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 8.8, while Microsoft is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.5. CentOS holds a 5.1% mindshare in OSB, compared to Microsoft’s 6.1% 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

8,350 Views
8,466 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Windows 11

Read 45 Windows 11 reviews

3,111 Views
2,944 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: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Windows 11

April 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 May 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 5.1%, down from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 11 is 6.1%, up from 0.7% 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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Anish Bheekoo

IT Lead at CMH

Stable performance, straightforward setup process, and it is easy to join a domain

In terms of improvement, I have noticed some latency issues when loading large Excel or Word files. I'm not sure if it's a network or software issue, but it would be great if they could address that. Additionally, in terms of security, implementing easier remote access to laptops and providing more mature patching options would be beneficial. Overall, there is room for improvement in these areas. It should also give complete support for already tested versions.

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

"Very robust and easy to work with."

"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 open architecture is useful for us. That's why we're using CentOS."

"We used the solution as an operating system."

"The product offers a free community-based version."

"The most valuable features of CentOS are it is built from Linux, has good performance, and can we can create scripts. The scripts are you to do minor work automatically."

"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 product is free to use."

More CentOS pros

"It has good security features, providing strong protection against platform viruses and vulnerabilities, which secures my resources."

"Windows 11 is a user-friendly solution."

"The product's most valuable feature is its support service."

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

"The solution is the most updated version of Windows."

"It has helped with analytics."

"I like the product's taskbar and icon grouping. You can also get a Windows subscription for Android. The solution's performance is also better compared to the previous versions."

"The variety of tools utilized to meet unique needs across the company and different departments."

More Windows 11 pros

Cons

"In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."

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

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

"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 would like to see more frequent updates."

"The server system is a little bit tough to manage."

"The solution could improve by making the management tools better for the DevOps teams. For example, WebEX and Webstacks."

"CentOS could be improved by being more secure. Of course, we use a firewall, but security is always a concern."

More CentOS cons

"The solution’s pricing could be cheaper."

"The product's price, performance, and implementation accessibility need improvement."

"There is room for improvement in terms of security."

"The solution must improve its aesthetics."

"The solution's installation process could be less time-consuming."

"Our company PCs are quite old, and many don't have the resources or specifications to support Windows 11."

"My problem with Windows 11 stems from the fact that I have to update it every other day."

"Windows 11 is not very stable, and its stability could be improved."

More Windows 11 cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux."

"The solution is open source so is free."

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

"It's free."

"The solution is open source."

"CentOS is cheaper compared to Windows."

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

"Once you buy the license, Linux will provide you with yearly or monthly patches, so your systems will be scalable for a long time."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

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

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

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

"I rate Windows 11’s pricing a six or seven out of ten."

"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."

"I rate the tool's pricing an eight to nine out of ten."

"Windows 11 is not an expensive solution."

"I didn't pay for Windows 11 as it is automatically installed with Microsoft update."

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

17%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

12%

University

Financial Services Firm

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?

I am not responsible for the setup cost in my company, so I am unsure about the cost of the license.

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 38% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 11% of the time

Windows Server vs CentOS

Compared 9% of the time

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

openSUSE Leap 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

April 2025

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

Windows 11

April 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

April 2025

Free Report: CentOS vs. Windows 11

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

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