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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
7.7
Number of Reviews
118
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.8%, down from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Linux is 9.4%, 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

"I like its stability, performance, and usability."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is that it is easy to use."
"It's easy to install."
"I like the command prompt of CentOS. It's very simple."
"It is a stable soultion."
"The most valuable features of CentOS are it is built from Linux, has good performance, and can we can create scripts. The scripts are you to do minor work automatically."
"The product is free to use."
"The user interface of CentOS is intuitive, we can also use the command prompt."
"The main business advantage is maintaining compliance with Oracle licensing, avoiding non-compliance issues, and license revisions."
"The solution provides the best return on investment."
"It's mostly reliable."
"Oracle Linux for Oracle databases is the top. There's no doubt whatsoever."
"Overall, I rate this solution as the best solution at nine out of ten."
"There is full compatibility with RedHat-based operating systems, in particular Centos, which we widely deployed before Oracle Linux (OL)."
"The performance is good and the solution has been stable."
"The configuration with Oracle database and Oracle Center databases is easy."
 

Cons

"The YUM install manager can be improved. It is below average as compared to the other install managers. This is the only major problem that I see with CentOS. They should reduce dependency on the YUM manager."
"The solution might be discontinued but I hope that IBM will continue to develop it and improve on the functionally and features."
"I would like to see more frequent updates."
"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."
"CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."
"Continuous deployment is the only thing that can be improved."
"In the future, CentOS will no longer be compatible with Red Hat."
"I have had a tough time with the product's scalability, making it an area where improvements are required."
"The tool’s user interface needs to improve."
"Oracle Linux, needs to support more packages."
"Pricing could be improved."
"The download speed is not good. Oracle can improve their servers capacity, especially in Asia."
"It does not have any reporting on attempted intrusions."
"It could be more scalable."
"What we found in moving from Oracle Linux 6 to Oracle Linux 7 was the whole interfacing with the application and the fact that operating had all changed, all the commands had changed. You need to be aware that there is some kind of training, some kind of handover required for your technical guys, understanding different ways of interacting with it. Bear that in mind."
"The product's support is expensive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"CentOS is an open source that is free of cost."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"The solution is free of cost to use."
"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."
"There are no costs for CentOS, it is open-source."
"The solution is not subscription-based, unlike Red Hat."
"There is no license required for this solution."
"The solution is open source."
"Oracle Linux license and support are far more expensive than Red Hat or SUSE."
"There is a license required for this solution and we are on an annual license."
"We have a yearly license, and I think Oracle charges too much."
"The licensing is expensive."
"The product's pricing is cheap. The tool's pricing is yearly."
"The price of Oracle Linux could be less expensive for those who are running a small freelance company, such as I do. We use the solution fully but the income that you're receiving is slow."
"The licensing cost is expensive. It should be reduced by at least half."
"The solution has no fees."
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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
17%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
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.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.