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CentOS vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 3, 2025

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
9th
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
149
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.5%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 11.5%, down from 18.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ubuntu Linux11.5%
CentOS4.5%
Other84.0%
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

"The user interface of CentOS is intuitive, we can also use the command prompt."
"It is a scalable and cost-effective product compared to public cloud solutions."
"It is better than Ubuntu Linux."
"The community and knowledge base are very robust."
"It has minimal updates compared to other distributions."
"The product is based on Red Hat and very stable."
"It's less expensive than Red Hat."
"The solution is open source."
"The tool is stable. It can automate the updates like Microsoft."
"The solution is stable, fast and free."
"The solution is user-friendly."
"Linux-based operating system with good stability, good patching, and a straightforward setup."
"Some of the highlighted valuable features are that is based on Linux, configurable, functional, and robust."
"The solution has proven to be scalable. It can scale quite well."
"It's great for security and it is very safe."
"I like this product much better than some other similar solutions."
 

Cons

"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"The solution could improve by making the management tools better for the DevOps teams. For example, WebEX and Webstacks."
"I would like the integration to be more secure."
"CentOS is pretty old now, so I wouldn't recommend anyone use it."
"CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."
"If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."
"The product lacks a graphical user interface that can help users automate certain systems using the native features offered by CentOS."
"CentOS is very close to the end of life."
"I am really very satisfied with this solution. However, one thing that I would like to see improve, is to have better support for multiple screens with multiple resolutions. For me, that is the most important feature."
"On the desktop edition, we'd like more themes."
"It is an open-source tool, and it doesn't have any support. If there is an issue with the implementation of a feature, such as clustering, I am not sure how to resolve it and get support for it. The stability of the vendor packages also impacts the stability of this solution. When vendor packages are unstable, or any packages are broken, they also impact Ubuntu Linux. It is very hard to resolve an issue related to unstable vendor packages."
"The user interface must be more user-friendly for non-technicians."
"The user interface needs to be more user-friendly."
"Ease of use and ease of deployment could still be improved in this system."
"Stability could be improved."
"The solution is a little complicated to customize and could be made easier."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"CentOS is an open-source tool."
"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs involved."
"There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source."
"I use the free version."
"There are no costs for CentOS, it is open-source."
"For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"The solution is not subscription-based, unlike Red Hat."
"The product is cheap compared to Windows."
"There are no licensing fees, it's an open-source solution."
"The solution is free."
"Ubuntu is an open-source Linux operating system that can be used free of charge."
"Ubuntu Linux is an open-source product that is free to use."
"It is free."
"The solution is free."
"I use Ubuntu Linux free of cost."
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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
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise23
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business83
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise53
 

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?
My experience with the pricing for Ubuntu Linux is that I always use the free version, so I never paid for any installations or support.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

CentOS 7 (x86_64) - with Updates HVM
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: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.