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CentOS vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

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 Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
193
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 4.6%, down from 8.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.3%, up from 8.5% 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.
Jai Prakash Sharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient Management Achieved with Internal Resources and Reliable Technical Support
Maintenance of Windows Server varies by organization, but for us, it's not very difficult as we have in-house resources managing these tasks. However, it can become a bit tricky when we want to see a collated view of our security posture. Regarding AI integrations with Windows Server, Copilot adoption is progressing, though I have only experienced it on endpoints and not on the server side. We operate significant workloads on AI, but we consume those primarily on Linux rather than Windows Server. I don't have much experience regarding integration capabilities in Windows Server for AI workloads, so I may not be the right person to provide insights on that. Overall, I am quite happy with my experience using Windows Server. I don't have many constraints or concerns, so I would rate it eight out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I like how you can alternate certain things and minimize admin features on there and just let it run on specific scripts. It's nice. Even if I had to put it in a container, I'd still do it. I prefer Linux over Windows any day."
"You can work with the UI or in command line, if you prefer."
"It helps us install and deploy our applications."
"I like its stability, performance, and usability."
"I like the command prompt of CentOS. It's very simple."
"Very robust and easy to work with."
"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."
"Setting up CentOS is straightforward, and you simply boot from a CD to get started."
"Network configuration and management in Windows Server is very easy, providing fast deployment, plug and play capability, and simplified partition creation."
"The tool is scalable, flexible, easy to use, user-friendly, handy, and easy to maintain, and authentication is good."
"One of the most valuable features of Windows Server is that it is easy to use. Also, with Windows, everything is integrated."
"The product, overall, is very simple. It's easy to use and navigate. It's got a good design."
"The most useful is the interface and the ergonomic. Windows is very simple."
"Integration with other Microsoft solutions like Exchange and System Center Configuration Manager has the great ability to manage all of the different features on system support, like upgrading, securing, and troubleshooting different Windows systems for clients."
"It is very easy to use for the end-user."
"It is very stable and easy to install."
 

Cons

"CentOS can be somewhat difficult for beginners, as it has a complex UI, especially for those not in the IT field."
"The server system is a little bit tough to manage."
"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."
"It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."
"CentOS should extend the support of the solution. The solution is set to have no update support in 2023."
"CentOS is very close to the end of life."
"We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it."
"The system needs to offer better integration capabilities."
"It would be better if they had more security features and fewer bugs. They can also improve their technical support."
"It could be more secure. We can't compare it to other products because they have their own security and all those things. When it comes to email security, there are issues. Microsoft products used to get hacked all the time, but we're still comfortable with that."
"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly."
"I used to like the graphical interface and graphical philosophy in previous versions of Windows Server. I am not able to be as fast and efficient as I used to be using a graphical interface. However, Windows has moved to the PowerShell, it is powerful, but is still limited compared to what we do can do in Linux. Linux was built at the beginning of the command line interfaces which is why they have a very powerful command line."
"It would help if Microsoft made it lighter to run on the servers and made troubleshooting much easier."
"The solution could improve by making it more secure."
"The solution could improve by being more secure."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are using a subscription-based license option for CentOS."
"The product is free."
"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."
"We don’t have to pay for the system’s licenses."
"CentOS is an open-source tool."
"I use the free version."
"I'm not required to pay a licensing fee."
"The solution is not subscription-based, unlike Red Hat."
"This is not an expensive product."
"There are no fees involved in the solution."
"It is an expensive product."
"Windows Server's whole licensing model is complex because if you have, for example, Microsoft Office and end-user applications installed on a server with a remote desktop, then the licensing can be complex. If the model could be simplified it would be better."
"It is not expensive. We have yearly basis licensing."
"It is priced very well and we pay an annual license fee."
"It is important to have the cheapest price for all of the material and licenses."
"For the on-prem version, you need to go for a perpetual license. If I am planning to run ten operating systems, I will buy a pack of ten licenses, which will be cost-effective for me."
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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
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Financial Services Firm
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 Server?
It's difficult to see improvements when using it daily. They improved compatibility with other platforms, such as Linux. One improvement I was thinking about some years ago was the ability to manag...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
I administer Windows Server. We have Windows 10 and are migrating to Windows 11 under my organization. The people who work with me are handling the migration right now. We have several servers, mos...
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.