Debian vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) comparison

Debian and Red Hat are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. Debian is ranked #14 with an average rating of 9.0, while Red Hat is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8. Debian holds a 5.5% mindshare in OSB, compared to Red Hat’s 7.6% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Debian users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.

Debian

Read 12 Debian reviews

3,059 Views
2,937 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

Debian

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Debian compete in the field of operating systems, each offering unique benefits. RHEL holds a slight advantage due to its comprehensive support, enterprise-ready features, and strong vendor support, making it ideal for large enterprises requiring robust assistance and security.

Features: RHEL offers reliable security features, extensive management tools, and enterprise-grade support. It's known for its reliable patch management and built-in security measures such as SELinux and Ansible automation. Debian excels in customizability and flexibility with a vast repository of packages, seamless updates, and strong community support, providing an ideal environment for those seeking cost-effective solutions.

Room for Improvement: RHEL could improve in reducing setup complexities and increasing documentation accessibility for less technical users. It may also benefit from enhanced user interface features for Linux beginners. Debian could work on enhancing its professional support services, offering more intuitive tools for system management, and providing faster responses to security vulnerabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: RHEL's deployment is streamlined with robust customer service, offering dedicated training and support programs. Its comprehensive documentation aids in quick deployment. Debian focuses on community-driven support that is extensive but may require more technical skills. Its deployment is more suited for those familiar with Linux systems and community forums.

Pricing and ROI: RHEL involves higher initial setup costs with ongoing subscription fees, providing a strong ROI for enterprises prioritizing reliability and support. Debian, being free, incurs minimal to no setup costs, offering high ROI for those prioritizing cost savings and open-source flexibility. RHEL suits organizations investing in enterprise support, while Debian benefits those looking for cost-effective solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Debian vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Debian vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 881,082 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

6.5

Debian users save money through no license costs, reduced maintenance, and efficiency, with some saving up to 60%.

Sentiment score

6.3

Organizations achieve significant ROI with Red Hat Enterprise Linux through cost savings, improved efficiency, automation, and reliable support.

There were direct cost savings since Debian has no licensing fees, and we did not require paid support, so it saved us considerable money.

Badal Shrivastav

Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree

We were able to save a substantial amount by using Linux instead of Windows and spending a lot of money on Windows licenses.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

I have seen a return on investment; specifically, the cost is around zero because there is no need for a license, and since my whole team uses Debian, we are fine with the number of employees needed.

Sabry Tarek

DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

A long lifecycle is key to having a good return on investment.

Troels Hansen

Architect at KnowIT

Being able to transform common manual tasks that previously took all day into processes that take an hour, half an hour, or even less, demonstrates clear value.

Chris Perrault

Systems administrator at a retailer with 501-1,000 employees

Red Hat Enterprise Linux has saved us time and increased productivity.

Syed Azhar

Cloud engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.7

Debian's community support effectively aids users through forums and documentation, minimizing the need for official customer service.

Sentiment score

7.1

Red Hat Enterprise Linux support is praised for its knowledge and proactiveness, despite concerns about response times and escalation.

We rely on community resources for support, such as documentation, forums, and asking questions online.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

Whenever I had a query, I used Google to search for it and found very helpful information from public platforms.

reviewer2774466

Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

While it does not have traditional paid customer support like some commercial distributions, the Debian community and documentation are very strong.

Badal Shrivastav

Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) support is great, as they go beyond their duty to help resolve issues and provide solutions even for third-party software such as XRDP.

Antoine Ragland

Senior Infrastructure Systems Administrator at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees

When we do contact customer service, they are generally very knowledgeable and well-versed in our size.

Tucker Hewitt

Solutions Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Usually, I send the information, and they have something for me within hours, sometimes even minutes.

ChristianLopez

Team manager at Evertec

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.1

Debian offers scalability and stability, ideal for cloud environments, with open-source benefits and effective management of high traffic.

Sentiment score

7.2

RHEL excels in scalability and adaptability across environments, efficiently managing workloads and facilitating infrastructure management with tools like Ansible.

