Unlike other Linux compatibility layer mobile apps, UserLAnd does not require a root account.
[4] Furthermore, the requirement of programs other than UserLAnd to "root" your mobile device has proven a formidable challenge for inexperienced Linux users.
[6] A prior application, GNURoot Debian, attempted to similarly run Linux programs on mobile devices, but it has ceased to be maintained and, therefore, is no longer operational.
[4][5][6][11] UserLAnd is pre-loaded with the distributions Alpine, Arch, Debian, Kali, and Ubuntu; the web browser Firefox; the desktop environments LXDE and Xfce; the deployment environments Git and IDLE; the text-based games Colossal Cave Adventure and Zork; the numerical computing programs gnuplot, GNU Octave and R; the office suite LibreOffice; and the graphics editors GIMP and Inkscape.
"[3] SlashGear stated that UserLAnd is "absolutely super simple to use and requires little to no technical knowledge to get off the ground running.