Rocky Linux vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Rocky Linux and Canonical are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. Rocky Linux is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.9, while Canonical is ranked #2 with an average rating of 9.1. Rocky Linux holds a 5.9% mindshare in OSB, compared to Canonical’s 8.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Rocky Linux users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Canonical users who would recommend it.

Rocky Linux

Read 19 Rocky Linux reviews

15,607 Views
15,451 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Ubuntu Linux

Read 152 Ubuntu Linux reviews

22,938 Views
21,103 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Rocky Linux

Ubuntu Linux

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 15, 2026

Ubuntu Linux and Rocky Linux compete in the operating systems category, catering to both enterprise environments and developers. Ubuntu appears to have the upper hand because of its established community support and broader deployment environments suited for varied purposes, including development and desktop solutions. Rocky Linux offers strong compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), essential for enterprises focused on stability and long-term support.

Features: Ubuntu Linux provides strong security measures, faster boot and software loading times, and robust support for open-source software without licensing fees. It also offers long-term stability through LTS releases, ease of customization, and community support ideal for development and desktop use. Rocky Linux delivers compatibility with RHEL, ensuring enterprise-level stability and security with excellent long-term support.

Room for Improvement: Ubuntu Linux could enhance Windows software compatibility, integrate better system management tools for enterprises, and improve desktop experiences and software packaging. For Rocky Linux, challenges lie in ensuring timely updates and security patches, particularly RLSA details. Integration with systems like Active Directory and improved documentation are areas for potential enhancement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Ubuntu Linux supports various deployment environments, from on-premises to hybrid cloud setups, with extensive community support and online resources for troubleshooting. Most support comes from community forums rather than paid services. Rocky Linux, while supporting similar environments, faces challenges with timely security updates but benefits from workflows familiar to CentOS users, backed by a growing community.

Pricing and ROI: Both Ubuntu Linux and Rocky Linux are open-source platforms, free to download and use without licensing fees, offering significant cost savings. Ubuntu achieves high ROI through its free availability and resource efficiency, while Rocky Linux remains attractive for maintaining a low-cost infrastructure, ensuring strong ROI through minimal expenses on licensing and support.

To learn more, read our detailed Rocky Linux vs. Ubuntu Linux Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Rocky Linux vs. Ubuntu Linux

November 2026

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Helped 920,939 peers since 2012

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

4.6

Rocky Linux saves time and costs by reducing licensing fees, server maintenance, and deployment issues, with strong 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.

When it comes to return on investment, a lot of money is saved since we moved from a purchased license to the open source provided by Rocky Linux.

BasilJiji

System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

We save time through fewer environment-related issues and more consistent QA and deployment processes.

IsaacHernandez

Senior Technical Lead QA at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees

ROI has been good as we have significant open source community involvement.

reviewer2758263

Technical Manager at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

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.

Antonio Tirado Peña

Directo de TI at Instituto de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

4.8

Rocky Linux is reliable and user-friendly, with active community support and effective documentation facilitating self-support and problem-solving.

Sentiment score

6.5

Ubuntu users prefer community and documentation for support, with quick responses valued despite occasional delays in urgent cases.

The support level is extraordinary, providing on-time assistance.

DILIP BHARADWAJ

Senior System Engineer at Al Jazeera Media Network

We have not yet needed to contact a vendor regarding Rocky Linux.

KRISTOF Laenen

Senior Network Engineer at KLC bvba

Even if we raise a support ticket, we receive a resolution or a reply from the team within two business days.

BasilJiji

System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

They responded well, understood that the issue was not on my end, and provided a patch within two days.

David Stevenson

Manging Director at Winworth UK

The community around Ubuntu Linux is beneficial, providing answers to questions and assisting with issues.

Thong Nguyen

Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences

Ubuntu Linux has a comprehensive knowledge base for self-help.

Prashanth D

Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

5.9

Rocky Linux excels in scalable environments with stability, automation compatibility, and user-friendly management of non-responsive servers.

Sentiment score

7.1

Ubuntu Linux excels in scalability and performance on various hardware, integrating seamlessly in on-premises and cloud environments.

