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CentOS vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

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
69
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubuntu Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
150
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

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 Ubuntu Linux is 12.5%, down from 20.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Mahender Nirwan - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
PrashantSharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Performs efficiently but requires overcoming a learning curve
There are many differences between Ubuntu Linux and Windows as they are totally different systems. You need to have more knowledge about Linux before using Ubuntu Linux. Although it is designed as a desktop system, basic knowledge is still required. Windows can be used by any layman, which is the main difference. I do not know much about security breaches or potential issues. The Wi-Fi and wireless capabilities work perfectly fine. Excluding the learning curve, I would rate it a 10. However, considering the learning curve, I would give it a six or seven. My advice would be to have patience. Overall rating: 10 out of 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I like its stability, performance, and usability."
"The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward."
"The user interface of CentOS is intuitive, we can also use the command prompt."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is the speed and it is very easy to use."
"CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported."
"The product is very efficient when it comes to virtualization."
"Its performance is most valuable. There is a performance boost as compared to when the applications are run on Windows OS."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"As we have repositories in my country, the ease of use and the open source nature of the solution are valuable features."
"There is a lot of freedom and flexibility to install it really quickly. It is just very powerful in the sense that it doesn't take up as many resources to run as some of the other operating systems. It is open source, so it is free. There is no licensing fee. There is flexibility and freedom to do whatever you need to do. If you are familiar with the command line, you can jump on the command line and configure almost any part of the operating system that you want. If you are not comfortable with the command line, the graphical user interface has really improved ever since I started using Linux back in high school. It is really very simple to manage your settings and other things. You can also try out multiple desktop environments. As a matter of fact, on one of my laptops, I have installed five different desktop environments, and I can switch between them. If you don't like one, you can easily just install another one with a few commands, and you have got a whole new desktop right there, whereas, in Microsoft Windows or a Mac, you are just stuck with whatever they give you, and you have to wait until they sell you something else."
"Stable and easy to use solution."
"There are several manuals online that are free and available to help you."
"It is stable and modern."
"Since Ubuntu is freely available for download and use, there is virtually no investment required, resulting in a high ROI."
"It's faster than Windows."
"Ubuntu is rather stable, simple to deploy, stable, and well supported by an open-source community."
 

Cons

"This solution is no longer suited to our business following the change they have made to the release process. It is no longer an enterprise solution."
"The solution must improve its security."
"The solution could improve by making the management tools better for the DevOps teams. For example, WebEX and Webstacks."
"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly."
"This solution is no longer supported and will not receive any updates going forward."
"The server system is a little bit tough to manage."
"Lacks sufficient security and some coding tools."
"In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."
"We use and have previously used Windows 10 which is a lot better."
"It could be easier for beginners and the user interface could be more user-friendly."
"The solution could be more user-friendly, as I use Mac on a day to day basis."
"It can have more security."
"There are some drivers that are not there encoded, however, I thought that was pretty normal. They could be more comprehensive."
"You have to do a lot of configurations yourself. It is not very user friendly."
"The solution could improve by having better integration."
"The stability definitely can be improved. When we are implementing patches and new releases, it tends to fail."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"CentOS is cheaper compared to Windows."
"CentOS is an open-source tool."
"For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license."
"The solution is not subscription-based, unlike Red Hat."
"This is a free solution."
"CentOS is an expensive solution. There are other solutions that are rated at the top that are not expensive, such as Red Hat."
"There are no licensing fees for CentOS."
"There are no licensing fees. CentOS is a free solution."
"Ubuntu Linux is an open-source product that is free to use."
"We are using the free and open-sourced version of the solution."
"We do not incur a licensing fee for the solution, as we make use of the free version."
"It's an open-source solution that can be used free of charge."
"On a personal level, I'm using the free version."
"Ubuntu Linux is an open-source operating system."
"There is not a license needed for the solution. You only have to pay for technical support."
"If the customer wants to start, there is no license required. It is all free, but they must purchase the production license."
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Comparison Review

it_user281973 - PeerSpot reviewer
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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

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...
What do you like most about CentOS?
CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.
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.
Which would you choose - Ubuntu Linux or Oracle Linux?
Ubunto Linux is a complete Linux operating system that is freely available with both community and professional support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very app...
What do you like most about Ubuntu Linux?
It has a good support system for loading databases.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubuntu Linux?
The cost is not much, and I am not sure about the licensing cost because a separate team handles it.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo
Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Ubuntu Linux and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.