CentOS vs Windows 11 comparison

CentOS and Microsoft are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. CentOS is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.9, while Microsoft is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.5. CentOS holds a 4.8% mindshare in OSB, compared to Microsoft’s 6.5% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of CentOS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

CentOS

Read 69 CentOS reviews

7,278 Views
7,285 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Windows 11

Read 45 Windows 11 reviews

3,747 Views
3,535 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

CentOS

Windows 11

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

CentOS and Windows 11 are competing in the operating system category. CentOS has the upper hand for its cost-effectiveness and performance, while Windows 11 is favored for its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface.

Features: CentOS is known for reliability, stability, and robustness in server environments. Windows 11 offers modern features, enhanced security, and widespread application compatibility.

Room for Improvement: CentOS requires better graphical support, improved system compatibility, and enhanced user interface experience. Windows 11 needs to address high resource usage, improve compatibility with older hardware, and optimize performance for diverse configurations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CentOS has a simple deployment process with strong community support but limited direct customer service. Windows 11 provides a guided installation process with comprehensive official support services.

Pricing and ROI: CentOS has lower setup costs and a cost-effective model, leading to a higher ROI in server deployments. Windows 11, despite higher setup costs, offers advanced features and professional support, providing good ROI for those needing a feature-rich environment.

To learn more, read our detailed CentOS vs. Windows 11 Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Windows 11

June 2025

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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

Windows 11

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

10th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

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 Windows 11 is 6.5%, up from 0.8% 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.

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Pmurki@Micron.Com Praveen

VP & GM, Client Storage at Micron Technology

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…

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The pricing is good. We pay a minimal fee."

"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"

"The solution is easy to use but not as easy as Windows."

"The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward."

"It’s scalable."

"Setup is straightforward. You can complete it in about 30 minutes."

"The solution is stable and reliable."

"Very robust and easy to work with."

More CentOS pros

"Windows 11 is now more stable and doesn't crash like its earlier versions."

"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."

"Quick Assist is a valuable feature."

"The search bar and graphic user interface (GUI) are my most valuable features."

"The security features in Windows 11 are always being updated."

"Windows 11 is an easy-to-use solution."

"We are migrating from Windows 10 to Windows 11 due to end-of-life, security concerns, and end-of-support. The tool's configuration is good and we are satisfied with it since it's a Microsoft product. We didn't face any hurdles in using the tool. We didn't feel much difference with both Windows products. The solution is good because in IT we want to secure our data. Nowadays, data is the most valuable thing. If your data is secured, then you are secured. I think that everyone has to move to Windows 11 since Windows 10 is facing end-of-life and end-of-sales, probably by 2024."

"The graphics of Windows 11 are awesome."

More Windows 11 pros

Cons

"CentOS NetworkManager is an area of concern in the solution that needs improvement, and it is the same with other products from Red Hat."

"I have had a tough time with the product's scalability, making it an area where improvements are required."

"The solution’s stability could be improved."

"More security features could be included in the next release."

"It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."

"The solution must improve its security."

"CentOS should extend the support of the solution. The solution is set to have no update support in 2023."

"I was using CentOS because it was very stable, and now it's not."

More CentOS cons

"The user interface could be easier to operate when searching for more options."

"I would like to add a frontend to manage the virtual machines that are installed in Windows 11. It should also improve security which includes patching the vulnerabilities."

"In terms of improvement, I have noticed some latency issues when loading large Excel or Word files."

"The product should focus more on security, particularly Outlook. It should also look into pricing since people will stop using it after a while if the prices are high."

"Major updates cause problems in small business environments because the end customers have to upgrade their workstations."

"The interface should be enhanced and more user-friendly."

"The solution's memory management could be improved."

"The Android subscription does not support all devices. It should be extended to all devices."

More Windows 11 cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is open source."

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

"The solution is open-source and does not have any costs or licensing fees."

"I use the free version."

"CentOS is an expensive solution. There are other solutions that are rated at the top that are not expensive, such as Red Hat."

"We don’t have to pay for the system’s licenses."

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

"This is a free solution."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

"I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"I use the free home version."

"The licensing is expensive, but it's value for money. Many people need it for deployment in Windows environments. It's very much required at this time."

"The product is not cheap."

"We take a yearly license, but payment-wise, it's better to pay monthly."

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"My company purchases licenses in bulk for 2000 users."

"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."

More Windows 11 pricing and cost advice

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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…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

12%

University

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 Windows 11?

We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows 11?

Windows 11 is more expensive compared to Windows 10.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Windows 11?

Windows 11 requires a very powerful hardware infrastructure. When installed on an old machine, it can be problematic due to outdated configurations. For a better experience, Windows 11 should be im...

See all answers

Comparisons

Oracle Linux vs CentOS

Compared 37% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 11% of the time

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

Windows Server vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

More CentOS Competitors

Windows Server vs Windows 11

Compared 75% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs Windows 11

Compared 6% of the time

Kali Linux vs Windows 11

Compared 6% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Windows 11

Compared 3% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Windows 11

Compared 3% of the time

More Windows 11 Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CentOS

June 2025

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

Windows 11

May 2025

Download Windows 11 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

Windows 11 provides a streamlined, user-friendly experience combining enhanced graphics and superior performance. It supports a wide array of tasks from professional work activities to gaming and supports Microsoft Office applications seamlessly.

Windows 11 stands out with its intuitive setup, comprehensive network analytics, and robust security features. It is adopted in production, educational, and development environments for tasks like front-end automation and business processes. Users benefit from improved multitasking capabilities with screen snapping and seamless application integration. The operating system also supports AI initiatives, offering automatic screen recording and advanced animation features.

What key features does Windows 11 offer?

User-friendly interface with updated design and stability
Seamless Microsoft Office integration
Enhanced multitasking support with screen snapping
Comprehensive security with Windows Defender
AI and animation support including automatic screen recording
Improved taskbar and icon grouping for better efficiency

What benefits can users expect from Windows 11?

Enhanced productivity through efficient booting
Robust security measures to protect sensitive data
Valuable performance insights and statistics
Intuitive setup process minimizing downtime
Strong compatibility with Microsoft Office boosting versatility

Organizations implement Windows 11 in production environments to optimize workflows while educational institutions leverage its features for collaborative learning. Developers use it to streamline coding and testing, benefiting from its automation and multitasking capabilities.

Microsoft

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Windows 11

June 2025

Free Report: CentOS vs. Windows 11

Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Windows 11 and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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