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CentOS vs Windows 11 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
Windows 11
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.5%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 11 is 8.0%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Windows 118.0%
CentOS4.5%
Other87.5%
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.
Pmurki@Micron.Com Praveen - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to use, stable product and improve productivity
We use our laptops with Windows only. We use it for everything. For the last 20 years, my entire career, I've been using Windows only. Office 365 will be extensively used, along with other tools from Office 365 Everything is good. It's easy to use. It supports AI initiatives. Like we use…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's a good and stable system. It provides everything you need for web servers and database servers."
"The solution is productive."
"The most valuable feature is that it is compatible with RedHat."
"The community and knowledge base are very robust."
"There are a lot of sources on the internet that you can use to solve any issues, and people share their experiences. It's not a closed system"
"You can work with the UI or in command line, if you prefer."
"The vendor updates the tool regularly to solve vulnerabilities."
"The user access level is most valuable. When you do administration with CentOS, the number of customizations that you can do for each user is higher than other solutions. It is very customizable."
"I use the solution for a normal home office."
"The tool is user-friendly. It is easy to use, and we have many applications like Excel and Word where we can do spreadsheet work."
"It is a stable solution."
"We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations."
"It has helped with analytics."
"It is a stable solution."
"Windows 11 is very user-friendly and has improved user interactivity compared to Windows 10."
"The tool is very stable and I don't recall a time the screen went blue which was common for Windows 7. The product's installation is fast. If I have any issue that prevents me from booting Windows 11, it will automatically run into auto-repair mode and fix those issues. Windows 10 had this functionality but it wasn't good."
 

Cons

"I would like the integration to be more secure."
"In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."
"CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."
"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."
"CentOS NetworkManager is an area of concern in the solution that needs improvement, and it is the same with other products from Red Hat."
"If a proper GUI-based tool was connected remotely or on the machine, it could be a great addition to CentOS."
"I was using CentOS because it was very stable, and now it's not."
"Windows 11 needs to improve its pricing."
"Windows 11 needs to improve the speed with which it loads programs"
"I have noticed a difference in audio option."
"The solution's stability can be improved."
"The solution must improve its aesthetics."
"Sometimes the Windows 11 system hangs, and its stability could be improved."
"Whenever there is an update, a black screen appears which is due to patches being installed in the background."
"The Android subscription does not support all devices. It should be extended to all devices."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source."
"CentOS is free."
"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs involved."
"We are using a subscription-based license option for CentOS."
"This is an open source solution."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"Once you buy the license, Linux will provide you with yearly or monthly patches, so your systems will be scalable for a long time."
"For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license."
"The licensing cost is high."
"It is expensive."
"Windows 11 is not an expensive solution."
"The tool's price is high and I would rate it a nine out of ten."
"My machine came with a Windows 10 license and I upgraded to Windows 11 without paying anything. If you buy a new computer, Windows 11 is included with it."
"I rate the tool's pricing an eight to nine out of ten."
"We pay for a yearly license for Windows 11."
"I'm not directly involved in the financial aspects, but based on feedback from colleagues, Microsoft is flexible with pricing and addressing other licensing needs."
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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
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
University
9%
Government
7%
 

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 Business12
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise24
 

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 do you like most about Windows 11?
We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows 11?
There's no difference; Windows 11 is not more expensive than Windows 10 for my institution. I spend £11,000 a year on Microsoft, which is a lot for a school. That £11,000 is for all Microsoft produ...
What needs improvement with Windows 11?
I have faced challenges with Windows 11, particularly with a recent Wi-Fi wireless issue. The dot 1.80 update caused Wi-Fi drivers to automatically disconnect, preventing users from connecting to W...
 

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 11 and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,202 professionals have used our research since 2012.