From Pluto Wiki

Pluto is sold as a turnkey smarthome/media server appliance through dealers. But the Pluto software is also available for free. The software sold on the retail products is identical to the free, open source version you can download from our website. We don't hold anything back and there are absolutely no restrictions. So why buy a Pluto system from a dealer instead of building my own?

Convenience

Everything is pre-installed--take it out of the box, plug it in, and start using it. There is no issue with hardware compatibility or finding the right drivers. Pluto Pro dealers also offer custom-installed whole-house solution including home theater, security, lighting and climate control, and a wide range of other options.

Reliability

We thoroughly test every feature, module and driver on all the licensed platforms our dealers sell. You will never have to worry about any incompatibility or unreliable driver.

Fast Boots

Did you know that many of the appliance in your home, including set-top boxes like your cable box or pvr, are actually computers inside, often based on Linux just like Pluto? So why do they come on so quickly, while standard Windows, Linux or Mac PC's take a while to boot up? The reason is that when the hardware platform is controlled it's possible to take a lot of shortcuts. For example, rather than scanning and detecting what peripherals are installed, we can make a custom boot image, that is "hardwired" with all the right drivers and settings. When a hardware manufacturer licenses the Pluto platform for their product we work with them to create a custom, highly optimized boot image for their particular hardware, and for some thin clients, even a custom bios with parts of the o/s built-in. Once the system starts, it runs the same software you can download from this website and the functionality is identical. But the licensed products usually boot up in only 20-30 seconds.