Rocky Linux vs openSUSE Leap comparison

openSUSE and Rocky Linux are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. openSUSE is ranked #12 with an average rating of 9.5, while Rocky Linux is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3. openSUSE holds a 6.4% mindshare in OSB, compared to Rocky Linux’s 15.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of openSUSE users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Rocky Linux users who would recommend it.

openSUSE Leap

Read 6 openSUSE Leap reviews

6,613 Views
5,983 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Rocky Linux

Read 6 Rocky Linux reviews

13,631 Views
12,667 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

openSUSE Leap

Rocky Linux

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

openSUSE Leap and Rocky Linux are both strong contenders in the Linux distribution market. Users generally prefer the flexibility and advanced tools of openSUSE Leap, whereas Rocky Linux is often favored for its stability and long-term support.

Features: openSUSE Leap is praised for its integrated YaST tool, Zypper package manager, and comprehensive system management capabilities. Rocky Linux is valued for its extensive compatibility with RHEL, stability, and high performance under enterprise workloads.

Room For Improvement: For openSUSE Leap, users mention the need for better documentation and support for newer hardware. Rocky Linux users suggest improvements in community support and software repository updates.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: openSUSE Leap's deployment is often considered straightforward with comprehensive customer support and community forums. Rocky Linux benefits from easy integration with RHEL environments and has a responsive community.

Pricing and ROI: openSUSE Leap is generally seen as cost-effective due to its free and open-source nature, with good ROI tied to its advanced features. Rocky Linux similarly offers a strong ROI with no cost, thanks to its RHEL compatibility and long-term stability.

To learn more, read our detailed Rocky Linux vs. openSUSE Leap Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Rocky Linux vs. openSUSE Leap

June 2025

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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

openSUSE Leap

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

12th

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Rocky Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

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 openSUSE Leap is 6.4%, up from 5.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Rocky Linux is 15.7%, up from 9.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

NagendraKavadi

Systems Analyst at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

Provides BTRFS file system, which allows you to take snapshots

I only use the tool for testing purposes on my team, but multiple people use it. We don't make a team effort to install the solution. When it comes to maintenance, we ask our company to buy SUSE Linux Enterprise. My team consists of 13 people. We are currently integrating the solution with Ansible to do some coding. Although not a full-fledged automation, we are integrating the solution with Ansible and executing a couple of playbooks connected to openSUSE Leap. I would recommend the solution to other users looking for an open-source solution. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

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Jetsada Malaisirirat

System Engineer at clusterkit

Enhancements in package management elevate user experience

I have been using Rocky Linux for three or four years. It is used for HPC, online assessments, and Ceph storage The solution is free and open source. The OS choice in my project is quite specific. It is based on customer requirements, as they might want to use Rocky Linux or Ubuntu, depending on…

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is easy for me to use because the backend is derived from FreeBSD and this is something I have been using for over 20 years."

"The solution's most valuable feature is the BTRFS file system, which allows you to take snapshots."

"The most valuable feature by far has been the virtualization capabilities of the operating system."

"Stable - it just runs without the necessity to reboot."

"The solution is very stable after it is configured. It is hard to have a panel slow, a problem, misconfiguration, or any kind of loss function."

"openSUSE Leap has helped me with using containers in Podman."

"I haven't needed to use customer service or support, which speaks volumes about their product's reliability and ease of use."

"It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are."

"The custom install scripts streamline the setup process, making it straightforward."

"The solution is free and open source."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its stability."

"It helps us keep our workstations in sync and ensures consistent settings across most of our machines."

Cons

"In the future, the Active Directory could improve."

"I would like openSUSE Leap to have better link integration with Windows."

"Somehow the change from OS12.x via 13.x to Leap was a bit bumpy and some old issues seemed to reappear."

"Like most Linux-based operating systems, the biggest challenge Leap faces is the GUI."

"It would be helpful if we could easily switch from openSUSE Leap for testing to SUSE Linux Enterprise for production."

"There is room for improvement in the console."

"In terms of improvement, Rocky Linux needs to clarify its identity and target audience."

"Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort."

"I have certain problems with the tool's DNS part, making it an area where improvements are required."

"One of the potential issues is that if you don't pay for support, you may need to manage certain aspects on your own and rely on the community for assistance."

"The package versions can be quite older compared to other distributions such as Ubuntu."

"The solution's audio integration for virtual machines could be improved."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"openSUSE Leap is an open-source solution that is free of cost."

"The solution is open-source."

"The cost of this solution was reasonable and it was within our budget."

"This is an open-source operating system that can be used free of charge."

"The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a three."

"Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Comms Service Provider

15%

Educational Organization

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

14%

University

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Educational Organization

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about openSUSE Leap?

openSUSE Leap has helped me with using containers in Podman.

See all answers

What needs improvement with openSUSE Leap?

Both openSUSE Leap and the SUSE Enterprise version use the same kernel. Suppose I have a lower environment where I can run openSUSE to test all my products. It would be helpful if I could easily sw...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for openSUSE Leap?

I use openSUSE Leap for testing purposes. Before officially using any server in our office, we test it using the solution. My office usually uses production servers on the SUSE Linux enterprise ver...

See all answers

What do you like most about Rocky Linux?

It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Rocky Linux?

The OS choice in my project is quite specific. It is based on customer requirements, as they might want to use Rocky Linux or Ubuntu, depending on their needs. The package versions can be quite old...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Rocky Linux?

I have been using Rocky Linux for three or four years. It is used for HPC, online assessments, and Ceph storage.

See all answers

Comparisons

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 28% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 20% of the time

Fedora Linux vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 10% of the time

CentOS vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 6% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs openSUSE Leap

Compared 5% of the time

More openSUSE Leap Competitors

Ubuntu Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 25% of the time

Fedora Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 24% of the time

Oracle Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 13% of the time

Debian vs Rocky Linux

Compared 10% of the time

Alpine Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 4% of the time

More Rocky Linux Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

June 2025

Download openSUSE Leap product report

Buyer's Guide

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

June 2025

Download Rocky Linux product report

Overview

openSUSE Leap is a brand new way of building openSUSE and is new type of hybrid Linux distribution. Leap uses source from SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), which gives Leap a level of stability unmatched by other Linux distributions, and combines that with community developments to give users, developers and sysadmins the best stable Linux experience available. Contributor and enterprise efforts for Leap bridge a gap between matured packages and newer packages found in openSUSE’s other distribution Tumbleweed.

openSUSE

Rocky Linux is a robust and secure enterprise-grade operating system designed as a drop-in replacement for CentOS. Its primary use case is to provide a stable and reliable platform for organizations to run their critical workloads and applications.

The most valuable functionality of Rocky Linux lies in its compatibility with CentOS, ensuring a seamless transition for organizations already using CentOS. It offers long-term support, regular security updates, and a predictable release cycle, providing stability and reliability for mission-critical systems.

Rocky Linux helps organizations by offering a free and open-source alternative to CentOS, which was discontinued by Red Hat. It allows businesses to continue using their existing CentOS-based infrastructure without the need for costly migrations or vendor lock-in. With its strong community support and active development, Rocky Linux ensures a sustainable and community-driven future for CentOS users.

Moreover, Rocky Linux is built with security in mind, providing robust features like SELinux and secure defaults. This helps organizations protect their data and systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

Rocky Linux

Buyer's Guide

Rocky Linux vs. openSUSE Leap

June 2025

Free Report: Rocky Linux vs. openSUSE Leap

Find out what your peers are saying about Rocky Linux vs. openSUSE Leap and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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