AlmaLinux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) comparison

AlmaLinux and Red Hat are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. AlmaLinux is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.8, while Red Hat is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8. Additionally, 100% of AlmaLinux users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.

AlmaLinux

Read 5 AlmaLinux reviews

1,945 Views
1,828 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Read 388 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

18,782 Views
18,406 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

AlmaLinux

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Red Hat Enterprise Linux and AlmaLinux are competing in the enterprise Linux distribution market. RHEL holds the upper hand due to its enterprise-level stability and extensive official support.

Features: RHEL provides robust security features, certified application stacks, and comprehensive enterprise-grade support. AlmaLinux offers binary compatibility with RHEL, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness being open-source, appealing to those seeking a RHEL alternative without subscription fees.

Room for Improvement: RHEL could improve by offering more customization options and reducing costs to match community-driven offerings. AlmaLinux could enhance enterprise support, streamline deployment tools, and provide more official certifications to increase enterprise adoption.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: RHEL offers streamlined deployment with formalized support structures, extensive documentation, and enterprise-grade SLA options. AlmaLinux leverages community forums and resources for deployment, suitable for organizations valuing collaboration and open-source expertise, but typically requires a more hands-on approach.

Pricing and ROI: RHEL requires a subscription, which contributes to a high ROI through its stability and comprehensive support. AlmaLinux is free, eliminating direct licensing costs and presenting a lower TCO, attractive to cost-conscious organizations focused on maximizing budget efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed AlmaLinux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

AlmaLinux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

February 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

AlmaLinux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

17th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

1st

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

388

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

reviewer2797887

Owner

Reliable long-term hosting has reduced server migrations and lets me focus on projects

One area for improvement with AlmaLinux is the use of SELinux to secure and harden my server, which I find to be a complicated beast. Better documentation on that part could be useful, although there is a lot of material out there. I choose a nine because nothing is ever perfect. For example, coming from Ubuntu, I found their firewall software easy to use, while with AlmaLinux's entire ecosystem, I always have to look up how to use firewall-cmd. These are just little preferences. I cannot think of anything else AlmaLinux could improve; it serves me well, and I have not been missing anything.

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Ray Ortega

Server administrator at Northrop Grumman

Empowers collaboration through streamlined integration and extensive documentation

Improving Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be tough, however, a significant area is collaboration tools. We have many Windows users that use Outlook and Skype or Teams to collaborate on our network. They want Linux desktops due to the fact that they want to use containers. Their biggest complaint is, 'I need two workstations to do my container work and one to collaborate.' If somehow RHEL can start introducing or collaborating with Teams and Outlook so their users can work with their Windows peers, that would be great. But I don't think that's available yet. Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, there needs to be more of an education piece to it. For instance, when purchasing 10 or 100 node licenses, they could suggest, 'We also offer this 1,000 node license instead, and it'll save you specific amounts.' Just more education on their offerings would be helpful, because usually, we're coming out with the requirements, and then they just provide it to us. They could inform us about saving by bundling it differently or using alternative approaches.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"AlmaLinux has impacted our organization positively by providing a stable and reliable enterprise Linux platform without licensing cost."

"AlmaLinux provides free updates and security, unlike Red Hat, where support must be purchased separately."

"The long-term support provided by AlmaLinux helps my business by ensuring that we do not have to renew our servers every four to five years."

"The most valuable feature I find in AlmaLinux is the binary compatibility with RHEL and the long-term stability, which makes it a predictable, rock-solid system behavior, while also having small and safe packaging for subsystems or systems that run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."

"Positively, I can say that AlmaLinux has brought a sense of stability, and besides the security patches, we also noticed better virtualization for our use cases."

"The stability and reliability of the RHEL platform are good."

"I would rate the customer service and technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) at a ten out of ten."

"The stability and reliability of the platform are top class."

"I would rate Red Hat Enterprise Linux a 10 out of 10 because of the stability and security."

"It's a rock-solid operating system. We don't need anything fancy from the operating system itself. What we need is something that doesn't crash, stays up to date, and provides the security features that we need to keep external players out."

