--- title: "Parrot OS Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Parrot OS Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Operating Systems products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/230180/Parrot-Security-OS/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # Parrot OS Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Parrot OS ## What is Parrot OS? Parrot OS is an operating system based on Debian designed for cyber security operations, penetration testing, and digital forensics. The system provides a developer-friendly environment and over 600 tools for penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and more. Parrot Security aims to offer an advanced framework for cybersecurity operations with a focus on security, privacy, performance, and customizability. ## What is Parrot OS used for? [Operating Systems](https://www.capterra.com/operating-systems-software/)[Digital Forensics](https://www.capterra.com/digital-forensics-software/) Overall rating Based on 17 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive \- Neutral \- Negative \- Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Includes Free Version Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Parrot OS?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/parrot-security-os/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Parrot OS 4.5 (17) VS. [### Windows 11](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/) [4.4 (106)](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.1 (17) Ease Of Use 4.5 (106) Value For Money 4.6 (11) Value For Money 4.1 (86) Customer Service 3.8 (12) Customer Service 4.0 (77) ## Parrot OS alternatives [Android Enterprise Management](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/) [4.6 (123)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/) [Ubuntu](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/) [4.7 (123)](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/reviews/) Starting price $225.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/) Highest Rated [MacOS Big Sur](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/) [4.8 (59)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/) [iOS14](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/) [4.6 (53)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/230180/Parrot-Security-OS/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Parrot OS Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Parrot OS? Parrot OS is most used by cybersecurity researchers, instructors, and network operations teams for security testing, threat analysis, and training labs. Web developers, frontend developers, and software engineers use it to assess application security and work in a privacy-focused environment. Consultants and technical managers rely on it for client assessments and infrastructure reviews. Answer based on 17 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Parrot OS built for? Parrot OS is designed for cybersecurity operations, red teams, blue teams, and IT security professionals, with 59% of reviewers from small businesses and Computer Software and Information Technology and Services each representing 24%. It also serves midsize businesses (41%) and is used primarily as an operating system. Answer based on 17 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Parrot OS? Parrot OS offers a desktop interface and user interface for navigating the system, plus memory management and system updates for maintaining operations. It also includes developer-focused tools under its For Developers feature, covering core functions for system administration and software development. Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Parrot OS offer? Parrot OS provides documentation for teams getting started. This format gives written reference material for setup steps, feature explanations, and ongoing use, allowing users to review information at their own pace. Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Parrot OS offer? Parrot OS provides a knowledge base for customer support and self-service help. Support experience details are not available from user feedback, so the available channel is limited to documented guidance rather than reported response times or issue-resolution quality. ## Features AI summary Based on 945 Operating Systems reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of Operating Systems rank the following features as their top priorities: - **File Management** (**45%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Data Security** (**50%**) - **System Updates** (**47%**) Parrot OS includes **System Updates**, which helps keep the operating system current and reduces maintenance issues over time. However, it does not include **File Management** or **Data Security**. Instead, it offers other important capabilities that reviewers also value, including **User Interface** (**43%**) and **Memory Management** (**42%**). These features can make the system easier to use and improve resource handling, helping businesses maintain day-to-day efficiency while giving teams a more stable environment for routine work. System Updates 4.8 (12) 25.00% of 12 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Automatically update to the latest version User Interface 4.4 (11) 27.27% of 11 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus, used by most modern operating systems Memory Management 4.2 (11) 18.18% of 11 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Store and save retrievable data Desktop Interface 4.4 (11) 18.18% of 11 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important A way of interacting with a desktop computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus For Developers 4.3 (10) 10.00% of 10 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important For the intention to be used by developers Parrot OS 5 features ### All Features - Desktop Interface: A way of interacting with a desktop computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus - For Developers: For the intention to be used by developers - Memory Management: Store and save retrievable data - System Updates: Automatically update to the latest version - User Interface: A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus, used by most modern operating systems --- Features 4.6 (17) 4.6 Based on 17 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.6 (11) Value for money 4.6 (11) 4.6 Based on 11 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 3.8 (12) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 3.8 (12) 3.8 Based on 12 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.5 Based on 17 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(9) 4(8) 3(0) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful Mohamed F. Associate Consultant Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Toppest OS of All Time for Pentesters " 5.0 December 22, 2022 It's perfect for People into Pentesting. Pros My favorite part is Open-Source. The Parrot Security team is working a lot and contributing to Open-Source Community. With Kali Linux, we may carry a useful operating system on a USB stick and use it from any device thanks to its persistent live boot mode and forensic mode. In terms of investigating cyber incidents, it will be quite helpful. Anyone interested in cyber security will find it to be a powerful OS. It offers very high levels of stability and security. Cons If all essential tools are pre-installed on the Kali Linux OS, that would be fantastic. because the most recent upgrades do not include programs like ZAP and several Python libraries. However, these are crucial components of security testing. VO VoIP Operations Manager VoIP Operations Manager Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "If your an IT Admin that has need for forensic work and advanced security apps" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 May 11, 2022 Overall I am happy with the product, though I would not suggest this distribution for a beginner in the world of linux. While I have used other linux distros and simply installed the various tools I had need for a quick install of a system that had