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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Windows 11 comparison

Red Hat and Microsoft are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. Red Hat is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8, while Microsoft is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.5. Red Hat holds a 8.6% mindshare in OSB, compared to Microsoft’s 8.0% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Red Hat users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...
Read 364 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews
  • 19,554 Views
  • 19,358 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
Windows 11
Read 47 Windows 11 reviews
  • 4,916 Views
  • 4,867 Comparison Views
93% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Windows 11 cater to different user needs with distinct advantages. RHEL excels in support and long-term cost benefits, while Windows 11 leads in features and ease of use.

Features: RHEL is known for its robust security features, stability, and versatility in enterprise environments. Its deployment tools, automated patch management, and comprehensive support structure make it appealing for enterprises. Windows 11 offers extensive software compatibility, an intuitive user experience, and rich multimedia capabilities, making it ideal for desktop use and user satisfaction.

Room for Improvement: RHEL users indicate a need for better GUI enhancements, more straightforward updates, and a more user-friendly interface. Windows 11 users want improved customization options, reduced bloatware, and more consistent updates. Addressing these areas can enhance user experience for both systems.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: RHEL stands out due to its comprehensive deployment tools and excellent customer support services, facilitating smoother enterprise integration. Windows 11 benefits from easy installation processes and a familiar interface, though troubleshooting might require moderate to high support levels. RHEL’s professional support is highly detailed, whereas Windows 11’s user-friendly service can sometimes be less comprehensive.

Pricing and ROI: RHEL offers competitive pricing with significant ROI from reduced maintenance and robust security. Subscription-based models can start as low as $349 per server annually. Windows 11, though perceived as pricier initially, delivers strong ROI through productivity and regular updates, with a one-time cost starting from $139. RHEL’s cost advantage lies in lower operational expenses over time, and Windows 11 provides immediate returns in performance and compatibility.

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To learn more, read our detailed Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11 Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
September 2025
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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
6.9
RHEL offers cost savings, stability, and integration benefits, enhancing productivity, security, and scalability through automation and support.
Sentiment score
4.8
Windows 11 offers significant ROI and user-friendliness, though opinions differ compared to previous Windows versions.
A long lifecycle is key to having a good return on investment.
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.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux has saved us time and increased productivity.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
Windows 11 is more stable compared to its earlier versions.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
TH
CP
Syed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewer
PK
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.1
RHEL customer service is praised for expertise and resources, though response times vary with location and subscription level.
Sentiment score
4.9
Windows 11 support is generally reliable, with some challenges in accessibility, and enterprise users appreciate effective service and troubleshooting.
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.
When we do contact customer service, they are generally very knowledgeable and well-versed in our size.
Usually, I send the information, and they have something for me within hours, sometimes even minutes.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
Everything should work perfectly if you have new hardware that matches the Windows 11 requirements.
For issues that require level three or level four support, they initiate a process with Microsoft to address the problem.
The technical support team’s response time is very slow.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
AR
TH
CL
AI
MA
Anand_Kulkarni - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
RHEL efficiently scales across environments, integrates with automation, and supports data-intensive tasks, ensuring stability and flexibility.
Sentiment score
4.8
Windows 11 is scalable and user-friendly, despite hardware requirement impacts, with notable enterprise challenges and improvements needed.
Many of our applications scale really well, with some having several hundreds of VMs, which we couldn't accomplish on Windows.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) scales very well with the growing needs of our company.
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
The system is used to control the whole site and the air traffic in every city.
We faced challenges integrating it in multi-app environments, requiring complex API setups.
The solution's scalability is good because it allows you to run a large number of virtual machines.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SD
SK
reviewer2753943 - PeerSpot reviewerYantao Zhao - PeerSpot reviewerDeepak Kumar Software - PeerSpot reviewerAnand_Kulkarni - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is favored for its stability and reliability with minimal downtime, despite occasional compatibility issues.
Sentiment score
5.3
Windows 11 is highly stable, excelling in application performance, though update and functionality issues are occasionally reported.
It works consistently with minimal downtime and very few bugs or glitches.
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.
We've not had a service outage with Red Hat in six years.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
With the tool, we are able to control airplane traffic.
The solution's high level of stability ensures that the machine doesn't go down multiple times.
The stability can be influenced by the status and specifications of our company PCs.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
reviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewer
JC
SP
Yantao Zhao - PeerSpot reviewerAnand_Kulkarni - PeerSpot reviewer
GS
 