"The integrated solution approach reduces our TCO tremendously because we are able to focus on innovation instead of operations."

"The feature I find most valuable about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is security; for our company, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped us significantly."

"The support is valuable. We get direct support from Red Hat. There is also no downtime. We can sleep better at night knowing that our systems are running."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) pros

Cons

"After six months of migration, we ended up using more resources for the same websites, and that's not acceptable."

"If AlmaLinux could provide ten to twenty years of fixes, that would be an improvement because I do not want to update the system all the time, as it becomes more challenging for me as a system administrator to track all the patches and everything I should patch on the system."

"One area for improvement with AlmaLinux is the use of SELinux to secure and harden my server, which I find to be a complicated beast."

"Red Hat Enterprise Linux has affected our HA systems in a negative way. We're working through some of those issues."

"That said, there are others that are not just generally support specific to Red Hat, which is a problem."

"It also has a steep learning curve for employees unfamiliar with Linux, and it demands a skilled team or a dedicated service center to operate effectively."

"What is lacking is better FS support natively in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)."

"We wish we could upgrade from version 6 to 9 directly instead of having to go from 6 to 7, then 7 to 8, and finally 8 to 9."

"Regarding SELinux, they could make that clearer or make it easier to use."

"I feel like it is going all over the place now. Sometimes it is hard to figure out what is going on. I would like more guidance."

"When we initially began working with containers, we encountered some challenges with compatibility."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"It seems to be fair. It is not overpriced."

"I have very little experience with pricing and getting quotes. The whole VMware thing happened, and everybody is looking at different alternatives. At this point, any competitor is probably a good choice based on the cost."

"Our management chain is not satisfied with the current pricing model."

"It is cost-efficient."

"It's been good, but I don't really get involved with that."

"I am not involved in the pricing, but it is not very expensive."

"If you don't buy the Red Hat subscription, you don't get technical support, and you don't have all the updates. To have everything working like a charm, the cost that you pay for it is worth it. In Bolivia, we don't have the best internet connection. Therefore, we have a local service with all the packages, repositories, etc. We manage them locally, and because we have a subscription, we can update them. So, we have local repositories with all the packages and other things to make it easy for us to update all the servers. Without the Red Hat subscription, we cannot update anything."

"I do not know what the pricing is like now. Previously, the pricing model was advantageous as it allowed unlimited installations for a single price, focusing on support. The recent introduction of paywalls complicates the cost landscape."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

it_user281973

Storage and VMware Expert at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees

Aug 24, 2017

It's improved our company's system environments that run Oracle databases.

Red Hat is mission critical to our environment Red Hat has improved the mission critical environments running Oracle databases, while CentOS has improved our web environment and MySQL. Oracle and SAP Environment and all HPC environments. 10 years No issues Very stable i don´t find any problem…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

13%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	87
Midsize Enterprise	49
Large Enterprise	266

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AlmaLinux?

AlmaLinux is free, so there are no costs there. The open source licensing helps a lot, and the setup cost is just my own time invested in learning the platform.

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What needs improvement with AlmaLinux?

I would like to see better tools in terms of memory consumption with AlmaLinux. I would like to know what processes exactly are consuming how much memory and have better core dumps or system core d...

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What is your primary use case for AlmaLinux?

I provide hosting and email services for customers using AlmaLinux. Most of our customers are using Plesk for managing their domains, and some servers end up having 300 or 400 domains, while others...

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Which would you choose - RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) or CentOS?

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is fantastic. It is an inexpensive solution that has excellent security, performance, and stability, and also lots of features. I specifically like that the solution has fe...

