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Kali Linux vs Windows 10 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

Kali Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
11th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
AWS Marketplace (3rd)
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.2
Number of Reviews
274
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 Kali Linux is 2.2%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 2.9%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

GurpreetSingh4 - PeerSpot reviewer
Has small footprint and low maintenance cycles
Pre-installed tools can provide basic training and security measures, which is helpful. However, these tools may not be sufficient to secure your workload fully. That's why it's important to complement them with other specialized security tools to enhance your overall security. Before using Kali Linux, make sure you know its pros and cons. It's a good system to learn because it's the best choice for some situations. It has default firewall settings that block everything by default. It's up to the user to decide how much they want to open up. Learning Kali Linux takes time because it relies on command-line tasks instead of graphical interfaces. Practice is key to becoming comfortable with it.
Akos Szirmai - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy installation and the initial setup time is reasonable
Stability can be an issue. I have to restart it every two days. And the boot time is quite long. My laptop's old, has no SSD, and is just a traditional Winchester. Had desktops with Windows 11 and SSDs, much better performance. But hardware limitations on my current laptop lead to stability and response issues. It's more like the whole reinstall every two years thing. It makes cleaning a pain. Performance improves significantly after a fresh install, then slowly deteriorates as I add more programs. But my biggest concern with Windows 10 is actually bigger than my situation. I'm replacing my laptop anyway, but I read that Windows 10 support ends in a year or so. And with hardware limitations, many other computers won't run Windows 11. So it's not just me. A lot of people with decent, still-working Windows 10 machines will lose support and be unable to switch to 11. This will be a significant problem for individuals and institutions. Large companies with thousands of computers don't replace them every three years, and they might face issues with many computers unable to run Windows 11 and lacking support for 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 stability is very good."
"The tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."
"In general, Kali Linux is used for hosting applications, developing new applications, and operating systems. It's also used in containers and nodes. The tool offers a smaller footprint than Windows because it lacks the functionality of graphical user interfaces. One advantage of Kali Linux is its lower maintenance requirements than Windows, with slower update cycles and easier maintenance procedures."
"The most effective features of Kali Linux include its stability as a Linux operating system, its flexibility in configuring resources such as partitions, its powerful and stable file system, and its multi-user capability, which allows for setting user privileges and rights. Additionally, Kali Linux provides access to a wide range of free and open-source applications for testing and development purposes."
"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 systems. With Kali Linux, you can conduct penetration testing for networks, web applications, and Android mobile apps."
"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."
"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 most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"The best thing about Windows 10 is that you can run anything on it."
"It provides us with very good updates and security patching that is required."
"People who have been using Windows tend to keep using it because they are familiar with it, they do not start using Apple or something else. There has been a lot of improvement from previous versions and can be used on many systems."
"The installation process is pretty easy."
"The initial setup is very straightforward."
"It is really easy to configure and maintain."
"I think the settings are better. It has a better user experience."
"Technical support is very good."
 

Cons

"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."
"I would like for them to offer more features for the free version in order for users to test them in their internal environment before purchasing."
"The product should integrate AI and GPT capabilities."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"The tool is already stable and well-developed, so there's minimal feedback for enhancement or change. However, it should improve security, which is crucial, especially with the increasing use of Kali Linux in cloud environments."
"The product should improve its security features."
"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."
"The installation process of Kali Linux can be slow, particularly when installing and upgrading packages within virtualized environments."
"System resource consumption is more than Linux. I would like better RAM and better memory optimization."
"In Microsoft Windows 10, screen sharing is an area of concern where improvements are needed, as such an option is not user-friendly."
"The user interface could improve for the Portuguese language and more features should be added."
"The pricing could always be improved."
"As an open source application, the solution should be more accomodative."
"The price could be cheaper."
"The solution could improve by adding more dashboards."
"Stability can be an issue. I have to restart it every two days. And the boot time is quite long."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Kali Linux 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."
"It is an open-source tool."
"I use it free of charge."
"I have used the free version."
"The tool is open-source."
"There is no need to make any payments towards the licensing costs since it is a solution that is available for free."
"The organisation where I work they provide me with the licensed version of Windows 10 but personally I have used the pilot advance version."
"It falls within the average price range; it's not particularly cheap or expensive."
"I rate the product's price as seven on a scale of one to ten, where ten means it is a very expensive tool. I need around 80 USD for Microsoft Office because I already paid for Windows 10. In general, I don't pay anything for the product."
"The license came with the computer when I purchased it."
"There is a license to use the solution."
"I have a home license that costs me around 1,000 rupees."
"There is a one-time license purchase for Windows 10."
"Windows 10 is licensed. It was included with the purchase of my laptop."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
15%
Computer Software Company
14%
University
13%
Educational Organization
10%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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?
The tool is already stable and well-developed, so there's minimal feedback for enhancement or change. However, it should improve security, which is crucial, especially with the increasing use of Ka...
What needs improvement with Windows 10?
I do not have notes for improvement.
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
In my case, I would mostly say it's because of security reasons. At least for the typical use cases that I generally rely on Windows for, there didn't seem to be a noticeable performance difference...
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.