Room For Improvement

RHEL users criticize complex upgrades, licensing, outdated documentation, sluggish tech updates, integration issues, and desire cost-effective pricing.
Windows 11 faces stability, pricing, and security issues, along with navigation challenges and hardware demands, requiring various improvements.
Addressing these limitations would significantly enhance the operating system's flexibility and efficiency.
The built-in security features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux were insufficient for our needs, necessitating the implementation of supplementary security measures.
By providing pre-installed, native automation tools within the operating system, Red Hat would streamline processes and improve user efficiency.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
For a better experience, Windows 11 should be improved to take fewer resources.
Enhancements in the firewall's capabilities would elevate the overall security of the system.
The product should focus more on security, particularly Outlook.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
reviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2591346 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2620827 - PeerSpot reviewer
MG
Akram Zaki Hussein - PeerSpot reviewerAhmad_Ali - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

RHEL is costly yet justified by stability and support, with varying pricing perceptions and value in bulk licenses.
Windows 11 pricing varies, with high costs for some, but offers free upgrades and flexible educational licenses for affordability.
It may be considered expensive compared to other solutions like CentOS or Ubuntu, which offer some of the same features without additional costs.
Its pricing has room for improvement because it's more expensive in the local market due to purchasing power parity in India.
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a nine out of ten.
The tool is expensive.
I have a university license, so I do not pay anything for Windows 11.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
Syed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewer
PK
MukeshKumar5 - PeerSpot reviewerMilos Maryska - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is renowned for its stability, automation, and scalability, making it ideal for enterprises and governments.
Windows 11 users appreciate its seamless setup, performance, integration with Office, security, multitasking, and enhanced resilience features.
It also has strong security features, is OIS and FIPS certified, and has built-in Linux security configurations.
There is also no downtime.
The operating system allows for the simple addition of kernels, modules, and other applications, making it highly adaptable to various needs.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
The standout feature, known as the Linux App System Forwarded, enables the use of Linux commands within the Windows environment.
The tool's most valuable feature is its stability.
Windows is one of the best operating systems an enterprise or user can use.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
Siphosethu Ndebele - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2641572 - PeerSpot reviewerAkram Zaki Hussein - PeerSpot reviewer
MA
MukeshKumar5 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Categories and Ranking

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
1st
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
364
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows 11
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
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 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 8.6%, down from 11.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 11 is 8.0%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)8.6%
Windows 118.0%
Other83.4%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Bruce Lundberg - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable patch management, high uptime, and incredible knowledge base
In terms of security, it does a lot of things that most people still turn off. SELinux is turned on by default. They have pretty good firewall rules in their defaults. The audit rules always take tweaking, but, overall, it comes out of the box not too bad. I used to write scripts to harden them from there. There are multiple ways to provision and patch. You have everything from local repositories to doing it by hand. Their knowledge base is incredible. There is so much information out there. It has never taken me longer than 30 minutes to find an answer to anything, even very tough ones. One company I worked for was a security company, and we did a lot of patching on everything. It was designed around security and email hosting, and uptime was pretty much whatever we wanted it to be. I have had a couple of times when the uptime was bad, but it was caused by a third-party solution. In fact, the Norton antivirus was definitely the worst. Red Hat had nothing to do with it.
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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…
Read full review
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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…
Read full review
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
8%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
University
9%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business84
Midsize Enterprise47
Large Enterprise249
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business12
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise24
 

