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SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 16, 2025

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

SUSE Linux Enterprise
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
32
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubuntu Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
150
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 6.9%, down from 8.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 12.2%, down from 20.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Naveen Venugopal - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient IT management with crucial automatic updates but needs developer-friendly configuration
Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations. Some kernels will not fit with some packages, and this aspect could be improved. Furthermore, the system's rigidity when updating packages and services needs improvement. Additionally, there should be more loosely bound functionalities to improve developer experience.
PrashantSharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Performs efficiently but requires overcoming a learning curve
There are many differences between Ubuntu Linux and Windows as they are totally different systems. You need to have more knowledge about Linux before using Ubuntu Linux. Although it is designed as a desktop system, basic knowledge is still required. Windows can be used by any layman, which is the main difference. I do not know much about security breaches or potential issues. The Wi-Fi and wireless capabilities work perfectly fine. Excluding the learning curve, I would rate it a 10. However, considering the learning curve, I would give it a six or seven. My advice would be to have patience. Overall rating: 10 out of 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable features of the solution are patching and the BTRFS file system."
"The return on investment has been significant, especially considering its cost-effectiveness compared to other solutions."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the installation part...We don't face any issues related to the operating system or application."
"Linux is easy to use. You have more control on a Unix system."
"It's a flexible solution."
"The main feature is that Linux is flexible to work with for most web-based applications."
"The operating system is efficient in terms of security."
"The technical support services are good."
"Ubuntu Linux is easy to start, and MicroK8s is easy to deploy. Plug into the back-end storage and networking is also easy. It is good to start with 3-4 nodes, but hard to scale. For production grades like 20 or 100 nodes, we go with the RedHat for on-premise."
"There are many features I like about this solution, but one that stands out, is that it allows me to easily install new packages and to have recent packages available."
"One of the best features of Ubuntu Linux is that if I need something, I just download it."
"The setup is fairly easy."
"Ubuntu Linux has the advantage of performance. It runs very quickly."
"It's offered as open-source, and therefore does not cost anything to use."
"This open source operating system promotes very secure environments with less possibility of being attacked. Support for this system is great because of its quick SLA."
"It is easy to use, performs great, and is stable and scalable."
 

Cons

"Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations."
"The solution could be more stable."
"I would appreciate the product's future releases being lighter and operating more efficiently on smaller systems."
"If you want to do something simple like changing an IP number, you have to be quite aware of all the configuration files where you will change that."
"I don't like the frequency of updates, especially if they're only from the vendor."
"The solution has to be fine-tuned with better documentation."
"Compared with the competition, of late actually, the solution has increased its pricing tremendously."
"I have not seen an ROI with this solution."
"The user interface could be improved, as it looks a little bit older."
"It could always be a bit more secure."
"On the desktop edition, we'd like more themes."
"The documentation is very poor."
"The solution's initial setup is complex, and its technical support is not very good."
"I do not think Ubuntu Linux has a robust documentation library."
"When you upgrade the core of this operating system, it can crash. This is the only problem I had. It needs more stable upgrades."
"Ubuntu could be improved with more container integration and orchestration of those containers. We are looking to have more cloud-based solutions, like Docker, and container-based solutions, or Kubernetes-based solutions integrated with Ubuntu. Instead of going for VMs, we would like to have more container-based solutions on top of Ubuntu."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of SUSE Linux Enterprise could be cheaper. Other solutions, such as"
"The product is expensive. We purchase its yearly license."
"The price is reasonable."
"As far as licensing goes, there is nothing unusual here. The price and model have worked fine for my organization."
"SUSE Linux Enterprise is reasonably priced compared to other operating systems. I find it's a much better option for us than Oracle, for example, because of the pricing structure. The pricing is easier to explain to clients and makes it easier to get clients' commitment. The licensing is also simpler to manage and keep track of. Their responsiveness is great - they give feedback very quickly when we ask questions about licensing or other aspects. This helps ensure we're always at the gold standard regarding licensing and everything related to SUSE Linux Enterprise."
"There is a free tier and a paid support tier. If you do not need support, then the solution is free to use. If you need support then there is an option for that as well."
"I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."
"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."
"On a personal level, I'm using the free version."
"Ubuntu Linux is an open-source product that is free to use."
"There is an annual subscription for this solution."
"It's an open-source solution that can be used free of charge."
"Ubuntu Linux is an open-source operating system."
"Ubuntu Linux is free for personal use, including business use."
"It is a free product."
"The solution is free."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
I used the open-source version, so there were no setup costs.
What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The software management side was a bit difficult, especially compared to Ubuntu. The software manager was different, making it challenging to install certain applications. Additionally, I encounter...
Which would you choose - Ubuntu Linux or Oracle Linux?
Ubunto Linux is a complete Linux operating system that is freely available with both community and professional support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very app...
What do you like most about Ubuntu Linux?
It has a good support system for loading databases.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubuntu Linux?
My experience with the pricing for Ubuntu Linux is that I always use the free version, so I never paid for any installations or support.
 

Also Known As

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Air India, Akademicki Szpital Kliniczny (ASK), Allone, Altran, Apollo, ARCHIVA, Asia Innovatory Management School, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, AutoData Norge AS, Baldor Electric, Business Connexion, CASIO, Ciclum Farma, Delta Lloyd, Edumate , HPE,  SAP SE,  Lenovo, BMW, T-Systems, UCX, Turners & Growers, Shenzhen Development Bank, Bosch Group, JK Tyres & Industries, IOCL, European Space Agency, Daimler AG, China Minsheng Banking Corp, Café Coffee Day, Unisys,  Petrochina Company Ltd, Fitch Ratings, ABeam Consulting Co Ltd, Tyro Payments, Rackspace, Pacific Textiles, ...
Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo
Find out what your peers are saying about SUSE Linux Enterprise vs. Ubuntu Linux and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.