most of the tools I use daily and this was the option I chose. Pros That it came with a host of tools that I need to use on a regular basis for pentesting networks and various hardware components. Cons Clunky user interface, not as resource light as I would prefer and install was a little quirky. NA Network Administrator Network Administrator Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Most Friendly Penetration Testing Distro" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 6/10 June 8, 2022 Good experience and I think that it is better than Kali and other penetration testing distros in terms of consumption of device resources, user interface and fewer problems Plus there are a lot more penetration testing tools in Parrot than Kali Pros Definitely the interface that suits the user and the penetration tester, and it is the only distribution that combines these two features In addition to monitoring resources in a friendly and clear manner with a strong UI and appropriate in its consumption of resources It also has the most important and most powerful penetration testing tools without the need to download them and face the problems of their work. In addition, it consumes much less resources than Kali in terms of RAM, CPU and Disk Space, with a stronger graphical interface. Cons I haven't had any flaws with Parrot, on the contrary, I find it better than many penetration-testing distros. ANIRUDH T. Cyber Security Instructor Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Best OS For Security Professionals" 4.0 November 19, 2023 I'm very satisfied with Parrot OS and all of my students are using it. Pros As a cyber security instructor I'm using Parrot OS as my home OS for a long and its too easy for me to use. The factor that made me interested to Parrot more than Kali Linux is its stability, we can use it as our main OS without worrying about anything and of course its coming with a lot of preinstalled penetration testing tools and most of the common libraries. Cons For me the most hated thing in Parrot OS is lack of drivers, We need to install audio drivers , mic and camera drivers manually and community support is less than Kali Linux, however some people really love to install drivers manually as part of their learning. WD Web Developer Web Developer Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "An in depth review of using Parrot OS" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 7, 2023 Overall it is a powerful and versatile operating system designed for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts. Its pre-installed security tools, anonymity features, and sleek interface make it a top choice for penetration testing and digital forensics. While it may not be the easiest for beginners, the vast community support and active development make it a solid choice for those with advanced technical skills Pros Parrot OS is a fantastic platform for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts. Its pre-installed security tools and anonymity features make it a go-to choice for penetration testing and digital forensics. The sleek and user-friendly interface coupled with the vast community support further enhances the overall experience. Cons Parrot OS can be overwhelming for beginners due to its advanced features and complex interface. The frequent updates and compatibility issues can also be frustrating for some users. Additionally, the lack of official documentation and support can make troubleshooting difficult for those with limited technical knowledge. Abhijith J. Cyber security researcher Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "All in one tool for Cyber security" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 November 10, 2023 I would say one of the best OS i ever used. I like it more than the kali linux Pros All the tools need for ethical hacking and Cyber security is preinstalled. Take only less resources compare to other OS in this field. Great repository and Regular updates. Excellent Community support. Cons Most of the hardware drivers are missing. Need to installed manually each of them FD Front-end Developer Front-end Developer Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "A stable OS with so many handy features for Ethical hacking" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 13, 2023 Parrot OS is like the Batman utility belt of cybersecurity operating systems. It's got all the tools you need to fight cybercrime and protect your organization, making it an essential tool for any serious cybersecurity professional. Pros As a seasoned Linux user, I found Parrot OS to be a unique and comprehensive distribution that prioritizes both security and privacy without sacrificing usability. Its diverse toolset makes it an excellent choice for penetration testers and cybersecurity professionals, while its user-friendly interface and robust documentation make it accessible for beginners as well. Cons My experience with Parrot OS has been challenging as a beginner due to its complex interface and steep learning curve, which made it hard to navigate and utilize its powerful tools effectively. CO COO COO Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "The things that you must know before using Parrot OS" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 March 10, 2023 From what I've gathered, Parrot OS is an excellent choice for security enthusiasts and professionals due to its Debian-based structure, a wide range of pre-installed tools, and customizable features. Pros It's a Debian-based operating system designed for security professionals with a variety of pre-installed tools and customizable features. It's perfect for ethical hacking and research. Cons I've heard some people mention three potential downsides to Parrot OS. They claim it can be resource-intensive, has a steep learning curve for beginners, and may not have as extensive documentation as other operating systems. WD Web Developer Web Developer Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "It's one of the best OS i have ever seen" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 March 17, 2023 If you're serious about cybersecurity, Parrot OS is a must-have tool in your arsenal. It's a comprehensive operating system that provides everything you need to protect your digital assets from cyber threats. Pros As someone who's been exploring the depths of cybersecurity, I can confidently say that Parrot OS is a top-notch operating system that makes you feel like a master hacker, even if you're a beginner. Cons As someone who's used Parrot OS, I can say that the operating system's occasional stability issues have been a source of frustration for me, despite its impressive set of security tools. JF Junior Frontend Software Developer Junior Frontend Software Developer Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Must use OS for hacker and security tester" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 10, 2023 I've been using Parrot OS for a while now, and I have to say, it's an incredibly versatile and powerful system. The pre-installed security tools are comprehensive, and the ability to customize the OS to my needs has been invaluable. Pros I'm a big fan of Parrot OS - as someone who's passionate about cybersecurity, it's been an invaluable tool for me. The pre-installed security tools and customization options make it a top choice for anyone looking to secure their digital environment. Cons While Parrot OS has its strengths, I've personally found that it can be overwhelming to use. The learning curve is steep, and the system can be resource-heavy, which can impact overall performance. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/230180/Parrot-Security-OS/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Windows 11 vs Parrot OS](https://www.capterra.com/compare/230180-251507/Parrot-Security-OS-vs-Windows-11)[Ubuntu vs Parrot OS](https://www.capterra.com/compare/229058-230180/Ubuntu-vs-Parrot-Security-OS) [Debian vs Parrot OS](https://www.capterra.com/compare/229027-230180/Debian-vs-Parrot-Security-OS)[Linux Mint vs Parrot OS](https://www.capterra.com/compare/229032-230180/Linux-Mint-vs-Parrot-Security-OS)