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Oracle Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.3
Oracle Linux improves efficiency and reliability, reducing costs and resource needs, achieving significant ROI and operational benefits.
Sentiment score
6.3
Organizations gained ROI with RHEL via cost reduction, enhanced security, reliability, compliance, automation, integration, and community support.
Sentiment score
6.1
Ubuntu Linux offers high ROI with zero licensing costs, saving up to 22%, enhancing stability, and extending hardware lifespan.
Everything from Oracle tools to applications is well integrated within Oracle Linux.
IT Department Manager at DHA Lahore
Our team is comfortable using Oracle Linux as it integrates well with Oracle tools, making everything work seamlessly.
Director of Provisioning Services at MRP ELITE
In terms of outcomes or benefits I've seen over the last year, we have more than 30 servers, and we only need to reboot one server while all other servers continue working fine, resulting in very low downtime, which is very helpful.
System Engineer at Reve Systems
A long lifecycle is key to having a good return on investment.
Architect at KnowIT
Being able to transform common manual tasks that previously took all day into processes that take an hour, half an hour, or even less, demonstrates clear value.
Systems administrator at a retailer with 501-1,000 employees
I invest effort and money in RHEL 8, expecting the system to be secure and reliable when serving my clients.
Associate Director at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
I have observed a clear return on investment, particularly in savings on license costs, as we have Ubuntu Linux LTS and do not depend on distributions such as Red Hat or SUSE, where we would indeed have to pay for a license.
Directo de TI at Instituto de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.2
Oracle Linux support is respected for its expertise and documentation, despite occasional delays in response and complex issues resolution.
Sentiment score
7.3
Red Hat Enterprise Linux support is praised for responsiveness and competence, though some report slower response times with complex issues.
Sentiment score
6.5
Ubuntu users prefer community and documentation for support, with quick responses valued despite occasional delays in urgent cases.
The support engineers were knowledgeable and provided detailed guidance rather than generic troubleshooting steps, which is particularly valuable for production or database-heavy environments.
Assistant Engineer at Wipro Limited
Not all support engineers at Oracle are the same, so sometimes I experience good support that resolves issues quickly, while other times, it loops.
Senior Infrastructure Specialist at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
Oracle's technical support is excellent.
IT Department Manager at DHA Lahore
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) support is great, as they go beyond their duty to help resolve issues and provide solutions even for third-party software such as XRDP.
Senior Infrastructure Systems Administrator at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
When we do contact customer service, they are generally very knowledgeable and well-versed in our size.
Solutions Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Usually, I send the information, and they have something for me within hours, sometimes even minutes.
Team manager at Evertec
They responded well, understood that the issue was not on my end, and provided a patch within two days.
Manging Director at Winworth UK
The community around Ubuntu Linux is beneficial, providing answers to questions and assisting with issues.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
Ubuntu Linux has a comprehensive knowledge base for self-help.
Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Oracle Linux is scalable, effectively handles substantial workloads and accommodates growth across environments, despite some hardware compatibility issues.
Sentiment score
7.1
RHEL effectively scales across environments, supporting vertical and horizontal scaling while integrating with tools like Ansible despite potential costs.
Sentiment score
7.1
Ubuntu Linux excels in scalability and performance on various hardware, integrating seamlessly in on-premises and cloud environments.
It handles device performance well, automatically managing any issues that arise.
Software Engineer at Trianz
Oracle should make the process faster, as we sometimes have to use a previous processor model to ensure compatibility.
Director of Provisioning Services at MRP ELITE
We run a thousand-node cluster with around 8,000 to 9,000 pods running in a cluster, and we have 10 to 15 clusters that we are already running.
Cloud Solutions Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Many of our applications scale really well, with some having several hundreds of VMs, which we couldn't accomplish on Windows.
Solutions Architect at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) scales very well with the growing needs of our company.
Director, DevOps at Lightedge Solutions
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) handles increases in users, applications, or data smoothly, which is why we use it for all our projects, as it provides us with confidence.
Cloud Administrator at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Ubuntu Linux itself is a lightweight OS, so it's very convenient to scale it up to any form needed.
Associate Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
In a server environment, it can seamlessly adapt to increased customer demand.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
So far, I do not have any issues related to security in Ubuntu Linux.
System Administrator at mmcytech
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
Users praise Oracle Linux for its stability, reliability, and performance, making it a preferred choice for enterprise environments.
Sentiment score
7.9
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is praised for its stability, reliability, quick support, and minimal downtime, enhancing server efficiency.
Sentiment score
7.9
Ubuntu Linux is praised for its stability, reliable performance, and minimal bugs, supporting large-scale server management efficiently.
Avoids reboot-related instability through live kernel patching
Staff SecOps Engineer at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Testing determines stability, as continuous Linux use and installations reveal more bugs.
Senior Infrastructure Specialist at a financial services firm with 11-50 employees
Oracle Linux is very stable.
IT Department Manager at DHA Lahore
It works consistently with minimal downtime and very few bugs or glitches.
Senior DevOps Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
It just works, and that's really the key factor; I can't remember the last time we had a system go down and had to restore it due to a bad patch.
Senior software engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
We've not had a service outage with Red Hat in six years.
Team Lead, Linux Systems & Tools at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
The system has been completely stable, which makes it deserve a perfect score.
BA at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Ubuntu Linux is extremely stable and maintains uptime effectively.
Manging Director at Winworth UK
If updates happen frequently, no system would be stable without tuning it every time there's an update.
Associate Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Oracle Linux users face installation, compatibility, documentation challenges, high costs, and seek improvements in scalability, security, and modern tech integration.
RHEL could improve container support, setup ease, and pricing, while enhancing AI integration and streamlining licensing.
Ubuntu needs better Windows integration, hardware support, user-friendliness, game support, automation, security, and documentation improvements for non-tech users.
Having a user interface would make tasks easier, saving time by avoiding the need to remember command-line instructions.
IT Admin at Rosy Blue NV
There are significant limitations as we are not able to customize the system, and we are forced to use standard features which are not suitable for our business.
Manager, Information Technology at Gemini Equipment
Oracle Linux has solid official documentation and enterprise backing, which is invaluable.
AI Engineer at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Addressing these limitations would significantly enhance the operating system's flexibility and efficiency.
Senior DevOps Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
The built-in security features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux were insufficient for our needs, necessitating the implementation of supplementary security measures.
IT Infrastructure Engineer at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees
By providing pre-installed, native automation tools within the operating system, Red Hat would streamline processes and improve user efficiency.
Systems Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
There is a push towards integrating AI into software for various purposes like video and sound processing.
Manging Director at Winworth UK
During a migration project that I was handling, Ubuntu Linux was not completely compatible for the migration process from one application to another. This is an area they could improve in migrating from minor versions to major versions.
Associate Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
Stability issues occur when integrating new components due to physical or technical challenges.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
 

