Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Rocky Linux comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Mar 6, 2024

We compared Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Rocky Linux based on our user's reviews in several parameters.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is highly praised for its containerization capability, in-place upgrade ease, reliability, and scalability. Its comprehensive documentation, security features, and support services are valued by users. In contrast, Rocky Linux is commended for profitability, stability, and security, with seamless migration from other operating systems. Users appreciate its reliability, customer service, and compatibility with CentOS, although some recommend enhancements in system compatibility, user interface, startup times, package management, multimedia support, and customization options. Both operating systems offer favorable pricing, setup costs, and licensing terms, with RHEL delivering exceptional ROI, while Rocky Linux provides strong support and regular updates.

Features: The valuable features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include containerization capability, in-place upgrade, reliability and stability, Podman and package management, copious documentation, longevity and stability, security features, SELinux, scalability and ease of setup, specification and technical guides. On the other hand, Rocky Linux is praised for its stability, reliability, security, long-term support, regular updates, ease of installation, intuitive user interface, compatibility with CentOS, and seamless migration process.

Pricing and ROI: The setup cost of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is reported to be straightforward and hassle-free, allowing for smooth implementation. On the other hand, users find the setup cost of Rocky Linux to be minimal, making the installation process smooth and hassle-free., The ROI from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) was highly positive, with cost-effectiveness, scalability, and reliability highlighted. Rocky Linux also offered profitability, cost-effectiveness, enhanced productivity, impressive performance, and stability.

Room for Improvement: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has room for improvement in system compatibility, user interface, startup and shutdown times, package management, multimedia support, customization options, updates and upgrades transition, and documentation. Users have also provided feedback on areas where Rocky Linux could be enhanced.

Deployment and customer support: The user feedback indicates that the duration required to establish a new tech solution in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) involves separate phases such as deployment, setup, or implementation. However, in Rocky Linux, some users reported spending three months on deployment and an additional week on setup, while others mentioned spending a week for both., The customer service and support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) have been praised for their prompt and satisfactory assistance. Users appreciate the reliability and knowledge of the support team. The customer service of Rocky Linux receives positive remarks for its prompt assistance and helpfulness. Users commend the timely responses and expert guidance provided by the support staff. Overall, customers express satisfaction with Rocky Linux's customer service.

The summary above is based on 151 interviews we conducted recently with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Rocky Linux users. To access the review's full transcripts, download our report.

To learn more, read our detailed Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Rocky Linux Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The most valuable features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux are the mobile applications and getting real-time notifications.""When it comes to security, scalability, and robustness, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) excels in all aspects. That's why we rely on this operating system.""I like the speed of the OS data and the ease of Ansible automation. I don't need to spend much time managing everything.""Copious documentation is probably the best feature of the solution.""Because most databases run on Linux, that's what makes this solution so important. If you install a Unix system and want to use a database, you won't have to say, 'I can't find any database to run on this.'""The solution has features that simplify adoption for non-Linux users. There is an interface that you can activate on RHEL systems, and on other Linux systems as well, so that you will get a graphical user interface instead of just a shell. It's easier for an administrator who is used to only working on Windows.""The most valuable features of RHEL are security, performance tuning, storage management, and OS-level automation.""Its scalability and ease of setup and configuration are most valuable. When we have a hardware failure, we just save the configuration files, and in about half an hour, we have another server running with the same configuration. It is really easy to replace servers. This is the best feature."

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

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Cons
"Deploying clusters on Red Hat, as well as on Oracle Linux, is a bit involving. I'd like them to simplify the setup or at least give meaningful log files to be able to see what's happening at the cluster level.""The price has room for improvement.""Red Hat Enterprise Linux should modernize its UI to make navigating the screens easier.""I don't prefer Red Hat Enterprise Linux for desktop over other options.""We need to have more flexibility on the developed versions. Not everybody is ready to subscribe to enterprise versions. They would like to test the tool without subscriptions.""The Modules feature is awesome but it could be even better.""The licensing model is kind of a mess.""I'm also using IBM AIX, which supports a tool called Smitty. You just put Smitty, and you can do anything. At the backend, the command will run automatically. It is not exactly like a GUI, but you just give the input and it will give you the output. That is something that Red Hat should work on. That would be an added advantage with Red Hat."

