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CentOS vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 3, 2025

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
69
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubuntu Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
150
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

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 Ubuntu Linux is 11.9%, down from 19.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ubuntu Linux11.9%
CentOS4.6%
Other83.5%
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.
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

"The product offers a free community-based version."
"The solution is easy to troubleshoot."
"The most valuable feature is performance."
"Setting up CentOS is straightforward, and you simply boot from a CD to get started."
"It has all the features of Red Hat, but you don't have to pay for the subscription."
"Offers useful information and has good compatibility."
"You can work with the UI or in command line, if you prefer."
"The solution is extremely stable."
"It is more powerful because you have more control over it."
"The tool is stable. It can automate the updates like Microsoft."
"Overall, I rate this solution ten out of ten."
"The most valuable features of Ubuntu Linux are it is user-friendly, has plenty of features that you can develop and builds your own code. Additionally, it is secure and easy to operate."
"The solution is more secure than competitors such as Microsoft Windows."
"The solution is stable."
"The tools we are using for this project are compatible with this solution."
"The solution has high fantastic performance."
 

Cons

"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly."
"The tool has no official support."
"It is challenging to scale the solution when we have to increase the storage capacity from one end."
"The solution could be more scalable."
"The price of CentOS could improve."
"In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."
"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."
"CentOS removed long-term support, and version releases every two to three years are not ideal for production environments because they necessitate frequent updates."
"Ubuntu should create some specific features, like Red Hat. Red Hat has provided many features for open-source, like FreeIPA."
"The migration part when migrating an application or one version of Ubuntu Linux to another is quite hectic. During the process, one or many applications might crash."
"I think Ubuntu is not that secure."
"If the user interface were further improved then it would be better because more people would be able to use it."
"There are certain shortcomings related to the product's frequency of updates. From an improvement perspective, my company expects the solution to offer less frequent updates."
"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly."
"The repository needs to be kept up to date all of the time."
"Ease of use and ease of deployment could still be improved in this system."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no license required for this solution."
"It's free."
"We are using a subscription-based license option for CentOS."
"The solution is open source."
"The solution is not subscription-based, unlike Red Hat."
"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"I'm not required to pay a licensing fee."
"CentOS is an expensive solution. There are other solutions that are rated at the top that are not expensive, such as Red Hat."
"I use the free version, so I don't have any license fees."
"We don't pay a licensing fee for the solution."
"It's an open source solution, but you can make donations if you'd like to."
"We are using Ubuntu Linux free of cost, and there is no licensing."
"On a personal level, I'm using the free version."
"Ubuntu Linux is free for personal use, including business use."
"There is an annual subscription for this solution."
"Ubuntu Linux is more affordable than its competitors."
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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%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise23
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business83
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise53
 

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.
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...
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 installations or support.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

CentOS 7 (x86_64) - with Updates HVM
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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 CentOS vs. Ubuntu Linux and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
867,349 professionals have used our research since 2012.