CentOS vs openSUSE Leap comparison

CentOS and openSUSE are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. CentOS is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.8, while openSUSE is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.0. CentOS holds a 4.6% mindshare in OSB, compared to openSUSE’s 6.2% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of CentOS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of openSUSE users who would recommend it.

CentOS

Read 69 CentOS reviews

6,128 Views
6,128 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

openSUSE Leap

Read 6 openSUSE Leap reviews

5,561 Views
5,561 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

CentOS

openSUSE Leap

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 3, 2025

CentOS and openSUSE Leap are two robust Linux distributions competing primarily in the server and desktop operating system space. CentOS appears to have an upper hand in stable environments due to its adherence to standards and low resource consumption, while openSUSE Leap stands out with advanced snapshot capabilities and virtualization support.

Features: CentOS is known for its exceptional stability, low resource consumption, and compatibility with Red Hat, making it ideal for environments requiring consistent application deployment. It offers extensive hardware support and is well-regarded for its community-driven ecosystem. openSUSE Leap features the BTRFS file system for advanced snapshot management. It also supports virtualization, providing robust performance for server and desktop use. Moreover, it benefits from a backend derived from FreeBSD, ensuring reliability and stability.

Room for Improvement: CentOS faces challenges as Red Hat alters its direction, impacting scalability and compatibility. Users see room for improvement in its YUM install manager and support for modern file systems. openSUSE Leap could enhance its GUI functions and documentation to aid users transitioning from Windows environments. It may also improve ease of use for non-technical users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CentOS offers greater flexibility in deployment across on-premises, hybrid, and public cloud environments. Its support relies heavily on community forums and open-source resources. openSUSE Leap primarily finds usage in on-premises environments and similarly relies on community-driven support due to limited direct technical support options.

Pricing and ROI: Both CentOS and openSUSE Leap are open-source and offered free of cost, making them valuable for organizations with limited budgets. CentOS users seeking commercial support can opt for Red Hat licensing, though at a higher cost. openSUSE Leap remains a zero-cost solution, with both distributions offering significant ROI through their reliable operational capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed CentOS vs. openSUSE Leap Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. openSUSE Leap

July 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:

Categories and Ranking

CentOS

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

openSUSE Leap

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

12th

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.6%, down from 8.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of openSUSE Leap is 6.2%, up from 5.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
CentOS	4.6%
openSUSE Leap	6.2%
Other	89.2%

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

Mahender Nirwan

Software developer at TAIGLE LLC

In-depth documentation available and command-line utility works well

One issue I recently faced, but I think it was due to my IT support guys, was that when the server storage gets full, the service crashes. It's very difficult to regain access and stability in that situation. That could be improved. So, the stability might be improved. But I don't think it's a CentOS-level issue. The system administrators need to come up with a solution for that, but I don't think it's CentOS's fault. I haven't done any research [R&D] on this issue. There's one thing for sure. We recently migrated from CentOS 7 to CentOS 9, and it was a bit difficult. For example, updating Windows is simple; you just download it, and it takes about 15-20 minutes. But that's not the case with migrating from CentOS 7 to 9. We had to back up the entire server, launch a new server, and then restore the backup to the new server. We couldn't directly migrate. I think that was a bit of a problem. The setup and updates are not that new in CentOS.

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Nagendra Kavadi

Senior Manager at Cognizant

Provides BTRFS file system, which allows you to take snapshots

I only use the tool for testing purposes on my team, but multiple people use it. We don't make a team effort to install the solution. When it comes to maintenance, we ask our company to buy SUSE Linux Enterprise. My team consists of 13 people. We are currently integrating the solution with Ansible to do some coding. Although not a full-fledged automation, we are integrating the solution with Ansible and executing a couple of playbooks connected to openSUSE Leap. I would recommend the solution to other users looking for an open-source solution. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We used the solution as an operating system."

"CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly."

"It's a good and stable system. It provides everything you need for web servers and database servers."

"The community and knowledge base are very robust."

"The most valuable feature is performance."

"The product is free to use."

"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."

More CentOS pros

"The solution is easy for me to use because the backend is derived from FreeBSD and this is something I have been using for over 20 years."

"openSUSE Leap has helped me with using containers in Podman."

"The most valuable feature by far has been the virtualization capabilities of the operating system."

"The solution is very stable after it is configured. It is hard to have a panel slow, a problem, misconfiguration, or any kind of loss function."

"The solution's most valuable feature is the BTRFS file system, which allows you to take snapshots."

"Stable - it just runs without the necessity to reboot."

Cons

"It is challenging to scale the solution when we have to increase the storage capacity from one end."

"I would like to see more frequent updates."

"In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."

"Like every operating system, it could be more secure."

"This solution is no longer suited to our business following the change they have made to the release process. It is no longer an enterprise solution."

"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."

