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Kali Linux vs Windows 11 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 (5th)
Windows 11
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
45
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 2.4%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 11 is 6.9%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Rohit Srivastava - PeerSpot reviewer
SQLmap for web application testing and good for web application penetration testing, network testing, vulnerability assessment of any devices or domains
Sometimes, I do face challenges. There's an issue where sometimes during the initial installation, it doesn't install properly. It gives multiple errors like packages not installing, so we have to install those tools separately. For instance, if we want to install a network or other tools, we have to install those complete toolkits manually. So, the challenge is with the initial setup, where I sometimes get errors. Regarding wireless attacks, OS attacks, and social engineering... the tools should be easier to learn because I know everything very well, but some people in my team struggle to understand. If there were GUI interfaces for the tools, it would help me guide my team in using them step-by-step. Command lines are very difficult for other team members who know the tool's purpose but not the Linux commands. GUI interfaces need more improvement. So, the UI interface needs improvement to make it more visible and easier for users. Expert users can do everything without any issues, but new users will struggle.
Pmurki@Micron.Com Praveen - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to use, stable product and improve productivity
We use our laptops with Windows only. We use it for everything. For the last 20 years, my entire career, I've been using Windows only. Office 365 will be extensively used, along with other tools from Office 365 Everything is good. It's easy to use. It supports AI initiatives. Like we use…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We use the product for open-source intelligence and identifying vulnerabilities."
"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"The tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."
"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 interface is good and straightforward to use."
"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."
"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."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"Quick Assist is a valuable feature."
"Windows 11 is an easy-to-use solution."
"Windows 11 has a good user interface."
"I use the solution for a normal home office."
"I rate the initial setup process an eight out of ten. It takes less than a day to complete."
"It supports a lot of features compared to other operating systems."
"Windows 11 has nice icons and colors."
"Windows 11 is definitely scalable and offers more functionality and security."
 

Cons

"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."
"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."
"The product should improve its security features."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"From an improvement perspective, it should be made possible for users to learn about the product easily."
"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."
"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."
"Any new user or someone without deep expertise won't be able to understand how to scale or manage it"
"A significant drawback is its cost for the hardware requirements that is important for optimal performance which makes it less accessible and potentially impractical for many users globally."
"Windows 11 has a terrible snipping tool. It seems to be quite buggy. The previous version that came with Windows 10 is better."
"I would like to add a frontend to manage the virtual machines that are installed in Windows 11. It should also improve security which includes patching the vulnerabilities."
"Windows 11 needs to improve the speed with which it loads programs"
"Sometimes, I experience slowness in Windows 11, and its speed could be improved."
"There is room for improvement in terms of security."
"Windows 11 is not very stable, and its stability could be improved."
"Whenever there is an update, a black screen appears which is due to patches being installed in the background."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"It is an open-source tool."
"The tool is open-source."
"Kali Linux is open source."
"There is no need to make any payments towards the licensing costs since it is a solution that is available for free."
"The product is not cheap."
"The product is well-priced."
"The pricing is affordable."
"I rate the tool's pricing an eight to nine out of ten."
"I'm not directly involved in the financial aspects, but based on feedback from colleagues, Microsoft is flexible with pricing and addressing other licensing needs."
"I rate Windows 11’s pricing a six or seven out of ten."
"We pay for a yearly license for Windows 11."
"Windows 11 is not an expensive solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
12%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
12%
University
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

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 do you like most about Windows 11?
We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations.
What needs improvement with Windows 11?
Windows 11 requires a very powerful hardware infrastructure. When installed on an old machine, it can be problematic due to outdated configurations. For a better experience, Windows 11 should be im...
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows 11 and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.