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...
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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)?
I can say about pricing for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is maybe a two on a scale where ten is a high price.
See all answers
What do you like most about Windows 11?
We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows 11?
There's no difference; Windows 11 is not more expensive than Windows 10 for my institution. I spend £11,000 a year on Microsoft, which is a lot for a school. That £11,000 is for all Microsoft produ...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Windows 11?
I have faced challenges with Windows 11, particularly with a recent Wi-Fi wireless issue. The dot 1.80 update caused Wi-Fi drivers to automatically disconnect, preventing users from connecting to W...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 14% of the time
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Rocky Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Compared 12% of the time
Ubuntu Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Logo
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Compared 9% of the time
Debian vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Logo
Debian vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Compared 2% of the time
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Windows Server vs Windows 11 Logo
Windows Server vs Windows 11
Compared 73% of the time
Ubuntu Linux vs Windows 11 Logo
Ubuntu Linux vs Windows 11
Compared 6% of the time
Kali Linux vs Windows 11 Logo
Kali Linux vs Windows 11
Compared 5% of the time
Fedora Linux vs Windows 11 Logo
Fedora Linux vs Windows 11
Compared 3% of the time
openSUSE Leap vs Windows 11 Logo
openSUSE Leap vs Windows 11
Compared 3% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
September 2025
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reportDownload Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) product report
Buyer's Guide
Windows 11
September 2025
Windows 11 reportDownload Windows 11 product report
 

Also Known As

Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL
No data available
 

Overview

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is recognized for its stability, security, and performance, serving diverse industries with its robust support and seamless cloud deployment capabilities.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides comprehensive server applications across cloud environments, featuring tools like Ansible for enhanced user experience. It integrates OpenShift, Identity Management, and automation, supported by extensive documentation. Users seek easier upgrades, enhanced network virtualization support, and improved live patching.

What are the key features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
  • Stability and Security: RHEL is designed to provide a stable and secure environment, backed by consistent updates.
  • Cloud Deployment: Easily deployable across cloud platforms, enhancing flexibility.
  • Integration with Ansible: Enhances operational efficiency with powerful automation tools.
  • OpenShift and Containerization: Supports modern app development with integrated OpenShift features.
  • Extensive Documentation: Offers comprehensive resources for users to troubleshoot and optimize.
What are the benefits of using Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
  • Reliable Support: Benefit from extensive support options for seamless operation.
  • Enhanced Security: Built-in features ensure data integrity and protection.
  • Increased Flexibility: Suitable for diverse deployment environments, including on-premises and cloud.
  • Operational Efficiency: Tools like automation and cloud navigation improve productivity.
  • Training and Resources: Access to comprehensive training contributes to smoother implementations.

In sectors like finance, telecommunications, and education, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is crucial for running stable, secure systems. Its application spans web servers, data management, and containerization through tools like Kubernetes. Organizations adopt it for on-premises, virtualized, and cloud environments, ensuring robust infrastructure management.

Red Hat

Windows 11 provides a streamlined, user-friendly experience combining enhanced graphics and superior performance. It supports a wide array of tasks from professional work activities to gaming and supports Microsoft Office applications seamlessly.

Windows 11 stands out with its intuitive setup, comprehensive network analytics, and robust security features. It is adopted in production, educational, and development environments for tasks like front-end automation and business processes. Users benefit from improved multitasking capabilities with screen snapping and seamless application integration. The operating system also supports AI initiatives, offering automatic screen recording and advanced animation features.

What key features does Windows 11 offer?
  • User-friendly interface with updated design and stability
  • Seamless Microsoft Office integration
  • Enhanced multitasking support with screen snapping
  • Comprehensive security with Windows Defender
  • AI and animation support including automatic screen recording
  • Improved taskbar and icon grouping for better efficiency
What benefits can users expect from Windows 11?
  • Enhanced productivity through efficient booting
  • Robust security measures to protect sensitive data
  • Valuable performance insights and statistics
  • Intuitive setup process minimizing downtime
  • Strong compatibility with Microsoft Office boosting versatility

Organizations implement Windows 11 in production environments to optimize workflows while educational institutions leverage its features for collaborative learning. Developers use it to streamline coding and testing, benefiting from its automation and multitasking capabilities.

Microsoft
 

Sample Customers

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
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
September 2025
Free Report: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
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