VERDICT
Should I use Qubes OS Forum?
A forum for Qubes OS users - forum.qubes-os.org
Depends. If you run Qubes OS, this is the official free support channel — use it. If you don't run Qubes, it offers you nothing.
Confidence
Medium. Based on 30+ public sources, mostly Qubes-ecosystem pages. Note: this is a free community forum, not a commercial product — there is nothing to buy.
Ratings
Pricing
$0
Free
ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Best for
- Qubes OS users troubleshooting installs
- Laptop buyers checking hardware compatibility
- Security-focused Linux hobbyists
- Anyone tracking QSB security bulletins
Not for
- Anyone not running or planning to run Qubes OS
- Teams wanting vendor SLAs or paid support
- Beginners wanting a plug-and-play OS
- Enterprises needing MDM-friendly centralized support
Gotchas - check before you buy
medium
Support depends on volunteers; no guaranteed response time, and activity has quieted.
medium
Forum is free, but Qubes demands specific hardware; read compatibility threads before buying a laptop.
medium
No central directory of paid consultants; enterprise-grade support is hard to find.
low
Security bulletins live as forum posts; there is no standalone security page.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Official free support channel for a notoriously hard OS
- Official QSB security bulletins posted directly
- Deep hardware-compatibility threads for laptop buyers
- Community guides: best practices, Whonix, VPN setups
Cons
- Forum activity reportedly declining
- Volunteer-only help; no SLA or vendor guarantee
- Many users find Qubes too hard and quit
- No dedicated /security page exists
- Hardware quirks like Bluetooth dominate support threads
Sources & method
official x3review x6security x1
- QSB-107: Multiple CPU branch prediction vulnerabilities, Official Qubes Security Bulletin covering multiple CPU branch prediction flaws, posted May 15, 2025.
Key stats
Value for money: 5/5
Rating
$0
Starting price
10
Sources
Analyzed
- Value for money: 5/5. Free, no paid tiers
- Ease of use: 2/5. Users describe Qubes itself as painful to run
- Feature depth: 4/5. Bulletins, guides, hardware threads, dedicated categories
- Support quality: 3/5. Threads get responses, but activity is quieting
- Security posture: 4/5. Official QSB bulletins published in forum
- Free Price Volunteer-run, no paid tiers
- Yes Free access Community forum, open reading
- 160+ pages User Support archive Of forum topics in that category alone
- QSB-107 Security bulletins CPU flaws bulletin posted May 2025
Pricing
Free
$0
- Read and post in all categories
- QSB security bulletins
- User support and community guides
Security
Official QSB bulletins are posted in the forum; QSB-107 (May 2025) covered multiple CPU branch prediction vulnerabilities.
- QSB-107: Multiple CPU branch prediction vulnerabilitiesOfficial Qubes Security Bulletin covering multiple CPU branch prediction flaws, posted May 15, 2025.⁶
What users say
Users find deep technical help and active guides, but many report Qubes is hard to live with and some long-time users are moving on.
“Qubes as my primary OS makes me nervous”
“After a decade of use, I'm considering moving on from Qubes”
“Why Has the Qubes OS Forum Become So Quiet Lately?”
Alternatives
Compare Qubes OS Forum with each alternative.
Whonix Forums
Support hub for Whonix, which integrates with Qubes
Qubes OS Forum vs Whonix ForumsPrivacy Guides Community
Broader privacy and security tooling discussions
Qubes OS Forum vs Privacy Guides Communityr/Qubes on Reddit
Casual Qubes help and switcher stories
Kicksecure Forums
Hardened Debian alternative with simpler setup
Qubes OS Forum vs Kicksecure Forums
Full analysis
Based on 30+ public sources, mostly Qubes-ecosystem pages. Note: this is a free community forum, not a commercial product — there is nothing to buy.
Free official forum for Qubes OS. Essential if you run Qubes; useless if you don't.
Methodology
Based on 30+ public sources, mostly Qubes-ecosystem pages. Note: this is a free community forum, not a commercial product — there is nothing to buy.
Sources
- Qubes OS Forum homeforum.qubes-os.orgofficial
- QSB-107: Multiple CPU branch prediction vulnerabilitiesforum.qubes-os.orgsecurity
- Best laptop for qubes?forum.qubes-os.orgreview
- Why Has the Qubes OS Forum Become So Quiet Lately?forum.qubes-os.orgreview
- Why is Qubes OS project team so small?forum.qubes-os.orgreview
- Why I won't be using Qubes as my daily driver / Reviewforum.qubes-os.orgreview
- review
- Qubes OS First Boot – Wi-Fi, Updates, TOR, & Videossideofburritos.comreview
- Qubes OS forum /security pageforum.qubes-os.orgofficial
- QubesOS and Corporate MDM?forum.qubes-os.orgofficial
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