Zorin OS 18 is the Linux system built to feel like home for Windows users — and Pro is its paid edition with premium layouts, a creative app suite and installation support. This guide explains what Pro really adds over the free Core edition, what it does not change, and who should actually pay for it.
Zorin OS 18 is built on the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS base, which means years of stable, well-tested software underneath a desktop that is deliberately designed to look and behave like the Windows desktop most people already know. It comes in two main editions. Core is completely free and is a full operating system. Pro is a one-time paid edition that adds extras on top of the same system. Everything below separates those two honestly — because the most important fact about Zorin OS Pro is this: Pro is not a faster or different operating system. It is the same engine with a bigger accessory pack.
👆 The Zorin Appearance app switches the whole desktop layout in one click. Example panel based on the official Zorin OS Pro page — 4 layouts are free, 8 more come with Pro.
Zorin OS is a Linux distribution made by the Zorin Group, an independent company, with one clear mission — give Windows and macOS users a system that feels familiar from the first minute. Version 18 is based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, so it inherits Ubuntu software support, drivers and security updates, and Zorin will keep supporting version 18 with updates until at least June 2029.
The current release is the 18.1 point update. Point updates like this are free for every edition — you install them through the normal Software Updater, exactly like the updates in our video.
Core is not a demo or a trial. It is the complete operating system, free to download and use forever, on as many of your own computers as you like. It includes:
Pro adds four kinds of extras, all confirmed on the official Zorin OS Pro page:
Here is the part most paid-edition marketing will not tell you. Pro and Core run the same operating system — same Ubuntu base, same kernel, same speed, same security updates, same support period ending June 2029. Every creative and productivity app in Pro is a free open-source app that a Core user can also install from the Software app; Pro simply pre-installs and curates them for you.
So what are you really buying? Convenience, the 8 extra layouts, official installation support, and a way to fund Zorin development. That is a fair deal for the right person — but nobody should buy Pro believing Core is crippled. It is not.
Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription — Zorin states this clearly, and your copy of Zorin OS 18 Pro works for life, including all 18-series point updates like 18.1. The price is listed in US dollars on zorin.com and works out to roughly the cost of a single dinner out (around US $48 including taxes at the time of writing — the exact figure depends on your country and taxes, so confirm it on the official site before quoting it anywhere).
For personal use you may install your copy on multiple computers. For a business or organisation, Zorin asks for one purchased copy per computer. One more honest note — a future major version, such as a Zorin OS 19 Pro, would be a separate purchase, though existing owners get a discount.
Buy Pro if you want the Windows 11 or macOS-style premium layouts, you do photo, video or audio work and want the creative suite ready on day one, you are setting up a PC for a family member and want official installation support as a safety net, or you simply want to support the project that gives Core away free.
Stay on Core if you browse, do office work, watch media and use the standard Windows-like layout. That describes most people — and Zorin itself expects you to test with free Core first, because Core and Pro share the same base. Our other guides on this page cover the Pro versus Core list in full, the old-laptop question, and how to try Zorin from a USB stick before installing anything.
Zorin OS 18 Pro shown live — the layouts, the apps and the full tour on a real PC.
▶️ Watch Full VideoNo. Zorin states clearly that Pro is a one-time purchase. You pay once for Zorin OS 18 Pro, you receive every update in the 18 series including point releases like 18.1, and the system is supported with updates until at least June 2029. Only a future major version, such as a Zorin OS 19 Pro, would be a new purchase, and existing owners get a discount on it.
No. Pro and Core are the same operating system with the same Ubuntu 24.04 LTS base, kernel and performance. Pro adds 8 premium desktop layouts, a pre-installed creative suite, advanced productivity tools, extra wallpapers and the Zorin Installation Support service. Nothing in Pro makes the computer itself run faster.
Yes. Zorin provides a built-in Upgrade Zorin OS app that upgrades an existing Core installation to Pro in place, keeping your files, apps and settings. You do not need to reinstall the system or move your data to switch editions.