Linux has a thriving open-source ecosystem, but some of the best open-source apps still won’t run on it
You’d think open-source software would run everywhere. After all, the code is right there — anyone can compile it for any platform. Yet a handful of excellent open-source apps remain stubbornly Windows-only. Linux users, despite their love for freedom, are completely locked out.
Here are five open-source apps that should be cross-platform but aren’t. If you’re a Linux user, these are the ones you’re missing most.
1. LosslessCut — the fastest video trimmer you’ve never used
LosslessCut is a brilliant, lightweight tool that trims video files without re-encoding. You mark in and out points, hit export, and it’s done in seconds. No quality loss. No waiting.
It’s built on FFmpeg, which runs on Linux just fine. But the GUI itself? Windows-only. There are no official Linux builds, and while the source code is available, compiling it yourself is a hassle most people won’t bother with.
Linux users can fall back on command-line FFmpeg or tools like Kdenlive, but neither matches LosslessCut’s dead-simple, zero-fuss workflow. For quick edits, it’s the best in class — and Linux simply doesn’t have it.
2. ShareX — the screenshot tool that does everything
ShareX is legendary among Windows users. It captures screenshots, records screen video, uploads files to dozens of services, and even OCRs text from images. It’s free, open-source, and packed with features.
On Linux, the alternatives are fragmented. Flameshot is decent for screenshots. Kazam works for screen recording. But nothing combines all of ShareX’s features into one polished package. You end up juggling three or four tools just to match what ShareX does by itself.
Linux users can try Flameshot or Peek, but neither has ShareX’s workflow automation, custom upload destinations, or built-in image editor. It’s a gap that’s been open for years.
3. OBS Studio — wait, OBS runs on Linux
Yes, OBS Studio is fully cross-platform. But there’s a catch: the plugin ecosystem. Many of the best OBS plugins — like advanced audio filters, source clones, and stream deck integrations — are Windows-only.
Linux users get the core app, but they miss out on the plugins that make OBS truly powerful. The difference between stock OBS and a plugin-loaded OBS on Windows is night and day.
If you’re a Linux streamer or content creator, you’re working with one hand tied behind your back. The core app works, but the community’s innovation stays on Windows.
4. Notepad++ — the editor that won’t leave Windows
Notepad++ is one of the most beloved open-source apps ever made. It’s fast, lightweight, and supports hundreds of programming languages with syntax highlighting, macros, and plugins. It’s been around since 2003.
And it’s still Windows-only. The developer has repeatedly said there are no plans for a Linux version. Porting it would require rewriting the entire UI layer, which depends on Windows-specific APIs.
Linux has great alternatives — VS Code, Geany, Kate — but none capture the exact feel of Notepad++. For anyone who grew up on it, Linux feels like a foreign country without a familiar landmark.
5. Paint.NET — the image editor that could have been
Paint.NET started as a student project at Washington State University. It grew into a full-featured image editor that’s simpler than GIMP but more powerful than MS Paint. It’s open-source, has layers, effects, and a huge plugin library.
It’s also Windows-only. There have been community attempts to port it using Mono or .NET Core, but nothing official has ever shipped. Linux users are stuck with GIMP (which has a steep learning curve) or Krita (which is geared toward digital painting).
For quick photo edits, resizing, and basic graphic design, Paint.NET is the perfect middle ground. Linux has no equivalent.
Why don’t these apps support Linux?
The answer is usually the same: the developer uses Windows, the app depends on Windows APIs (like WinForms or WPF), or the maintainer simply doesn’t have the time or interest to support another OS.
Open-source doesn’t automatically mean cross-platform. It means the code is visible and modifiable, but someone still has to do the work of porting it. And for small projects, that work rarely gets done.
Linux users can run some of these apps through Wine or virtual machines, but it’s never the same. Performance suffers, features break, and the experience feels second-class.
Until the developers decide to expand, these five apps will remain a Windows-only treasure that Linux users can only admire from afar.
