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 10.0, 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 4 AlmaLinux reviews

1,565 Views
1,487 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Read 388 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

18,064 Views
17,703 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

AlmaLinux

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

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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 Operating Systems (OS) for Business Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

January 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

4.3

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

"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."

"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."

"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."

"One pro is that at the operating system layer, like, RHEL has better support from Red Hat, and if something goes down, I found many resources for troubleshooting and stuff online."

"Automation is the most valuable feature. I don't like having to solve a problem more than once. If I can just whip up some code to take care of deploying something, responding to something, etc., then that is what I prefer. It is a lot easier out-of-the-box to do than it is with Windows. With Windows, there is always the process of bootstrapping into being able to have the automation framework available, then making the automation framework work."

"We are able to have a Linux system that is open-source and that allows us to do domain trust IBM and all that fun stuff. We have a good solid enterprise Linux."

"Copious documentation is probably the best feature of the solution."

"I have used a lot of different Linux distributions, and one thing that I like about Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the support. The support from Red Hat is very good. They offer excellent customer and vendor support."

"Red Hat's support is valuable for our employees who are new to OpenShift."

"The product is easy to use."

"One of the most valuable features is the package manager because it makes it easier to keep everything up to date."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) pros

Cons

"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."

"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."

"The price is something that can be improved, as they are still being undercut."

"Reducing the frequency of changes would help."

"Red Hat could enhance its user experience by incorporating built-in automation tools, eliminating users needing to install, set up, or configure external applications."

"The deployment learning curve for Red Hat Enterprise Linux could be more user-friendly."

"I recommend that they improve their virtualization product, specifically the management console."

"A targeted package tailored for small and medium-sized businesses can help increase business."

"Its user interface could be better for people who want to use the GUI. They can provide a better user interface with more features."

"Considering an area where the solution lacks, I think we can look into a lot more automation and integrations with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and other products."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"In terms of the solution’s single subscription and install repository for all types of systems, we can have as many RHEL installations as we want because we have a specific subscription that entitles us to have as many RHEL services as we want. We pay for a subscription and with that we get RHEL and Satellite as well."

"We use open source. We only have a subscription for support."

"We have a site license on a yearly basis. Generally, we're okay with its price, but everything could be cheaper."

"It is pretty expensive, but it is worth it. Generally, in an enterprise environment, there is no cheap solution. This is coming from someone who is working with a company that provides a lot of solutions a bit cheaper than the industry standard. In the enterprise environment, I believe no solution is inexpensive, but RHEL is still pretty expensive. Additional costs that I am aware of are usually for support and setup."

"Most Indians will find RHEL a little costly. It's slightly above average. RHEL's pricing has room for improvement because it's more expensive in the local market due to purchasing power parity in India."

"Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers a compelling value proposition for corporations due to its robust support infrastructure, which is essential for maintaining enterprise-level systems."

"It is cost-efficient for the tasks it does and the improvements that it brings. For a professional environment, it is very cost-efficient. It was easy to purchase the subscription."

"The price for Red Hat Enterprise Linux is reasonable."

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…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

University

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

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 of charge, which is why I chose this distribution. It offers an alternative to Red Hat, which is free only without support and updates. AlmaLinux provides free updates and securit...

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What needs improvement with AlmaLinux?

It is hard to say what needs improvement because I am on the operations side and focus on installing servers and running our software.

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What is your primary use case for AlmaLinux?

I use AlmaLinux as the base operating system for all of our Linux servers. Our environment includes use cases that range from a load balancer on the NGINX platform to our monitoring software, Check...

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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

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Compared 19% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 15% of the time

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Compared 12% of the time

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 9% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

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Operating Systems (OS) for Business

January 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

January 2026

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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

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January 2026

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