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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
6th
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
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
47
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 11 is 7.3%, up from 1.3% 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.
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

"The solution is easy to use but not as easy as Windows."
"Offers useful information and has good compatibility."
"It helps us install and deploy our applications."
"CentOS's most valuable features are that it's cost-saving and helps to scale down your usage."
"It's a good and stable system. It provides everything you need for web servers and database servers."
"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 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."
"CentOS adapts well to many software and applications, providing good compatibility."
"One valuable feature is the ability to snap windows to different sections of the screen, which is especially useful on big screens."
"Quick Assist is a valuable feature."
"Windows 11 is definitely scalable and offers more functionality and security."
"I use the tool for work which includes emails, using the internet, etc."
"It is a stable solution."
"Windows 11 is a stable and easy-to-use solution."
"The product's most valuable feature is its support service."
"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."
 

Cons

"CentOS removed long-term support, and version releases every two to three years are not ideal for production environments because they necessitate frequent updates."
"It would be ideal if Red Hat would continue the CentOS versions in an open-source format. They seem to be moving away from that. Now only paid versions are available."
"CentOS is pretty old now, so I wouldn't recommend anyone use it."
"As an open-source solution, there isn't much technical support."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"GUI could be merged and expansion simplified."
"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."
"The product lacks a graphical user interface that can help users automate certain systems using the native features offered by CentOS."
"From what I've been reading recently about the malware attacks on Windows Office 365 users, I might have some concerns about securing the OS."
"Drives are a significant issue, and finding the correct drives for everything to function properly is challenging."
"Windows 11 requires a very powerful hardware infrastructure. When installed on an old machine, it can be problematic due to outdated configurations."
"If we can have some features to compare two versions of the same file,"
"Windows 11 has a terrible snipping tool. It seems to be quite buggy. The previous version that came with Windows 10 is better."
"Sometimes, I experience slowness in Windows 11, and its speed could be improved."
"I would like the solution to include AI integration. It also needs to have better support."
"The solution's price can be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is an open source solution."
"There is no license required for this solution."
"This is a free solution."
"It's freeware, so we can use it without worrying about licensing."
"The solution is open source so is free."
"There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source."
"It's free."
"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."
"The pricing is affordable."
"The product is not cheap."
"The tool's price is high and I would rate it a nine out of ten."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a nine out of ten."
"The price of the solution is reasonable."
"The licensing cost is high."
"We take a yearly license, but payment-wise, it's better to pay monthly."
"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
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
13%
University
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

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 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: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.