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"The solution's audio integration for virtual machines could be improved.""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.""In terms of improvement, Rocky Linux needs to clarify its identity and target audience."

More Rocky Linux Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is a bit on the expensive side, mainly because of the support they provide. However, it is quite affordable if you are an organization. If, as a small company or individual, this is an expensive option, I would recommend CentOS, which is an exact replica of RHEL, minus the customer support."
  • "In terms of the solution’s single subscription and install repository for all types of systems, we can have as many RHEL installations as we want because we have a specific subscription that entitles us to have as many RHEL services as we want. We pay for a subscription and with that we get RHEL and Satellite as well."
  • "Red Hat Linux is inexpensive. Linux solutions are generally inexpensive."
  • "RHEL is expensive."
  • "Because it is a subscription, you can go elastic. This means you can buy a year, then you can skip a year. It is not like when you buy something. You don't buy it. You are paying for the support on something, and if you don't pay for the support on something, there is no shame because there are no upfront costs. It changes the equation. However, we have such growth right now on the Linux platform that we are reusing and scavenging these licenses. From a business standpoint, not having to buy, but just having to pay for maintenance, changes a lot of the calculations."
  • "We have a site license on a yearly basis. Generally, we're okay with its price, but everything could be cheaper."
  • "The licensing with Red Hat is on par with other organizations like Microsoft. We have a site license, which gives us a certain number of servers, perhaps 25,000, for the type of license that we have. That works really well for us."
  • "We are an educational institution and as such, what we pay is less than the average company."
  • More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."
  • More Rocky Linux Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Comparison Review
    Anonymous User
    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Red Hat Enterprise Linux is fantastic. It is an inexpensive solution that has excellent security, performance, and stability, and also lots of features. I specifically like that the solution has… more »
    Top Answer:My company has acquired five to ten licenses from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
    Top Answer:It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are.
    Top Answer:The solution's audio integration for virtual machines could be improved. It took me almost a day to get my audio drivers to work while running it as a virtual machine. I run Oracle Virtual Box. Within… more »
    Top Answer:I'm currently running the solution at home to teach myself all of the flavors of Linux. If a new one comes out that I don't know or haven't worked on, I'll install it and see how easy it is to… more »
    Ranking
    Views
    59,469
    Comparisons
    18,108
    Reviews
    145
    Average Words per Review
    793
    Rating
    8.8
    Views
    7,895
    Comparisons
    7,470
    Reviews
    3
    Average Words per Review
    649
    Rating
    8.3
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL
    Learn More
    Rocky Linux
    Video Not Available
    Overview

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a stable and reliable open-source operating system for running application servers, databases, web servers, and production systems. It is also used for cloud infrastructure services, BI, and disaster assistance. Its valuable features include support and subscription, ease of management and troubleshooting, integration with existing infrastructure, security updates and hardening tools, scalability, and flexibility. 

    Red Hat has helped organizations accelerate deployment, provide stability, control, and reliable updates, and enable the deployment of current applications and emerging workloads across different environments.

    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.

    Sample Customers
    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
    Information Not Available
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm27%
    Government14%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    Government9%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    Educational Organization11%
    University11%
    Government9%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise66%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business19%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise67%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business28%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise56%
    Buyer's Guide
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Rocky Linux
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Rocky Linux and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is ranked 1st in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 167 reviews while Rocky Linux is ranked 12th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 3 reviews. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is rated 8.8, while Rocky Linux is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) writes "Highly stable, good knowledge base, and reasonable price". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Rocky Linux writes "Very simple to work with, easy to learn, and has a competitive pricing". Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, Windows Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise, Windows 10 and Oracle Linux, whereas Rocky Linux is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, Oracle Linux, openSUSE Leap, SUSE Linux Enterprise and Windows 10. See our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Rocky Linux report.

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    We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.