Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Kali Linux vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 16, 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

Kali Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ubuntu Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
149
Ranking in other categories
OpenStack (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 3.0%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 11.5%, down from 18.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ubuntu Linux11.5%
Kali Linux3.0%
Other85.5%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

NilutpalDutta - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides valuable real-time data scanning for vulnerability assessment
We don't know if Kali Linux has the port scanning capability yet, but that is an area of improvement because we are working with DMZ zones and customized ports. If we can add featured customized port scanning and DMZ zone capability, then it will be a very great tool. It might be there, but we are not exploring it yet. We are not exploring 100% of Kali Linux capabilities. If real-time customized port scanning can be added, for example, instead of a default port such as 8080 or 443, if we can use a customized port such as 9876, that capability would be great. The only point that I didn't find on Kali Linux for now is the ability to customize port scanning.
PrashantSharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Performs efficiently but requires overcoming a learning curve
There are many differences between Ubuntu Linux and Windows as they are totally different systems. You need to have more knowledge about Linux before using Ubuntu Linux. Although it is designed as a desktop system, basic knowledge is still required. Windows can be used by any layman, which is the main difference. I do not know much about security breaches or potential issues. The Wi-Fi and wireless capabilities work perfectly fine. Excluding the learning curve, I would rate it a 10. However, considering the learning curve, I would give it a six or seven. My advice would be to have patience. Overall rating: 10 out of 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"Kali Linux has the capability of real-time data scanning for vulnerability assessment for backend services, and that is actually very far more valuable."
"Kali Linux is much better than other OS because it gives you a good set of tools. It is preferred for vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity."
"The outcomes from using Kali Linux in our organization are significant; we experienced reduced cybersecurity attacks and improved application security, leading to decreased attack surfaces and quicker testing cycles that enabled faster launches and installations."
"I'm mostly using for the web security web application, so end map and the troubleshoot will it's my price, and it's available in ColliNX."
"The solution's stability is very good."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"We use the product for open-source intelligence and identifying vulnerabilities."
"Ubuntu has a good interface, it is easier to use than other distribution such as CentOS or Red Hat. It's suitable for beginners who want to start learning Linux. It has a simple interface and it's easy to use."
"They have provided a new interface, which is great."
"The tools we are using for this project are compatible with this solution."
"There are many good automation features in Ubuntu."
"The auto upgrade operating system feature."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is that Linux has cost-effective licenses."
"Ubuntu Linux is flexible because it has a lot of new features, so you can use it without any problems."
"One of the most valuable features of Ubuntu Linux is how easy it is to manage. We have some monitoring solutions, so those applications are running on top of Ubuntu. So far, the applications are running in a way that's very stable, compared to other Linux versions and flavors. In terms of redundancy and the command line, it's very easy to manage."
 

Cons

"There are areas for improvement in Kali Linux, particularly regarding its use of the Linux kernel, which requires external additional patching, and the fact that network services are disabled by default, which complicates usage; enhancing user-friendliness through more GUI-based tools and better integration could be beneficial."
"Unfortunately, my current tool runs on Windows 10, and its use is restricted to enterprise versions. Integrating this tool or similar functionalities into Kali Linux for non-enterprise users would be incredibly valuable."
"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."
"Many users utilize Kali Linux through virtual machines. Sometimes Kali Linux has issues detecting hardware such as inbuilt or external Wi-Fi adapters."
"The product should improve its security features."
"From an improvement perspective, Kali Linux could include more ML to help with academic literature, as it is one of the areas where there are shortcomings in the solution."
"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."
"The installation process of Kali Linux can be slow, particularly when installing and upgrading packages within virtualized environments."
"Like most Linux systems, they can just keep increasing support in Ubuntu for hardware systems. They can increase the number of drivers so that Ubuntu can work on more hardware. They have been improving greatly, but they can definitely keep doing that."
"The migration part when migrating an application or one version of Ubuntu Linux to another is quite hectic. During the process, one or many applications might crash."
"If I run an application, I need it to show up in Microsoft, so Microsoft can run in Ubuntu. It needs to connect better with Microsoft products."
"On the desktop edition, we'd like more themes."
"There were stability issues at specific times."
"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly."
"When you talk of some of the flexibility, like you want to install from scratch, Windows is more user-friendly compared to Linux."
"Ubuntu should create some specific features, like Red Hat. Red Hat has provided many features for open-source, like FreeIPA."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an open-source tool."
"The tool is open-source."
"Kali Linux offers a perpetual license, meaning you pay for it once and can use it. While free versions of Linux are available, Kali Linux, being an enterprise edition, usually comes with a perpetual license. I rate its pricing a five out of ten."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"I have used the free version."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"Kali Linux is open source."
"The solution is open source and we do not need to pay for a license."
"We don't pay a licensing fee for the solution."
"This solution is free."
"It is free."
"It comes as free software, where there is an option for you to buy support licenses."
"I use Ubuntu Linux free of cost."
"We do not incur a licensing fee for the solution, as we make use of the free version."
"The product is cheap compared to Windows."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Operating Systems (OS) for Business solutions are best for your needs.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
13%
University
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business83
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise53
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Kali Linux?
I use the tool with Nmap to perform network audits. We use it to find vulnerabilities in our network through attacks. It's for those who want to launch or create viruses or perform attacks on syste...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kali Linux?
Kali Linux offers a perpetual license, meaning you pay for it once and can use it. While free versions of Linux are available, Kali Linux, being an enterprise edition, usually comes with a perpetua...
What needs improvement with Kali Linux?
We don't know if Kali Linux has the port scanning capability yet, but that is an area of improvement because we are working with DMZ zones and customized ports. If we can add featured customized po...
Which would you choose - Ubuntu Linux or Oracle Linux?
Ubunto Linux is a complete Linux operating system that is freely available with both community and professional support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very app...
What do you like most about Ubuntu Linux?
It has a good support system for loading databases.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubuntu Linux?
My experience with the pricing for Ubuntu Linux is that I always use the free version, so I never paid for any installations or support.
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo
Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Ubuntu Linux and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.