Setup Cost

Oracle Linux offers flexible, cost-effective pricing with free downloads, while optional support can increase total costs significantly.
RHEL's subscription model offers cost-effective support and reliability, appealing to enterprises despite being pricier than open-source alternatives.
Ubuntu Linux is free and open-source with optional paid support, offering cost-effective solutions for businesses.
While ERP might be expensive, Oracle Linux and KVMs are not on the higher side.
Director of Provisioning Services at MRP ELITE
Oracle is way too cheap compared to them.
Cloud Solutions Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Regarding pricing, it is cheaper than Windows.
Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
It may be considered expensive compared to other solutions like CentOS or Ubuntu, which offer some of the same features without additional costs.
Cloud Infrastructure Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Windows Servers base their cost on the number of users and have high licensing fees, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers free versions alongside its paid, supported versions.
Senior DevOps Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Compared to cloud-based platforms like AWS or Azure, which offer flexible pay-as-you-go options, RHEL's subscription-based model can become cost-prohibitive for those with limited budgets or smaller-scale projects.
Senior Systems Engineer at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
For an enterprise-wide scalable operating system with professional services, you can select Ubuntu Linux at a reasonable price.
Owner at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
Ubuntu Linux shows that it is free software, so the licensing cost is zero.
Directo de TI at Instituto de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa
The setup cost is free.
Head of mission at CapHornier
 

Valuable Features

Oracle Linux offers robust security, high performance, zero downtime patching, and cost-effective scalability with comprehensive support and Red Hat compatibility.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux enhances security, trust, and support, excelling in reliability, scalability, and integration with automation tools.
Ubuntu Linux provides user-friendly, secure, open-source solutions with strong compatibility, community support, and enterprise-ready tools for efficient deployment.
Since it's from the same vendor as Oracle applications, it's easier to manage issues, making not just the solution cost-effective but also streamlined in management.
IT Admin at Rosy Blue NV
The updates are applied instantly once a CVE is identified, which makes it highly beneficial.
Consultant at a outsourcing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Oracle Linux provides fast updates, and the best aspect is that we can update our server without interrupting our service, which is very important for business continuity.
Superbly mistaken at Banco Nacional de Investimento S.A.
It also has strong security features, is OIS and FIPS certified, and has built-in Linux security configurations.
Cloud Infrastructure Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
There is also no downtime.
Linux/DevOps Engineer at Ekwantu Consulting
The operating system allows for the simple addition of kernels, modules, and other applications, making it highly adaptable to various needs.
Technical Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Ubuntu Linux's open-source nature supports community contributions, bolstering its development and support ecosystem.
Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences
Ubuntu Linux supports remote troubleshooting via SSH, allowing connection from anywhere, which is beneficial for troubleshooting server issues.
Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions
The updates in terms of security are very fast, and it is very easy to deploy.
manager at SSDU Innovations
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Linux is 5.8%, down from 7.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 6.7%, down from 8.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 8.3%, down from 10.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)6.7%
Ubuntu Linux8.3%
Oracle Linux5.8%
Other79.2%
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

