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Amazon Linux vs Docker on CentOS comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
4.8
Amazon Linux boosts ROI with cost savings, improved performance, scalability, rapid deployment, and enhanced AWS integration ensuring reliability.
Sentiment score
4.1
Docker on CentOS leads to 60% savings with improved deployment times, reduced costs, and increased team productivity.
With Amazon Linux, selecting and launching instances on a public cloud provider means the machine spins up in fewer than ten seconds, making it efficient.
Cloud Solution Engineer at a outsourcing company with 10,001+ employees
By switching the compute fleet from a paid distribution to Amazon Linux, we have reduced our OS-related overhead cost by 100%.
System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Some wins commonly seen after switching, particularly when moving from general-purpose distributions such as Ubuntu, include approximately twenty to forty percent better price-performance ratio.
configuration and management deployment at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Previously, it took us about a week to deploy, but now we can deploy our entire app in one or two days.
Senior Engineer at a tech consulting company with 501-1,000 employees
A team of five is now able to manage the whole orchestration, the development, and the DevOps completely, which improved the delivery process.
Software Development Manager at Superior Information System
We saw improvements such as less troubleshooting time, faster onboarding, more stable automation, better parallel execution, and cleaner CI/CD execution logs.
Senior Technical Lead QA at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.3
Amazon Linux support is highly rated for its fast response, knowledgeable engineers, and comprehensive documentation and resources.
Sentiment score
4.4
Docker on CentOS rarely requires customer service due to excellent documentation, community support, and readily available online resources.
Amazon has the best expertise and they are available 24/7.
IT Analyst | Aws Cloud Ops | Dev Ops | Fin Ops at Tata Consultancy
Timely and helpful responses for performance, updates, or AWS integration issues.
QA Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
It offers specific advantages and constraints depending on the use case.
Cloud Architect at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
We purchase the software and product from them, so when I have an issue with Red Hat or Docker on CentOS or Kubernetes, I create a ticket with the partner who works directly with the respective teams.
Solution engineer at Vijatech
Most things can be easily found as resources online to help resolve those issues.
Network &Security Engineer at Natioanal Drug Authority Uganda
The customer support for Docker on CentOS is excellent, as there are very good community forums.
Senior Engineer at a tech consulting company with 501-1,000 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Amazon Linux efficiently scales workloads via AWS integration, offering reliable performance and quick response to traffic spikes.
Sentiment score
5.1
Docker on CentOS provides seamless scalability and adaptability, supporting efficient deployment and workload management across instances with ease.
Since it is tightly integrated with AWS services, I can easily scale instances up or down based on demand using EC2 auto-scaling and load balancing.
Technical Team Lead - Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Its real scalability comes from its seamless integration with AWS tools like CloudFormation, Auto Scaling, and user data scripts, which allow me to deploy and configure hundreds of identical ready-to-use instances automatically.
Student at Unemployed at the moment
The beauty here is that we can scale it immediately, which also saves cost.
IT Analyst | Aws Cloud Ops | Dev Ops | Fin Ops at Tata Consultancy
if we need more resources, we can just spin up a new Docker image, so scalability is good.
Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
If you have good hardware, you can scale Docker on CentOS as required.
Devops Engineer at EDAG
When we talk about scalability, it is not infinite, but for the types of projects we do, I think it is quite scalable.
Chief Technology Officer at iFoxCode
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.5
Amazon Linux offers exceptional stability, reliability, and security, seamlessly integrating with AWS services for highly available, resilient performance.
Sentiment score
8.0
Docker on CentOS offers stability and high performance, despite lifecycle changes and minor compatibility issues, requiring fewer resources than VMs.
Combined with AWS managed infrastructure, it provides enterprise-grade reliability suitable for production workloads.
Software Engineer at INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
Since it is purpose-built for the cloud, it lacks the bloat of traditional desktop-focused distributions, which leads to fewer crashes and higher uptime.
System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Compared to other Linux distributions, Amazon Linux is significantly more stable for AWS workloads because it is pre-optimized for EC2 hypervisor and includes integrated AWS tools out of the box.
FullStack Developer at EnactOn Technologies
Docker on CentOS is not stable anymore because it is not actively being maintained.
Cloud Ops Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
I experienced no conflicts during updates, maintaining the 140 TPS targets effectively.
Senior Software Engineeer at Charter Communications
I usually do not face any troubles with spinning up containers or spend time troubleshooting.
Senior developer at a tech vendor with 1-10 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Amazon Linux enhancements focus on documentation, package availability, migration support, and improved usability for broader adoption and engagement.
Docker on CentOS requires improved documentation, security, network management, and better lifecycle and orchestration post-CentOS deprecation.
Documentation explaining the differences between Ubuntu and Amazon Linux would be valuable.
full stack developer at 71Lbs
Since we are working in a real-time manner and need to scale things immediately, the time it takes to boot an instance and then deploy things is preventing me from giving it a perfect rating.
Senior Data Engineer at a transportation company with 501-1,000 employees
My advice for others looking into using Amazon Linux is to make sure the command line is easy and that Amazon Linux has more performance than other Linux environments and is more secure than other Linux environments as well.
DevOps Engineer at Wissen infotech
Needed improvements for Docker on CentOS include better POC, searching techniques, and leveraging AI because AI can provide insights into standard practices, compliance, user specifications, security, logging, monitoring, and isolation.
Lead DevSecOps Engineer & Founder of Spiderthings Solutions at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Docker on CentOS could benefit from images that we can create or have, for example, just a module based on Portainer or some UI interface to create the containers automatically or create some internal APIs to make it easier to configure this by Terraform.
Software Developer at Marra Moncks Informatica
A guided diagnostic tool for CentOS would be very useful, checking repositories, kernel compatibility, firewall rules, the overlay, Docker daemon status, and container resource usage.
Senior Technical Lead QA at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Amazon Linux offers cost-effective, scalable solutions without licensing fees, making it a budget-friendly choice for enterprises.
Enterprise users find Docker on CentOS cost-effective, enhancing long-term savings despite initial configuration expenses and potential cloud costs.
With Amazon Linux itself, there is no cost associated with using it, so I would say it is very good from a pricing perspective.
Cloud Ops Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
If I am a new AWS customer, the AWS Free Tier typically includes, for the first six months, micro instances such as t2.micro or t3.micro for free.
Software Engineer at INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
I only pay for the EC2 instance and any other AWS resources I use, but the operating system itself has no licensing fees, which is a significant advantage over commercial operating systems like Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Windows servers, which incur extra hourly charges.
Student at Unemployed at the moment
there is no licensing cost required.
Senior DeevOps Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
There is no cost associated with either Docker or Docker on CentOS. It is completely zero cost.
Senior Cloud Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Docker on CentOS is open source.
Software Development Manager at Superior Information System
 