We don't spin up new Debian instances arbitrarily.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

As the growth of our infrastructure is required, we can host many Debian servers.

reviewer2774466

Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

We decided to use Debian because we needed a more stable and predictable base, especially for long-running systems where frequent changes or upgrades could cause issues.

Badal Shrivastav

Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

Many of our applications scale really well, with some having several hundreds of VMs, which we couldn't accomplish on Windows.

Sean Doyle

Solutions Architect at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) scales very well with the growing needs of our company.

Sheldon Kroner

Director, DevOps at Lightedge Solutions

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) handles increases in users, applications, or data smoothly, which is why we use it for all our projects, as it provides us with confidence.

reviewer2753943

Cloud Administrator at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.5

Debian is valued for stability and reliability, ideal for developers prioritizing long-term support over rapid updates.

Sentiment score

7.8

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is valued for stability, reliability, minimal downtime, and strong support, with quick resolutions for issues.

I rate Debian an eight out of ten because it excels in stability, reliability, and package management, which are very important for long-running production systems.

Badal Shrivastav

Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree

That long-term support has helped me and my customers by being stable and running well.

reviewer2797047

Embedded Developer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

In my experience, Debian is very stable.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

It works consistently with minimal downtime and very few bugs or glitches.

reviewer2592627

Senior DevOps Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

It just works, and that's really the key factor; I can't remember the last time we had a system go down and had to restore it due to a bad patch.

Jason Cummings

Senior software engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

We've not had a service outage with Red Hat in six years.

ScottPalmer

Team Lead, Linux Systems & Tools at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Room For Improvement

Debian needs improvements in package management, installer, cloud integration, hardware support, GUI updates, and contributor support for better usability.

Users desire improved RHEL support, documentation, pricing, compatibility, user interface, updates, automation, security, cloud integration, and communication.

I believe security on Debian is top-notch due to its long history and the many individuals and organizations that rely on it, meaning there are many eyes on it.

reviewer2774178

Founder at a media company with 1-10 employees

If Debian had a memory-based distribution, similar to Alpine, that would be great, as we could get benefits in terms of memory or embedded systems.

Sabry Tarek

DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd

Debian was easy to set up.

reviewer2774466

Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

Addressing these limitations would significantly enhance the operating system's flexibility and efficiency.

reviewer2592627

Senior DevOps Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

The built-in security features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux were insufficient for our needs, necessitating the implementation of supplementary security measures.

reviewer2591346

IT Infrastructure Engineer at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees

By providing pre-installed, native automation tools within the operating system, Red Hat would streamline processes and improve user efficiency.

reviewer2620827

Systems Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Setup Cost

Debian's open-source nature offers cost savings on software, making it a cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu.

RHEL is costly for small businesses but valued by large enterprises for its support, stability, and reliability.

My experience with Debian's pricing, setup cost, and licensing has been that it is all free.

reviewer2796165

IT Support Manager at a educational organization with 5,001-10,000 employees

As long as I remain within the limit of that credit, I can create machines as much as I want without exceeding the monthly limit.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is quite favorable; since Debian is totally free, it is one of my first options.

Sabry Tarek

DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

It may be considered expensive compared to other solutions like CentOS or Ubuntu, which offer some of the same features without additional costs.

Sitakanta Chaudhury

Cloud Infrastructure Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Its pricing has room for improvement because it's more expensive in the local market due to purchasing power parity in India.

Syed Azhar

Cloud engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Windows Servers base their cost on the number of users and have high licensing fees, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers free versions alongside its paid, supported versions.

reviewer2592627

Senior DevOps Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Valuable Features

Debian offers stability, flexibility, and efficiency, providing cost-effective operations with strong support and extensive software options for organizations.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers stability, security, support, automation, and robust performance, ideal for enterprise-level deployment and management.

Debian's stability helps me in my daily work because my work relies on stability; I'm trying to deploy production workloads, and Debian offers that stability for me.