LM
Cloud Solutions Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Managed platform has reduced our operations workload and delivers faster cluster startups
I wouldn't say it's specifically an Oracle Linux pro, but when using Oracle Linux with a Kubernetes engine, it provides you with all the necessary libraries that it needs for a startup. This means quicker startup time and quicker joining to the cluster. It's just fast when you use Oracle Linux because it's optimized for your OKE engine. When I mention quicker startup time and easier joining to the cluster, it means you have a pretty good startup when you want to scale, you don't have to wait longer times just for your nodes to come up. When you have your traffic spiking, you don't want to wait that two to three minutes extra for a node to join the cluster, so that's where you have that advantage. And even for the customers when we give them access, it's a better startup since it's optimized and has all the necessary libraries. When I mention our workload is reduced because it's managed and optimized, it is approximately 80 to 90 percent of our workload is reduced because Kubernetes also releases frequent updates. You don't have to migrate to a new one; when you're migrating, it's pretty quick. All the security patches are handled by Oracle. The newer updates are provided by Oracle, and you don't have to test it. You will need to do some rounds of testing, but way less than managing your own Linux.
CC
Vice President at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Automation has transformed daily operations and supports secure, continuous infrastructure
When considering improvements to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I see one primary area. Within your portal, if you provided more study material along with demonstrations similar to the sessions we are attending, which feature a user-friendly guide, you could incorporate this into your Red Hat console. When I want to install an agent or something else, typing in the console should provide me with clear step-by-step instructions. Throughout the years, installation steps have been available, but regarding AI agents or Ansible automation, I need to verify whether clear information exists. Including this information would be beneficial. Additionally, if you add the sessions that have occurred to your portal or another location, this would help us review them multiple times to gain better understanding. Time is limited, and many sessions occur simultaneously, making it impossible to attend everything. Making these sessions available on your website would be very helpful.
reviewer2728158 - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
Good compatibility and improvement needed in migration process
For long-term support, it has been good because in most enterprise environments, people still use Ubuntu Linux sixteen, which is quite obsolete now. Other enterprise versions do not support obsolete systems, so supportability is good in terms of Ubuntu Linux. For sustainability, it's quite a significant point of view for every organization. For us, Ubuntu Linux is the preferable way. For others, it might not be, so that is quite a subjective matter itself. The pinpoint of the problem is that they take time because they need specific information. We need to go to AWS first, and then they'll contact the Ubuntu Linux support team itself. This creates a two-way hop for us, which is why it's not that great. It's not really Ubuntu Linux's problem but rather the way we are accessing Ubuntu Linux. 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. That is something they could handle themselves, but I don't think that's something Ubuntu Linux will look into. During a migration project that I was handling, Ubuntu Linux was not completely compatible for the migration process from one application to another. This is an area they could improve in migrating from minor versions to major versions.
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Comparison Review

it_user281973 - PeerSpot reviewer
Storage and VMware Expert at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Aug 24, 2017
It's improved our company's system environments that run Oracle databases.
Red Hat is mission critical to our environment Red Hat has improved the mission critical environments running Oracle databases, while CentOS has improved our web environment and MySQL. Oracle and SAP Environment and all HPC environments. 10 years No issues Very stable i don´t find any problem…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Outsourcing Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business49
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise81
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business100
Midsize Enterprise52
Large Enterprise320
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business86
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise54
 

Questions from the Community

How does Oracle Linux compare with Solaris?
When comparing Oracle Linux and Solaris, I believe that Linux is more secure and more flexible. It is also very suita...
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 suppo...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Linux?
Oracle Linux can be downloaded and used free of charge. Organizations can choose whether they want paid enterprise su...
Which would you choose - RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) or CentOS?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is fantastic. It is an inexpensive solution that has excellent security, performance, and st...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?
When choosing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), our security requirement was that I am using it on IBM Power servers, ...
What needs improvement with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?
Regarding disadvantages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), the certification cost is a concern for me. The problem w...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubuntu Linux?
My experience with the pricing, implementation costs, and licenses of Ubuntu Linux shows that it is free software, so...
What needs improvement with Ubuntu Linux?
I think Ubuntu Linux could improve in the area of packages, as Snap packages are being imposed on us and we are migra...
What is your primary use case for Ubuntu Linux?
My main use case for Ubuntu Linux is hosting the Kubernetes server, MicroK8s, for containerization, hosting databases...
 

Also Known As

Oracle Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for AWS
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

See here
Travel Channel, Mohawk Industries, Hilti, Molecular Health, Exolgan, Hotelplan Group, Emory University, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, HCA Healthcare, Paychex, UPS, Intermountain Healthcare, Brinker International, TransUnion, Union Bank, CA Technologies
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 Red Hat, Canonical, Rocky Linux and others in Operating Systems (OS) for Business. Updated: October 2026.
920,939 professionals have used our research since 2012.