Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

CentOS vs Windows 10 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
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
69
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
4.5
Number of Reviews
281
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

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 Windows 10 is 2.7%, down from 4.2% 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.
Deboprio Dutta - PeerSpot reviewer
Improved security features with gaming enhancements while supporting various features
I understand that Windows 11 supports quite a bit of additional features for people who are, for example, into high-end gaming and the features that support that kind of utility. It's not personally much of a thing for me, however, I've heard about differences between the two operating system versions. To the best of my knowledge, I think Windows 11 brings some AI features for Microsoft Copilot, which probably weren't as integrated into the previous version. There are the occasional bugs and issues that pop up, yet none are significant enough for me to consider a major update. Overall, it's a smooth experience.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward and not complex, especially if you are familiar with CLI."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is that it is easy to use."
"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."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"The latest version of this solution has everything built in, making it comprehensive and very easy to use."
"You can work with the UI or in command line, if you prefer."
"There's lots of great documentation available."
"It's less expensive than Red Hat."
"I like the stability, the performance and the ease of use."
"The installation process is pretty easy."
"There is no difficulty in integrating our tool with Windows 10."
"Every new version is always an improvement on the last."
"It's very straightforward. There is virtually no learning curve at all."
"It's a product that is easy to use."
"The solution has good performance and has a good interface."
"The product is user-friendly."
 

Cons

"In the future, CentOS will no longer be compatible with Red Hat."
"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 solution might be discontinued but I hope that IBM will continue to develop it and improve on the functionally and features."
"CentOS can be somewhat difficult for beginners, as it has a complex UI, especially for those not in the IT field."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"The product lacks a graphical user interface that can help users automate certain systems using the native features offered by CentOS."
"CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."
"We are aware that the licensing has shifted, and it's not a change we've liked."
"While it is already a stable product, it can be improved."
"The solution's resource usage for the user could be improved."
"There are a lot of frequent updates. They can reduce the number of updates and combine them into one monthly update. It also uses a lot of RAM and CPU, which should be fixed."
"Microsoft must realize that it's operating in Africa. We cannot pay US dollars. For the cost of Microsoft Windows 10, it's just not affordable for the majority of the population in South Africa. Who's going to spend that amount of money when people are barely affording to live? It's costly."
"Users should be able to access the system remotely."
"The security should be better on the solution."
"The stability could be a bit stronger - if they were going to work on any specific aspect."
"Windows 10 is not so stable sometimes. We've seen bugs before, so we contacted Microsoft technical support and they resolved it."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is free."
"The solution is open-source and does not have any costs or licensing fees."
"I'm not required to pay a licensing fee."
"There is no license required for this solution."
"I use the free version."
"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."
"We are using a subscription-based license option for CentOS."
"There are no licensing fees. CentOS is a free solution."
"I don't have a license"
"We already have a license for Windows 10 in our role as Microsoft partners."
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
"There is a license for this solution and it normally comes free with any system."
"The pricing scheme could improve for Windows 10. There is an annual license required for the use of this solution."
"Windows 10 could be less expensive. We have a perpetual license for this solution."
"When we purchase a new machine, it comes with it, and we don't pay separately for the license."
"Windows 10 is expensive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Operating Systems (OS) for Business solutions are best for your needs.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

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%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
University
9%
Educational Organization
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.
What needs improvement with Windows 10?
Performance and slowness are areas that could be improved in Windows 10. Sometimes the system experiences slowdowns. The only issue I face and can remember is related to performance.
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
I use Windows 10 for regular office activities.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

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

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.