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CentOS vs Ubuntu Linux vs openSUSE Leap 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:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.7%, down from 8.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of openSUSE Leap is 6.3%, up from 5.5% 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

Mahender Nirwan - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
NK
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.
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

"CentOS adapts well to many software and applications, providing good compatibility."
"CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported."
"It has all the features of Red Hat, but you don't have to pay for the subscription."
"If I need to install a feature or fix a server issue, I can easily find answers online. The CentOS community is also vast and helpful."
"Very robust and easy to work with."
"Setup is straightforward. You can complete it in about 30 minutes."
"The product offers a free community-based version."
"CentOS is very efficient and very powerful with many capabilities."
"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."
"Stable - it just runs without the necessity to reboot."
"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."
"The most valuable feature by far has been the virtualization capabilities of the operating system."
"Ubuntu Linux is more secure and has additional security features than some other operating systems."
"The solution is stable."
"The solution is easy to use."
"I strongly recommend Ubuntu Linux to most customers."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is that Linux has cost-effective licenses."
"The solution has high fantastic performance."
"If there is a virus going into the network, it has to pass through an Ubuntu server, which can't be infected by the virus. So, there are less viruses on our systems."
"What makes Ubuntu easy to use is the large set of applications and the interface. The graphical interface is user friendly."
 

Cons

"If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."
"In the future, CentOS will no longer be compatible with Red Hat."
"CentOS NetworkManager is an area of concern in the solution that needs improvement, and it is the same with other products from Red Hat."
"We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it."
"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."
"Previous versions were unstable."
"More security features could be included in the next release."
"They could build more options into the wizard."
"Like most Linux-based operating systems, the biggest challenge Leap faces is the GUI."
"It would be helpful if we could easily switch from openSUSE Leap for testing to SUSE Linux Enterprise for production."
"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."
"There is room for improvement in the console."
"The interface could be more user-friendly."
"The stability definitely can be improved. When we are implementing patches and new releases, it tends to fail."
"While Ubuntu Linux offers flexibility, it can lack support, especially when utilizing new versions."
"The documentation is very poor."
"A problem we have encountered when installing the package is that certain packages are not available, which requires downloading of them on our part."
"Ubuntu could add some additional hardware support."
"The ZFS needs improvement. They do an implementation of the ZFS storage that needs improvement."
"The user interface needs to be more user-friendly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is a free solution."
"I'm not required to pay a licensing fee."
"There are no licensing fees. CentOS is a free solution."
"CentOS is an expensive solution. There are other solutions that are rated at the top that are not expensive, such as Red Hat."
"The solution is free of cost to use."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"It's freeware, so we can use it without worrying about licensing."
"It is open-source, which means it is a free product. It has a one-time deployment cost."
"This is an open-source operating system that can be used free of charge."
"The cost of this solution was reasonable and it was within our budget."
"The solution is open-source."
"openSUSE Leap is an open-source solution that is free of cost."
"Ubuntu Linux is more affordable than its competitors."
"Ubuntu pricing is reasonable."
"On a personal level, I'm using the free version."
"​Old equipment works for at least two or three years more, which means a significant savings.​"
"The solution is open source and its use is included in the monthly fees we pay."
"The solution is free."
"If the customer wants to start, there is no license required. It is all free, but they must purchase the production license."
"There is an annual subscription for this solution."
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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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
17%
Computer Software Company
15%
Educational Organization
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
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

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 st...
What do you like most about CentOS?
CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.
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 va...
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 ca...
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 solu...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for openSUSE Leap?
openSUSE Leap is an open-source solution that is free of cost.
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 suppo...
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 instal...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

CentOS 7 (x86_64) - with Updates HVM
No data available
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Information Not Available
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 Red Hat, Canonical, Oracle and others in Operating Systems (OS) for Business. Updated: July 2025.
865,484 professionals have used our research since 2012.