantly, sold pre-installed on some phones, so you can skip flashing entirely.
• iodeOS — broader than Pixel-only, aimed at users who want privacy without buying new hardware.

Installation generally means unlocking the bootloader and flashing a recovery image, then the OS. Expect to wipe the device. Some manufacturers block bootloader unlocking, which rules those phones out regardless of which distribution you prefer.

Updates

Update cadence matters more than any feature list, because an unpatched phone is a privacy problem in itself. GrapheneOS and CalyxOS track Android security patches closely. LineageOS depends on maintainers for each device, so quality varies. /e/OS and iodeOS release on their own schedules. DivestOS, notably, has been discontinued, which is a reminder to check whether a project is still maintained before committing.

Android's multi-user features, explained

The comparison table's appendix addresses a question that comes up constantly: what is the difference between work profiles, private spaces, and secondary user profiles?

• Secondary user profiles are fully separate users on the same device. Each has its own apps, accounts, and data. Switching means logging out of one and into the other. Good for sharing a phone, but heavy.
• Work profiles are a managed container inside your main profile. Apps in the work profile are separated from personal apps, and you can turn the whole profile off with one toggle. Originally for employers, but anyone can use one to isolate, say, social media from banking apps.
• Private spaces are a newer Android feature that creates a hidden, separately encrypted profile you can lock away entirely. It is designed for the apps you don't want visible on your home screen at all.

For most privacy-minded users, a work profile is the easiest win: it isolates a set of apps without the friction of switching users. Private spaces go further if you want plausible deniability about what's installed.

How to choose

Work from your constraints inward:

1. Do you own a Pixel? If yes, GrapheneOS is the strongest option for security and privacy, with CalyxOS as the more convenient alternative if you want microG and a gentler setup.
2. Do you need to keep an older or non-Pixel phone alive? LineageOS is the realistic answer, with iodeOS as a privacy-oriented alternative where supported.
3. Do you want to avoid flashing entirely? /e/OS is sold pre-installed on some devices, which removes the biggest technical hurdle.
4. Do you depend on Google apps? GrapheneOS's sandboxed Play and CalyxOS/iodeOS's microG both let you keep them working; a fully de-Googled setup will break some apps, particularly banking and DRM-dependent services.
5. Check maintenance status first. A discontinued distribution (like DivestOS) means no security patches, which defeats the purpose.

If you are unsure, start by confirming your exact device model appears on the support list of the distribution you're considering — that single check eliminates most of the options for you.