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CentOS vs Oracle Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

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
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
69
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
119
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.6%, down from 8.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Linux is 8.8%, down from 15.2% 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.
Thomas Waltair - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides outstanding performance and resource savings with effective customer service
The solution works closely with the operating system kernel, which gives better performance in terms of multi-threading and a distributed database. We work based on Oracle specifications, and whenever there are critical patches and vulnerability tests, we update with the latest security patches. The collaboration with Oracle WebLogic and other Oracle tools enhances performance as well.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The pricing is good. We pay a minimal fee."
"It is better than Ubuntu Linux."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is that it is easy to use."
"There's lots of great documentation available."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"The product is very efficient when it comes to virtualization."
"CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported."
"It’s a simple, straightforward implementation."
"Oracle Linux has fulfilled all my requirements so far. It has very advanced features, especially the latest product for this Oracle in a cloud infrastructure."
"We don't have any failing cases. Oracle releases regular hot patches, so we don't have many difficulties."
"Oracle Linux for Oracle databases is the top. There's no doubt whatsoever."
"I find everything useful about Oracle Linux, as we are currently using Finance, Material Management, and Supply Chain."
"The main business advantage is maintaining compliance with Oracle licensing, avoiding non-compliance issues, and license revisions."
"I find the stability to be excellent as the system manages outages effectively."
"Very stable."
"The solution runs very well on inter-platform or HPE Intel servers."
 

Cons

"The solution could be more scalable."
"We occasionally have issues with software installation."
"CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."
"The server system is a little bit tough to manage."
"When comparing the GUI of CentOS to Microsoft Windows or Mac, it could improve."
"If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."
"If a proper GUI-based tool was connected remotely or on the machine, it could be a great addition to CentOS."
"They could build more options into the wizard."
"Kernel updates need improvement."
"Our level of expertise is not high enough. I had to find someone experienced with Oracle Linux since Windows is easier to learn, and most people have hands-on experience with it."
"The area of Oracle Linux that needs improvement is related to updates. If they have updates, it should update itself without logging out your services."
"We'd like it if it was a bit more secure."
"The solution could improve by giving the client or customer more control."
"Oracle Linux, needs to support more packages."
"It could be easier to reach a higher support level."
"The solution can be improved by making it more user-friendly for basic users to reduce the time it takes to learn the commands and to reduce the dependencies that come with the OS so the deployment time can be reduced."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Once you buy the license, Linux will provide you with yearly or monthly patches, so your systems will be scalable for a long time."
"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."
"There is no license required for this solution."
"For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license."
"There are no licensing fees. CentOS is a free solution."
"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"We are not paying anything for the operating system."
"The licensing is expensive."
"The price of Oracle Linux overall could be less expensive."
"Oracle Linux license and support are far more expensive than Red Hat or SUSE."
"Oracle Linux is very cheap at this time."
"The pricing and licensing are good."
"Nowadays, Oracle is very open toward price negotiation; they negotiate well with their clients"
"The solution is free to use with a support subscription rather than having to buy licenses."
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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
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
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 stability, and also lots of features. I specifically like that the solution has fe...
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 varying amounts for their services.
How does Oracle Linux compare with Solaris?
When comparing Oracle Linux and Solaris, I believe that Linux is more secure and more flexible. It is also very suitable for enterprises that are already Oracle solution users. I found Linux to be ...
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...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Oracle Enterprise Linux
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
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Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Oracle Linux and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
859,957 professionals have used our research since 2012.