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What do you like most about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

It is open source. We can customize it as per our requirements.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

Regarding pricing, setup cost, and licensing, the pricing is good; however, licensing is a bit confusing.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 18% of the time

Debian vs AlmaLinux

Compared 13% of the time

Alpine Linux vs AlmaLinux

Compared 11% of the time

Fedora Linux vs AlmaLinux

Compared 10% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs AlmaLinux

Compared 10% of the time

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SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 14% of the time

Windows Server vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 11% of the time

Rocky Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 10% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 9% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 5% of the time

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

AlmaLinux

February 2026

Download AlmaLinux product report

Buyer's Guide

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

January 2026

Download Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) product report

Also Known As

AlmaLinux OS 8 (x86_64), AlmaLinux OS 10 (x86_64)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for AWS

Overview

AlmaLinux is an open-source, enterprise-level Linux distribution designed to provide stability, high performance, and community-driven support. It offers compatibility with RHEL, making it a reliable option for businesses seeking robust OS alternatives.

Built by CloudLinux, AlmaLinux serves enterprises looking for a powerful Linux distribution. It boasts seamless transitions from CentOS, providing a familiar environment for IT teams. With its open-source nature, AlmaLinux empowers organizations by offering control over their workflows. It supports diverse workloads, making it suitable for handling anything from basic setups to complex architectures. AlmaLinux stands out due to its strong security features, which focus on protecting sensitive data and maintaining secure server environments.

What are AlmaLinux's most important features?

Compatibility with RHEL: Ensures a seamless transition for users familiar with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Long-Term Support: Offers extended support periods, ensuring stability for enterprise systems.
Rich Community Support: Backed by an active community and regular updates.
Security Enhancements: Integrated security improvements for protecting business data.
Open-Source Nature: Provides flexibility and customization through a transparent codebase.

What benefits or ROI should users look for?

Cost Efficiency: Free to use, reducing operational expenses.
Reliable Performance: Consistent updates and support for enterprise needs.
Reduced Vendor Lock-in: Allows migration from other enterprise Linux systems with ease.
Security Assurance: Continuous security patches protect corporate assets.

AlmaLinux has been implemented across industries like finance, healthcare, and technology due to its reliability and adaptability. In finance, it ensures secure transactions and data integrity. Healthcare organizations rely on it for managing sensitive patient data. Tech companies use it for its stability and community-driven enhancements, making it a versatile choice for diverse applications.

AlmaLinux

Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers stability, security, and support for mission-critical applications with robust tools and scalable architecture, ideal for diverse environments and hybrid cloud compatibility.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides organizations with a reliable platform ideal for high-performance computing and virtualization. Known for its robust security and seamless network administration, it integrates well with OpenShift and Ansible, ensuring adaptability and scalability. Despite challenges with documentation, upgrade complexity, and cost, RHEL remains a formidable choice thanks to its comprehensive documentation and extensive community support.

What are the key features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

Stability and Security: Maintains high stability and advanced security measures, critical for enterprise environments.
Extensive Support: Offers robust support through community and documentation, assisting with problem-solving and integration.
Automation with Ansible: Simplifies tasks and enhances efficiency, optimizing operations across the infrastructure.
Hybrid Cloud Compatibility: Supports cloud environments, enabling flexibility and strategic deployments.
Scalable Architecture: Adapts to different workloads, making it suitable for growing organizational demands.

What benefits should users look for when evaluating Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

Reliable Performance: Ensures consistent and secure operations across diverse environments, including cloud infrastructure.
Efficient Management: Centralized operations make it easy to manage enterprise workloads effectively.
Community and Documentation: Access to a strong community and comprehensive documentation aids in resolving issues.
Integration Capabilities: Easily integrates with technologies like OpenShift and SAP, enhancing operational versatility.
Adaptability: Supports a wide range of environments and technical requirements, improving strategic deployment.

Organizations across industries like financial services, telecommunications, and application hosting implement Red Hat Enterprise Linux for server and application management. Its compatibility with technologies such as SAP, Oracle, and Ansible supports functions including web, database, and enterprise solutions, ensuring stable and secure performance in high-pressure environments.

Red Hat

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Travel Channel, Mohawk Industries, Hilti, Molecular Health, Exolgan, Hotelplan Group, Emory University, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, HCA Healthcare, Paychex, UPS, Intermountain Healthcare, Brinker International, TransUnion, Union Bank, CA Technologies

Buyer's Guide

AlmaLinux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

February 2026

Free Report: AlmaLinux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Find out what your peers are saying about AlmaLinux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

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