"The tool has no official support."

"When comparing the GUI of CentOS to Microsoft Windows or Mac, it could improve."

More CentOS cons

"It would be helpful if we could easily switch from openSUSE Leap for testing to SUSE Linux Enterprise for production."

"There is room for improvement in the console."

"Like most Linux-based operating systems, the biggest challenge Leap faces is the GUI."

"I would like openSUSE Leap to have better link integration with Windows."

"In the future, the Active Directory could improve."

"Somehow the change from OS12.x via 13.x to Leap was a bit bumpy and some old issues seemed to reappear."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is not subscription-based, unlike Red Hat."

"The price could be better. The cost depends on how the organization or a specific person licenses it. If you want the free version, there's Ubuntu which is supported by forums. You can pay for the license yearly or pay for a specific version."

"CentOS is an open-source tool."

"CentOS is an expensive solution. There are other solutions that are rated at the top that are not expensive, such as Red Hat."

"This is a free solution."

"It's freeware, so we can use it without worrying about licensing."

"The solution is free of cost to use."

"This is an open source solution."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

"This is an open-source operating system that can be used free of charge."

"The solution is open-source."

"openSUSE Leap is an open-source solution that is free of cost."

"The cost of this solution was reasonable and it was within our budget."

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Comparison Review

it_user281973

Storage and VMware Expert at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees

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…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

17%

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	29
Midsize Enterprise	19
Large Enterprise	23

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

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 CentOS?

CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CentOS?

CentOS is a free product with free updates. There are third-party companies available for support, but they charge varying amounts for their services.

See all answers

What needs improvement with openSUSE Leap?

Both openSUSE Leap and the SUSE Enterprise version use the same kernel. Suppose I have a lower environment where I can run openSUSE to test all my products. It would be helpful if I could easily sw...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for openSUSE Leap?

I use openSUSE Leap for testing purposes. Before officially using any server in our office, we test it using the solution. My office usually uses production servers on the SUSE Linux enterprise ver...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for openSUSE Leap?

openSUSE Leap is an open-source solution that is free of cost.

See all answers

Comparisons

Oracle Linux vs CentOS

Compared 31% of the time

Kali Linux vs CentOS

Compared 12% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 11% of the time

Windows Server vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

Rocky Linux vs CentOS

Compared 5% of the time

More CentOS Competitors

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 26% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 19% of the time

Rocky Linux vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 16% of the time

Fedora Linux vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 10% of the time

Windows 11 vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 4% of the time

More openSUSE Leap Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CentOS

August 2025

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

August 2025

Download openSUSE Leap product report

Also Known As

CentOS 7 (x86_64) - with Updates HVM

No data available

Overview

CentOS offers a stable, secure, and compatible environment with Red Hat packages, providing robust performance and cost efficiency. Its lightweight, scalable design and strong community support make it ideal for handling heavy workloads with limited resources.

CentOS is a popular choice for organizations seeking reliable server and virtualization solutions. Known for its robust stability and security, it offers seamless integration and maintenance. However, after a shift from Red Hat, some challenges emerged, including weak NFS client performance and a more complex interface, which beginners find challenging alongside insufficient documentation. Despite these, CentOS remains a favored option for deploying web applications, server installations, and supporting cloud solutions, thanks to its efficient use in monitoring, databases, and telecommunications.

What are CentOS's key features?

Stability: Maintains a consistent performance, essential for mission-critical environments.
Security: Offers robust safeguards, aligning with Red Hat's trusted security packages.
Compatibility: Seamlessly integrates with Red Hat ecosystems, enhancing versatility.
Cost Efficiency: Open-source approach reduces expenses compared to proprietary systems.
Community Support: Access to extensive resources and assistance from a dedicated user base.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Performance: Efficient resource management even under heavy workloads.
Integration Ease: Smooth integration with existing IT infrastructures.
Scalability: Ability to grow with changing requirements, supporting diverse applications.
Flexibility: Adaptable to a wide range of industries and use cases.
Reliability: Trusted for critical operations and consistent service delivery.

CentOS is widely used in industries requiring robust infrastructure, such as web hosting, scientific computing, and telecommunications. In data centers, companies deploy it to support virtual environments, testing, and development. The OS powers business applications, email servers, and cloud solutions, offering a cost-effective alternative to Red Hat.

CentOS

openSUSE Leap is a brand new way of building openSUSE and is new type of hybrid Linux distribution. Leap uses source from SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), which gives Leap a level of stability unmatched by other Linux distributions, and combines that with community developments to give users, developers and sysadmins the best stable Linux experience available. Contributor and enterprise efforts for Leap bridge a gap between matured packages and newer packages found in openSUSE’s other distribution Tumbleweed.

openSUSE

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. openSUSE Leap

July 2025

Free Report: CentOS vs. openSUSE Leap

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