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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
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
AWS Marketplace (3rd)
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.3
Number of Reviews
277
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 2.2%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 2.9%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

GurpreetSingh4 - PeerSpot reviewer
Has small footprint and low maintenance cycles
Pre-installed tools can provide basic training and security measures, which is helpful. However, these tools may not be sufficient to secure your workload fully. That's why it's important to complement them with other specialized security tools to enhance your overall security. Before using Kali Linux, make sure you know its pros and cons. It's a good system to learn because it's the best choice for some situations. It has default firewall settings that block everything by default. It's up to the user to decide how much they want to open up. Learning Kali Linux takes time because it relies on command-line tasks instead of graphical interfaces. Practice is key to becoming comfortable with it.
Akos Szirmai - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy installation and the initial setup time is reasonable
Stability can be an issue. I have to restart it every two days. And the boot time is quite long. My laptop's old, has no SSD, and is just a traditional Winchester. Had desktops with Windows 11 and SSDs, much better performance. But hardware limitations on my current laptop lead to stability and response issues. It's more like the whole reinstall every two years thing. It makes cleaning a pain. Performance improves significantly after a fresh install, then slowly deteriorates as I add more programs. But my biggest concern with Windows 10 is actually bigger than my situation. I'm replacing my laptop anyway, but I read that Windows 10 support ends in a year or so. And with hardware limitations, many other computers won't run Windows 11. So it's not just me. A lot of people with decent, still-working Windows 10 machines will lose support and be unable to switch to 11. This will be a significant problem for individuals and institutions. Large companies with thousands of computers don't replace them every three years, and they might face issues with many computers unable to run Windows 11 and lacking support for 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Kali Linux is much better than other OS because it gives you a good set of tools. It is preferred for vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity."
"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"We use the product for open-source intelligence and identifying vulnerabilities."
"The interface is good and straightforward to use."
"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."
"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."
"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 systems. With Kali Linux, you can conduct penetration testing for networks, web applications, and Android mobile apps."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"I have found Windows 10 to be very user-friendly and has good performance."
"I like the performance of the solution and its user-friendliness."
"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."
"Windows 10 is easy to use."
"Windows 10 is a user-friendly product."
"The most valuable feature is that it's a good enough operating system for anyone who isn't technically proficient."
"When comparing Windows 10 to Windows XP, Windows 10 is much better. The appearance is very good."
"I like the stability, the performance and the ease of use."
 

Cons

"I would like for them to offer more features for the free version in order for users to test them in their internal environment before purchasing."
"The product should integrate AI and GPT capabilities."
"Any new user or someone without deep expertise won't be able to understand how to scale or manage it"
"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 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."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"The product should improve its security features."
"The license for Windows 10 is a little bit expensive."
"Sometimes, the tool gives a blue screen without any reason, and then I have to restart the system."
"I do not have notes for improvement."
"I would like Windows 10 to be more like MacOS in terms of integration, speed, and stability."
"It could be more secure. We just want them to focus on security."
"of the problems with Windows 10 is that it hangs when you open multiple programs."
"The interface could be more user-friendly."
"Compared to Ubuntu or other products, I don't consider the operating system to be that great in terms of stability."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"The tool is open-source."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"I have used the free version."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"I use it free of charge."
"It is an open-source tool."
"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."
"It's a one-time payment when you purchase the system."
"The basic operating system of any hardware should be free. Therefore, it should be free. They should charge only for the enterprise level or enabling the hypervisor. They should charge for Professional Windows 10, but the basic OS should be free."
"There is a standard license to use Windows 10."
"For my home computer it's a lifetime license, only purchased once."
"The solution can be expensive for businesses to use Microsoft Windows 10."
"The price could be improved."
"We pay a licensing fee for Windows 10, which is too expensive."
"The license came with the computer when I purchased it."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
15%
Computer Software Company
14%
University
13%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
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 Ka...
What needs improvement with Windows 10?
Windows 10 is quite old, and Windows 11 has newer features such as Copilot. Investment in Windows 10 may not be ideal as the world is changing with advancing technology in the AI age. It is general...
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
I use Windows 10 as an operating system for my personal computer. Currently, I am using Windows 11.
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
851,491 professionals have used our research since 2012.