Valuable Features

Amazon Linux, optimized for AWS, offers robust security, cost-effectiveness, and seamless integration, enhancing deployment confidence and reducing overhead.
Docker on CentOS streamlines deployment with efficient, scalable container management, portability, and integration, enhancing workflows and reducing costs.
Amazon Linux handles this automatically. It is optimized for EC2, AWS hardware and software, mostly secure and stable, and there is no additional cost.
IT Analyst | Aws Cloud Ops | Dev Ops | Fin Ops at Tata Consultancy
In terms of service security, there are many constraint security protocols and policies that help me create our own networks, security groups, and inline policies.
Software Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Amazon Linux's security updates have been helpful in general because I have had to be more specific in using the Identity Access Management (IAM) service so that we can have role-based permissions in preference to just keeping it open.
Fullstack Developer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
It also ensures a consistent environment where applications will work on every machine, not just the developer's machine, and offers resource efficiency, such as no full OS per application, allowing me to share my infrastructure with multiple containers and applications.
Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Docker on CentOS has positively impacted my organization by making testing easier. I do not have to install older versions of applications and then make my system or service study.
Senior DeevOps Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Docker's lightweight architecture on CentOS significantly affects my resource utilization in a beneficial way.
Cyber Security Architects at VaporVM
 

Categories and Ranking

Amazon Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
14th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Docker on CentOS
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
18th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
5.0
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Amazon Linux is 1.7%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Docker on CentOS is 0.4%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Amazon Linux1.7%
Docker on CentOS0.4%
Other97.9%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Saurab Gnagurde - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Analyst | Aws Cloud Ops | Dev Ops | Fin Ops at Tata Consultancy
“Amazon Linux delivers automated security updates— including live kernel patching in AL2023—ensuring protected workloads with minimal manual effort and zero-downtime patching.”
One improvement for Amazon Linux would be stronger support for running it outside AWS. Although Amazon provides local VM images for VirtualBox and VMware, they are intended mainly for development and testing. Unlike Ubuntu, Debian, or Red Hat, Amazon Linux is not designed or fully supported as a production OS in on-prem or hybrid environments. Expanding official support outside AWS would offer more flexibility for teams that maintain mixed infrastructure. Another area for improvement is the community ecosystem. Compared to Ubuntu or Red Hat, Amazon Linux has a smaller community and fewer third-party resources or tutorials. A larger ecosystem would make troubleshooting and adoption easier. Finally, improving backward compatibility between Amazon Linux 2 and Amazon Linux 2023—especially around package management (DNF vs yum) and updated toolchains—would simplify upgrades for teams managing large fleets.
VV
Senior Software Engineeer at Charter Communications
Containerization has streamlined microservices delivery and ensures consistent hybrid deployments
The capabilities of Docker on CentOS that I have found the most valuable include its use for Spring-based applications, which significantly enhance the value I derive from it. Docker on CentOS is particularly effective for building distributed applications and microservices. Deployments are smooth and easy, and the integration with Kubernetes is seamless. I have successfully managed 80-plus pods clusters, scaling from 80 to 85 with 140 TPS without encountering any issues. Docker on CentOS's lightweight nature allows for flawless development across environments such as dev, stage, and prod. From my perspective, the experience with the deployment of Docker on CentOS is quite positive, especially for the CI/CD pipeline. The architecture overview includes the use of a Git repository and GitLab CI, which facilitates the Docker build for our Spring 3.x Java applications.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
13%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Outsourcing Company
24%
Construction Company
15%
Computer Software Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise15
Large Enterprise20
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise20
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Amazon Linux?
I do not feel there are any major improvements needed for Amazon Linux at this time.
What is your primary use case for Amazon Linux?
Amazon Linux is primarily used for development and operating services. I operated a real estate transaction site and also ran a used car parts sales website on this platform.
What advice do you have for others considering Amazon Linux?
I give Amazon Linux an overall rating of 9 on a scale from 1 to 10. The reason for that score is that it is comparable to general Linux distributions, and in addition, it can be used in good integr...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Docker on CentOS?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Docker on CentOS was that it was very easy. Docker on CentOS is open source.
What needs improvement with Docker on CentOS?
Docker on CentOS could be improved in the configuration parts and the setup part. If there could be a special tool that could easily deploy Docker on CentOS, that would help a lot of the tech commu...
What is your primary use case for Docker on CentOS?
My main use case for Docker on CentOS was to bridge the gap between moving from monolith architecture to self-healing architecture. The team used Docker on CentOS to transition from monolith toward...
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon Linux vs. Docker on CentOS and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,725 professionals have used our research since 2012.