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Kali Linux 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

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
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
194
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 Kali Linux is 2.5%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.6%, up from 8.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Rohit Srivastava - PeerSpot reviewer
SQLmap for web application testing and good for web application penetration testing, network testing, vulnerability assessment of any devices or domains
Sometimes, I do face challenges. There's an issue where sometimes during the initial installation, it doesn't install properly. It gives multiple errors like packages not installing, so we have to install those tools separately. For instance, if we want to install a network or other tools, we have to install those complete toolkits manually. So, the challenge is with the initial setup, where I sometimes get errors. Regarding wireless attacks, OS attacks, and social engineering... the tools should be easier to learn because I know everything very well, but some people in my team struggle to understand. If there were GUI interfaces for the tools, it would help me guide my team in using them step-by-step. Command lines are very difficult for other team members who know the tool's purpose but not the Linux commands. GUI interfaces need more improvement. So, the UI interface needs improvement to make it more visible and easier for users. Expert users can do everything without any issues, but new users will struggle.
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

"The interface is good and straightforward to use."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"The tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."
"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"The solution's stability is very good."
"The most valuable feature of Kali Linux is the attack it performs using a CVE script that's already on the internet."
"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 most valuable feature of Windows Server is its scalability and robustness."
"The solution is very easy to use and very easy to onboard."
"The tool supports many applications."
"We find the solution to be easy to use and simple to navigate."
"The solution has a sufficient amount of stability and performance that meets my needs."
"The main features that we are using are active directory, domain, and DNS."
"Within 10 or 15 minutes, you can build a single Windows Server and put it on production."
"We like the performance."
 

Cons

"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 for them to offer more features for the free version in order for users to test them in their internal environment before purchasing."
"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 installation process of Kali Linux can be slow, particularly when installing and upgrading packages within virtualized environments."
"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."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"The product should integrate AI and GPT capabilities."
"The solution could improve by making it more secure."
"There is room for improvement in terms of pricing."
"It would be nice if the solution was a bit cheaper. The product is a little pricey."
"The user interface could be simplified."
"The Active Directory synchronization on Azure. This is something which was not easy to do. Using Azure Active Directory, I was trying to sync and this was not straightforward. This process could be more simplified."
"We are finding some of the configurations inside the group policy not very straightforward. We had some difficulties, for example, just trying to figure out how to configure and how to block the usage of MP3 files, and so on."
"The Windows server image was quite large and took some time to be installed."
"From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities. There is a need to have updates in the product to fill in the vulnerability gaps."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"I have used the free version."
"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"It is an open-source tool."
"The tool is open-source."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"There is no need to make any payments towards the licensing costs since it is a solution that is available for free."
"This is not an expensive product."
"We pay these on an annual basis."
"If I look into the tasks my company does with the product, I would say that the tool is not that expensive."
"It is an expensive product."
"It could be cheaper. Its licensing is on a yearly basis."
"We use only the license versions of Windows Server."
"Windows Server has medium pricing."
"To use Windows Server, we pay for licensing yearly. The licensing cost should be cheaper—it is expensive and should not cost that much."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
12%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
8%
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 Server?
I don't have experience with Windows Server containers and Kubernetes for deploying cloud-native applications. I cannot provide specific improvements for Windows Server because I don't have extensi...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
At the office, the main use case for Windows Server involves different functions, for example, file server or firewall and the IIS server, Microsoft Internet Server, Internet Information Services. ...
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.