CentOS vs Rocky Linux comparison

CentOS and Rocky Linux are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. CentOS is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.9, while Rocky Linux is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3. CentOS holds a 4.6% mindshare in OSB, compared to Rocky Linux’s 15.8% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of CentOS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Rocky Linux users who would recommend it.

CentOS

Read 69 CentOS reviews

6,682 Views
6,682 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Rocky Linux

Read 7 Rocky Linux reviews

13,225 Views
13,225 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

CentOS

Rocky Linux

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

CentOS and Rocky Linux offer robust options for enterprise-level Linux distributions. Based on user reviews, Rocky Linux has the upper hand due to its comprehensive support and feature richness, despite CentOS being favored for deployment ease.

Features: CentOS is noted for its stability, extensive documentation, and suitability for long-term projects. Rocky Linux brings enhanced security features, newer packages, and valuable functionalities for cutting-edge development environments.

Room for Improvement: CentOS users seek better update cycles, modernization of packages, and improved repository updates. Rocky Linux needs better backward compatibility, streamlined migration processes, and easier usability transitions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CentOS wins favor for straightforward deployment and comprehensive support with standardized installation and available troubleshooting help. Rocky Linux compensates for its slightly less user-friendly deployment with highly responsive support and thorough documentation, aiding users needing more guidance.

Pricing and ROI: CentOS offers a cost-effective solution with lower setup costs, appealing to budget-conscious users. Rocky Linux, despite higher initial costs, promises better ROI due to advanced features and robust support.

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

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

July 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 863,901 peers since 2012

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

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Rocky Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

5th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.5

Number of Reviews

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 8.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Rocky Linux is 15.8%, up from 10.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

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.

Read full review

Jetsada Malaisirirat

System Engineer at clusterkit

Enhancements in package management elevate user experience

I have been using Rocky Linux for three or four years. It is used for HPC, online assessments, and Ceph storage The solution is free and open source. The OS choice in my project is quite specific. It is based on customer requirements, as they might want to use Rocky Linux or Ubuntu, depending on…

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Offers useful information and has good compatibility."

"The solution is easy to troubleshoot."

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward and not complex, especially if you are familiar with CLI."

"The most valuable feature is the limited resources the solution uses in operation."

"I find the solution's stability to be the most valuable feature of it since I have been using a virtual machine with the help of the solution since 2015, and it still works on all the laptops in my organization."

"CentOS's most valuable features are that it's cost-saving and helps to scale down your usage."

"It is better than Ubuntu Linux."

"It’s scalable."

More CentOS pros

"I haven't needed to use customer service or support, which speaks volumes about their product's reliability and ease of use."

"The custom install scripts streamline the setup process, making it straightforward."

"It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its stability."

"It helps us keep our workstations in sync and ensures consistent settings across most of our machines."

"The solution is free and open source."

Cons

"I would like to see more frequent updates."

"We are aware that the licensing has shifted, and it's not a change we've liked."

"In the future, CentOS will no longer be compatible with Red Hat."

"As an open-source solution, there isn't much technical support."

"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."

"The stability could always be improved."

"The price could be better. They could add more drivers in terms of peripherals and other things. Add more drivers for the Linux specifications in the next release. Right now, they are just pushing to have more drivers for Windows instead of Linux."

"The performance could stand improvement."

More CentOS cons

"The package versions can be quite older compared to other distributions such as Ubuntu."

"The solution's audio integration for virtual machines could be improved."

"In terms of improvement, Rocky Linux needs to clarify its identity and target audience."

"I have certain problems with the tool's DNS part, making it an area where improvements are required."

"Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort."

"One of the potential issues is that if you don't pay for support, you may need to manage certain aspects on your own and rely on the community for assistance."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are using a subscription-based license option for CentOS."

"This is an open source solution."

"CentOS is an open-source tool."

"CentOS is a free solution."

"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."

"There are no costs for CentOS, it is open-source."

"It is open-source, which means it is a free product. It has a one-time deployment cost."

"CentOS is free."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

"The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a three."

"Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Operating Systems (OS) for Business solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

863,901 professionals have used our research since 2012.

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…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

11%

University

11%

Educational Organization

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...

See all answers

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 do you like most about Rocky Linux?

It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Rocky Linux?

If I find something which is strong with virtualization with Rocky Linux, it's an alternative that I can study and spend time learning about, trying it, making tests, validating, and perhaps ultima...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Rocky Linux?

I am responsible for virtualization and networking, and other services related to the systems including Linux and Windows, but the security part is actually the responsibility of the French team in...

See all answers

Comparisons

Oracle Linux vs CentOS

Compared 34% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 11% of the time

Kali Linux vs CentOS

Compared 9% of the time

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Solaris vs CentOS

Compared 2% of the time

More CentOS Competitors

Fedora Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 25% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 24% of the time

Oracle Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 12% of the time

Debian vs Rocky Linux

Compared 12% of the time

Windows 11 vs Rocky Linux

Compared 1% of the time

More Rocky Linux Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CentOS

July 2025

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

Rocky Linux

July 2025

Download Rocky Linux product report

Overview

CentOS is a versatile operating system with many use cases, including virtual spaces, scientific computing, data center servers, web-based applications, and more. Its valuable features include customization options, low memory consumption, performance, scalability, open-source nature, cost-saving, and compatibility with Red Hat packages.

The solution has helped organizations save money on licensing and improve testing capabilities for new implementations without spending additional resources. CentOS is a stable, reliable, and efficient operating system that is easy to use and integrate with other applications and services.

CentOS

Rocky Linux is a robust and secure enterprise-grade operating system designed as a drop-in replacement for CentOS. Its primary use case is to provide a stable and reliable platform for organizations to run their critical workloads and applications.

The most valuable functionality of Rocky Linux lies in its compatibility with CentOS, ensuring a seamless transition for organizations already using CentOS. It offers long-term support, regular security updates, and a predictable release cycle, providing stability and reliability for mission-critical systems.

Rocky Linux helps organizations by offering a free and open-source alternative to CentOS, which was discontinued by Red Hat. It allows businesses to continue using their existing CentOS-based infrastructure without the need for costly migrations or vendor lock-in. With its strong community support and active development, Rocky Linux ensures a sustainable and community-driven future for CentOS users.

Moreover, Rocky Linux is built with security in mind, providing robust features like SELinux and secure defaults. This helps organizations protect their data and systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

Rocky Linux

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

July 2025

Free Report: CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Rocky Linux and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

863,901 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our CentOS vs. Rocky Linux report.

See our list of best Operating Systems (OS) for Business vendors.

We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.