CentOS vs Rocky Linux comparison

CentOS and Rocky Linux are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. CentOS is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.9, while Rocky Linux is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3. CentOS holds a 4.6% mindshare in OSB, compared to Rocky Linux’s 15.6% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of CentOS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Rocky Linux users who would recommend it.

CentOS

Read 69 CentOS reviews

6,682 Views
6,570 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Rocky Linux

Read 7 Rocky Linux reviews

13,225 Views
12,263 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

CentOS

Rocky Linux

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

CentOS and Rocky Linux offer robust options for enterprise-level Linux distributions. Based on user reviews, Rocky Linux has the upper hand due to its comprehensive support and feature richness, despite CentOS being favored for deployment ease.

Features: CentOS is noted for its stability, extensive documentation, and suitability for long-term projects. Rocky Linux brings enhanced security features, newer packages, and valuable functionalities for cutting-edge development environments.

Room for Improvement: CentOS users seek better update cycles, modernization of packages, and improved repository updates. Rocky Linux needs better backward compatibility, streamlined migration processes, and easier usability transitions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CentOS wins favor for straightforward deployment and comprehensive support with standardized installation and available troubleshooting help. Rocky Linux compensates for its slightly less user-friendly deployment with highly responsive support and thorough documentation, aiding users needing more guidance.

Pricing and ROI: CentOS offers a cost-effective solution with lower setup costs, appealing to budget-conscious users. Rocky Linux, despite higher initial costs, promises better ROI due to advanced features and robust support.

To learn more, read our detailed CentOS vs. Rocky Linux Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

June 2025

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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

CentOS

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

6th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Rocky Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

5th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.6%, down from 8.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Rocky Linux is 15.6%, up from 10.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

Mahender Nirwan

Software developer at TAIGLE LLC

In-depth documentation available and command-line utility works well

One issue I recently faced, but I think it was due to my IT support guys, was that when the server storage gets full, the service crashes. It's very difficult to regain access and stability in that situation. That could be improved. So, the stability might be improved. But I don't think it's a CentOS-level issue. The system administrators need to come up with a solution for that, but I don't think it's CentOS's fault. I haven't done any research [R&D] on this issue. There's one thing for sure. We recently migrated from CentOS 7 to CentOS 9, and it was a bit difficult. For example, updating Windows is simple; you just download it, and it takes about 15-20 minutes. But that's not the case with migrating from CentOS 7 to 9. We had to back up the entire server, launch a new server, and then restore the backup to the new server. We couldn't directly migrate. I think that was a bit of a problem. The setup and updates are not that new in CentOS.

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Jetsada Malaisirirat

System Engineer at clusterkit

Enhancements in package management elevate user experience

I have been using Rocky Linux for three or four years. It is used for HPC, online assessments, and Ceph storage The solution is free and open source. The OS choice in my project is quite specific. It is based on customer requirements, as they might want to use Rocky Linux or Ubuntu, depending on…

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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

"It is a scalable and cost-effective product compared to public cloud solutions."

"CentOS adapts well to many software and applications, providing good compatibility."

"The solution is easy to use but not as easy as Windows."

"The product is very efficient when it comes to virtualization."

"The user interface of CentOS is intuitive, we can also use the command prompt."

"It has minimal updates compared to other distributions."

"The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward."

"The open architecture is useful for us. That's why we're using CentOS."

More CentOS pros

"It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its stability."

"The custom install scripts streamline the setup process, making it straightforward."

"The solution is free and open source."

"It helps us keep our workstations in sync and ensures consistent settings across most of our machines."

"I haven't needed to use customer service or support, which speaks volumes about their product's reliability and ease of use."

Cons

"The main issue is the End of Support. For that reason, we will switch to another operating system."

"The interface could be improved."

"More security features could be included in the next release."

"It could be more secure."

"We occasionally have issues with software installation."

"It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."

"The solution might be discontinued but I hope that IBM will continue to develop it and improve on the functionally and features."

"If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."

More CentOS cons

"Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort."

"One of the potential issues is that if you don't pay for support, you may need to manage certain aspects on your own and rely on the community for assistance."

"The solution's audio integration for virtual machines could be improved."

"In terms of improvement, Rocky Linux needs to clarify its identity and target audience."

"The package versions can be quite older compared to other distributions such as Ubuntu."

"I have certain problems with the tool's DNS part, making it an area where improvements are required."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."

"The price could be better. The cost depends on how the organization or a specific person licenses it. If you want the free version, there's Ubuntu which is supported by forums. You can pay for the license yearly or pay for a specific version."

"CentOS is an open-source tool."

"We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux."

"CentOS is cheaper compared to Windows."

"I use the free version."

"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."

"There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

"The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a three."

"Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."

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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

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

14%

University

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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 CentOS?

CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CentOS?

CentOS is a free product with free updates. There are third-party companies available for support, but they charge varying amounts for their services.

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What do you like most about Rocky Linux?

It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Rocky Linux?

The OS choice in my project is quite specific. It is based on customer requirements, as they might want to use Rocky Linux or Ubuntu, depending on their needs. The package versions can be quite old...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Rocky Linux?

I have been using Rocky Linux for three or four years. It is used for HPC, online assessments, and Ceph storage.

See all answers

Comparisons

Oracle Linux vs CentOS

Compared 36% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 11% of the time

Windows Server vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Solaris vs CentOS

Compared 2% of the time

More CentOS Competitors

Fedora Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 25% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 24% of the time

Oracle Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 12% of the time

Debian vs Rocky Linux

Compared 11% of the time

Windows 11 vs Rocky Linux

Compared 1% of the time

More Rocky Linux Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CentOS

June 2025

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

June 2025

Download Rocky Linux product report

Overview

CentOS is a versatile operating system with many use cases, including virtual spaces, scientific computing, data center servers, web-based applications, and more. Its valuable features include customization options, low memory consumption, performance, scalability, open-source nature, cost-saving, and compatibility with Red Hat packages.

The solution has helped organizations save money on licensing and improve testing capabilities for new implementations without spending additional resources. CentOS is a stable, reliable, and efficient operating system that is easy to use and integrate with other applications and services.

CentOS

Rocky Linux is a robust and secure enterprise-grade operating system designed as a drop-in replacement for CentOS. Its primary use case is to provide a stable and reliable platform for organizations to run their critical workloads and applications.

The most valuable functionality of Rocky Linux lies in its compatibility with CentOS, ensuring a seamless transition for organizations already using CentOS. It offers long-term support, regular security updates, and a predictable release cycle, providing stability and reliability for mission-critical systems.

Rocky Linux helps organizations by offering a free and open-source alternative to CentOS, which was discontinued by Red Hat. It allows businesses to continue using their existing CentOS-based infrastructure without the need for costly migrations or vendor lock-in. With its strong community support and active development, Rocky Linux ensures a sustainable and community-driven future for CentOS users.

Moreover, Rocky Linux is built with security in mind, providing robust features like SELinux and secure defaults. This helps organizations protect their data and systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

Rocky Linux

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

June 2025

Free Report: CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

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