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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
AWS Marketplace (6th)
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
192
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 2.3%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.2%, up from 8.4% 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.
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 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."
"The tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."
"The solution's stability is very good."
"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"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."
"We use the product for open-source intelligence and identifying vulnerabilities."
"The interface is good and straightforward to use."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"It is very easy to use for the end-user."
"Windows Server is very useful and easy to install."
"PowerShell is a great feature of the solution."
"The product is scalable."
"The initial setup is quite straightforward."
"I like that Windows Server is easy to use."
"I find the solution to be easy to use, flexible with overall great performance."
"The most valuable features of Windows Server for us are scalability, hardware compatibility, and support for various hardware interfaces like communication boards."
 

Cons

"Any new user or someone without deep expertise won't be able to understand how to scale or manage it"
"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."
"The product should integrate AI and GPT capabilities."
"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."
"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."
"The installation process of Kali Linux can be slow, particularly when installing and upgrading packages within virtualized 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."
"Right now what is needed on the server-side is an easier release process. Every year or every third year they are releasing a newer version and it could go smoother."
"There's always room for improvement. However, I'm not in the main IT department, and therefore, I'm not as close to the product as others on my team."
"Windows could add more tools to monitor the health of the server."
"Better integration with more platforms would be useful."
"Overall, from a security perspective, Microsoft needs to improve."
"Sometimes we face some overload on the server."
"The solution could improve by making it more secure."
"The only problem we have faced is when we are upgrading the solution it is complex."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"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."
"I have used the free version."
"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"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."
"It is an open-source tool."
"Our customers prefer lifetime licenses."
"We pay for the license every month."
"Windows Systems use more resources than Linux systems and can be very costly."
"The Windows Server standard edition is affordable."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"The price of the solution could be reduced and there is a license required."
"There is a one-time purchase for the license of Windows Server."
"There is a license required to use Windows Server."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
University
13%
Educational Organization
11%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
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?
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 Kali Linux vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.