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Kali Linux vs Windows 10 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

Kali Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
4.5
Number of Reviews
280
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 3.0%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 2.8%, down from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Windows 102.8%
Kali Linux3.0%
Other94.2%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

NilutpalDutta - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides valuable real-time data scanning for vulnerability assessment
We don't know if Kali Linux has the port scanning capability yet, but that is an area of improvement because we are working with DMZ zones and customized ports. If we can add featured customized port scanning and DMZ zone capability, then it will be a very great tool. It might be there, but we are not exploring it yet. We are not exploring 100% of Kali Linux capabilities. If real-time customized port scanning can be added, for example, instead of a default port such as 8080 or 443, if we can use a customized port such as 9876, that capability would be great. The only point that I didn't find on Kali Linux for now is the ability to customize port scanning.
Deboprio Dutta - PeerSpot reviewer
Improved security features with gaming enhancements while supporting various features
I understand that Windows 11 supports quite a bit of additional features for people who are, for example, into high-end gaming and the features that support that kind of utility. It's not personally much of a thing for me, however, I've heard about differences between the two operating system versions. To the best of my knowledge, I think Windows 11 brings some AI features for Microsoft Copilot, which probably weren't as integrated into the previous version. There are the occasional bugs and issues that pop up, yet none are significant enough for me to consider a major update. Overall, it's a smooth experience.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"The most effective features of Kali Linux include its stability as a Linux operating system, its flexibility in configuring resources such as partitions, its powerful and stable file system, and its multi-user capability, which allows for setting user privileges and rights. Additionally, Kali Linux provides access to a wide range of free and open-source applications for testing and development purposes."
"The solution's stability is very good."
"Kali Linux has the capability of real-time data scanning for vulnerability assessment for backend services, and that is actually very far more valuable."
"In general, Kali Linux is used for hosting applications, developing new applications, and operating systems. It's also used in containers and nodes. The tool offers a smaller footprint than Windows because it lacks the functionality of graphical user interfaces. One advantage of Kali Linux is its lower maintenance requirements than Windows, with slower update cycles and easier maintenance procedures."
"Kali Linux has helped me learn faster and understand concepts better; you get a sense of appreciation when completing tasks on your own machine without help or hints from available tools or operating systems, with minimal guidance."
"I'm mostly using for the web security web application, so end map and the troubleshoot will it's my price, and it's available in ColliNX."
"The interface is good and straightforward to use."
"It's very straightforward. There is virtually no learning curve at all."
"I am impressed with the tool's interface and navigation."
"The user interface of Windows 10 is good. It is better than the earlier versions. Its performance is also better than the earlier versions. These are the two good points for me."
"Windows 10 provides integration capabilities and operational efficiency."
"Windows 10 is definitely stable."
"The operating system itself is good."
"Windows 10 has many features, all of which are pretty good. There's even an upgrade now, but I still haven't upgraded it yet. I can't remember what extra features Windows 10 offers compared to the previous version, but I have been pretty comfortable with Windows 10. It's easy to use."
"I like the main window pane where you can sort your mostly used and different types of apps, such as OneDrive, Google Chrome, and Access. I can just open up the main window, and those apps are right there at my fingertips. I moved from Windows 7 to Windows 10, and it took me a little while to get used to Windows 10, but once I got used to it, I do like it. It integrates with everything that I am using, and it gives me everything that I need as a user."
 

Cons

"From an improvement perspective, Kali Linux could include more ML to help with academic literature, as it is one of the areas where there are shortcomings in the solution."
"Many users utilize Kali Linux through virtual machines. Sometimes Kali Linux has issues detecting hardware such as inbuilt or external Wi-Fi adapters."
"The installation process of Kali Linux can be slow, particularly when installing and upgrading packages within virtualized environments."
"Unfortunately, my current tool runs on Windows 10, and its use is restricted to enterprise versions. Integrating this tool or similar functionalities into Kali Linux for non-enterprise users would be incredibly valuable."
"The tool is already stable and well-developed, so there's minimal feedback for enhancement or change. However, it should improve security, which is crucial, especially with the increasing use of Kali Linux in cloud environments."
"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."
"The product should improve its security features."
"There are areas for improvement in Kali Linux, particularly regarding its use of the Linux kernel, which requires external additional patching, and the fact that network services are disabled by default, which complicates usage; enhancing user-friendliness through more GUI-based tools and better integration could be beneficial."
"MS Office or Internet Explorer has a big ribbon on top, which occupies needed space."
"The time it takes to initially install the solution could be a bit less. Right now, it takes a few hours. We'd like it to be faster."
"I think the price should be lower for all computer products. Microsoft is a major company that makes a lot of money, so maybe they have enough."
"The only annoyance is the frequent updates that come almost every month or couple of months."
"If you need servers to be deployed in a production environment then you definitely want to look at a different operating system."
"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly and limiting the security patches to once every quarter instead of weekly."
"Installing Windows 10 can be difficult, as was the case with Windows 8 or 7."
"The system's pricing needs improving."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no need to make any payments towards the licensing costs since it is a solution that is available for free."
"Kali Linux is open source."
"Kali Linux offers a perpetual license, meaning you pay for it once and can use it. While free versions of Linux are available, Kali Linux, being an enterprise edition, usually comes with a perpetual license. I rate its pricing a five out of ten."
"The tool is open-source."
"I use it free of charge."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"It is an open-source tool."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"We have a license for all the products in my organization—the license for Windows Server and the license for the desktop version like Windows 10."
"The solution is affordable and there is a license to use it."
"I have never bought this solution myself, I generally get it with my Notebook for free. I think they are competitively priced at this moment."
"The organisation where I work they provide me with the licensed version of Windows 10 but personally I have used the pilot advance version."
"There is a license for this solution and it normally comes free with any system."
"Windows 10 could be less expensive. We have a perpetual license for this solution."
"It is not expensive."
"We pay a licensing fee."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
13%
University
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
University
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business125
Midsize Enterprise63
Large Enterprise119
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Kali Linux?
I use the tool with Nmap to perform network audits. We use it to find vulnerabilities in our network through attacks. It's for those who want to launch or create viruses or perform attacks on syste...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kali Linux?
Kali Linux offers a perpetual license, meaning you pay for it once and can use it. While free versions of Linux are available, Kali Linux, being an enterprise edition, usually comes with a perpetua...
What needs improvement with Kali Linux?
We don't know if Kali Linux has the port scanning capability yet, but that is an area of improvement because we are working with DMZ zones and customized ports. If we can add featured customized po...
What needs improvement with Windows 10?
Performance and slowness are areas that could be improved in Windows 10. Sometimes the system experiences slowdowns. The only issue I face and can remember is related to performance.
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
I use Windows 10 for regular office activities.
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.