We performed a comparison between CentOS and Windows Server based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: In this comparison, CentOS has a slight edge over Windows Server because it is free whereas Windows Server is considered expensive. Users also favor the technical support they receive from CentOS.
"It's a good and stable system. It provides everything you need for web servers and database servers."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is that it is easy to use."
"It is better than Ubuntu Linux."
"There's lots of great documentation available."
"The latest version of this solution has everything built in, making it comprehensive and very easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is free."
"I like how you can alternate certain things and minimize admin features on there and just let it run on specific scripts. It's nice. Even if I had to put it in a container, I'd still do it. I prefer Linux over Windows any day."
"It helps us install and deploy our applications."
"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is quick with an easy installation and has good troubleshooting compared to Linux or any other operating system."
"What I like about Windows Server is that it is an effective and useful solution for my needs."
"The initial setup is not overly difficult."
"Windows server is easy to use."
"The stability of the Windows Server is good."
"The most valuable features are the ease of access and maintaining the solution."
"We chose Windows Server because it is easy to use, and easy to maintain."
"The installation is not difficult. I found it to be very straightforward."
"Previous versions were unstable."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"They could build more options into the wizard."
"It would be ideal if Red Hat would continue the CentOS versions in an open-source format. They seem to be moving away from that. Now only paid versions are available."
"There is no notification before updates are applied to the solution, which occasionally means that new functionality isn't compatible with how the product is currently being used, and causes issues."
"Like every operating system, it could be more secure."
"CentOS is not easy."
"Lacks sufficient security and some coding tools."
"The solution could improve by increasing security."
"It can have more integration with different platforms."
"The system needs to offer better integration capabilities."
"We've had a few minor compatibility issues."
"One area that needs improvement is the management console."
"The on premises to cloud migration should be easier."
"A typical user will find implementing it on their own difficult."
"There are lots of improvements that can be brought by Microsoft, although for us Windows Server works mostly as expected. For how we're using Windows Server, security is a top priority, so when talking security, it can always be improved upon, no matter what."
CentOS is ranked 5th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 63 reviews while Windows Server is ranked 4th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 180 reviews. CentOS is rated 8.2, while Windows Server is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of CentOS writes "Allows you to securely store data, and command prompts make it simple to use". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Windows Server writes "Easy to setup, stable and caters to my wide range of use cases but lacks user-friendly interface". CentOS is most compared with Oracle Linux, Ubuntu Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), SUSE Linux Enterprise and openSUSE Leap, whereas Windows Server is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Windows 10, Oracle Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise. See our CentOS vs. Windows Server report.
See our list of best Operating Systems (OS) for Business vendors.
We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.