Sabry Tarek

DevOps Technology Lead at TriStratus Ltd

Debian has kept my workflow secure by maintaining system stability with day-to-day or monthly updates with security patches, securing the system from external attacks.

reviewer2774466

Cloud Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

Debian has positively impacted my organization primarily in cost-efficiency, with on-premises hardware running faster and cheaper.

reviewer2796165

IT Support Manager at a educational organization with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Debian report

It also has strong security features, is OIS and FIPS certified, and has built-in Linux security configurations.

Sitakanta Chaudhury

Cloud Infrastructure Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

There is also no downtime.

Siphosethu Ndebele

Linux/DevOps Engineer at Ekwantu Consulting

The operating system allows for the simple addition of kernels, modules, and other applications, making it highly adaptable to various needs.

reviewer2641572

Technical Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report

Categories and Ranking

Debian

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

14th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

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

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Debian is 5.5%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 7.6%, down from 11.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)	7.6%
Debian	5.5%
Other	86.9%

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

Badal Shrivastav

Embedded Linux / BSP Engineer at Veethree

Reliable platform has supported long-term on-prem deployments and predictable OTA updates

If I consider how Debian can be improved, it could be more accessible in making newer software versions available for users who need recent features while still maintaining default stable behavior. While backports help, the workflow could be streamlined. The release cycle can feel slow for rapidly evolving tools, and better guidance around mixing stable, backports, and testing would help. Regarding hardware support, Debian can be improved by supporting multiple BSPs, making it more versatile in the embedded domain. Hardware support for new devices can sometimes lag behind, which is understandable given Debian's focus on stability. Clearer guidance on handling newer hardware or firmware would be beneficial.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Operating Systems (OS) for Business solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.

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

17%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	4

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 Debian?

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing seems acceptable. We have also used Ubuntu. Comparing to Ubuntu, Debian is cheaper.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Debian?

In terms of improvements, I think Debian is fine as it is. I'm not an expert, so for me, it is acceptable.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Debian?

I have been using Debian for a while now. My main use case for Debian is running PostgreSQL and related infrastructure. A specific example of an application I'm running on Debian is PostgreSQL.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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

Rocky Linux vs Debian

Compared 41% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Debian

Compared 11% of the time

Alpine Linux vs Debian

Compared 8% of the time

AlmaLinux vs Debian

Compared 6% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs Debian

Compared 3% of the time

More Debian Competitors

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 15% of the time

Windows Server vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 12% of the time

Rocky Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 11% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 9% of the time

Alpine Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 3% of the time

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Debian

January 2026

Download Debian product report

Buyer's Guide

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

January 2026

Download Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) product report

Also Known As

Debian 12

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

Overview

Debian is a reliable open-source operating system ideal for servers and desktops. With its wide array of packages and stable releases, it suits developers and organizations seeking dependable performance and security.

Debian stands out for its stability and extensive package repository, making it a go-to choice for developers. Its open-source nature ensures transparency and flexibility. Debian's package management system, APT, simplifies software installation and updates. Its security updates are regular and prompt, ensuring systems are protected. With support for multiple architectures, Debian caters to various environments from desktops to large-scale servers.

What are the key features of Debian?

Package Management: APT tool for efficient software installation and updates.
Security: Regular security updates maintain robust protection.
Open Source: Community-driven with transparency and flexibility.
Architecture Support: Compatibility with diverse hardware systems.
Stability: Reliable performance across server and desktop configurations.

What benefits and ROI should be considered in reviews?

Cost Efficiency: Free distribution reduces expenses.
Performance: Stable and reliable for demanding applications.
Customizability: Open-source nature allows tailored solutions.
Community Support: Extensive community for troubleshooting and advice.

Debian is widely used in industries such as web hosting, scientific research, and education, where reliability and long-term support are priorities. Its flexibility allows it to be adapted for specialized applications in scientific computing or educational environments, ensuring it meets industry-specific technical requirements.

Debian

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

Debian vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

December 2025

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

Find out what your peers are saying about Debian vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Debian vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report.

See our list of best Operating Systems (OS) for Business vendors.

We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.