Even if the server is not responding and we want to attach the volume on another instance or a temporary instance, it is very easy and straightforward with no hiccups.

reviewer2758479

CloudOps Engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees

It has handled growth or changing needs well.

reviewer2772054

System Administrator at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Particularly in virtualized and containerized environments, allowing us to scale resources without introducing major OS-level issues.

IsaacHernandez

Senior Technical Lead QA at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

Ubuntu Linux itself is a lightweight OS, so it's very convenient to scale it up to any form needed.

reviewer2728158

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.

Thong Nguyen

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.

Salim Ahmed

System Administrator at mmcytech

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.4

Rocky Linux is stable, user-friendly, and efficient on low-resource systems, highly rated for QA and development workloads.

Sentiment score

7.9

Ubuntu Linux is praised for its stability, reliable performance, and minimal bugs, supporting large-scale server management efficiently.

Rocky Linux is stable, scalable, and it is very much easier to use.

BasilJiji

System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

Rocky Linux is stable.

reviewer2764758

Software Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Rocky Linux is stable and reliable for workloads, especially for QA and development environments.

IsaacHernandez

Senior Technical Lead QA at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

The system has been completely stable, which makes it deserve a perfect score.

PrashantSharma

BA at a computer software company with 11-50 employees

Ubuntu Linux is extremely stable and maintains uptime effectively.

David Stevenson

Manging Director at Winworth UK

If updates happen frequently, no system would be stable without tuning it every time there's an update.

reviewer2728158

Associate Cloud Operations Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Room For Improvement

Rocky Linux needs improved software components, faster updates, better documentation, Windows integration, and enhanced cloud-native and virtual machine support.

Ubuntu needs better Windows integration, hardware support, user-friendliness, game support, automation, security, and documentation improvements for non-tech users.

It is based on customer requirements, as they might want to use Rocky Linux or Ubuntu, depending on their needs.

Jetsada Malaisirirat

System Engineer at clusterkit

Rocky Linux could be improved by having more integration with Kubernetes.

Massimiliano Adamo

Linux architect at European Commission

Currently, it takes more than one month to release a new package or kernel, so speeding that up would help reduce reported vulnerability remediations.

BasilJiji

System engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

There is a push towards integrating AI into software for various purposes like video and sound processing.

David Stevenson

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.

reviewer2728158

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.

Thong Nguyen

Bachelor of Engineering at Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu VAMK University of Applied Sciences

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Setup Cost

Rocky Linux is praised for cost-effectiveness and stability, without licensing fees, ideal for budget-friendly enterprise deployment.

Ubuntu Linux is free and open-source with optional paid support, offering cost-effective solutions for businesses.

We switched to Rocky Linux because of the license price, and in our business, we don't need to have a higher cost as that is not a good idea.

Walid Alioua

Network Infrastructure Manager at SAGEMCOM

There is no extra cost for a license if we are purchasing Rocky Linux from the AWS Marketplace.

reviewer2758479

CloudOps Engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees

Rocky Linux is free, and I can download it and deploy it in whatever environment I have, whether it be H3C, VMware, or Hyper-V.

Bakang Khunou

Server & Cloud Engineer at a tech services company with 1-10 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

For an enterprise-wide scalable operating system with professional services, you can select Ubuntu Linux at a reasonable price.

Kadir Kokcu

Owner at a computer software company with 1-10 employees

Ubuntu Linux shows that it is free software, so the licensing cost is zero.

Antonio Tirado Peña

Directo de TI at Instituto de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa

The setup cost is free.

Kevin Haury

Head of mission at CapHornier

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Valuable Features

Rocky Linux offers stability, quick setup, and RHEL compatibility, ideal for production with strong community support and security features.

Ubuntu Linux provides user-friendly, secure, open-source solutions with strong compatibility, community support, and enterprise-ready tools for efficient deployment.

Rocky Linux has positively impacted my organization, specifically through cost savings, because we did not have to buy any licenses or extra licenses of other distros, such as Oracle or Red Hat.

Rafael Dina

IT / IAM Senior Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

For production deployment, Rocky Linux is a great choice because it offers full RHEL compatibility without licensing costs, along with strong community support.

reviewer2758479

CloudOps Engineer at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees

Since migrating to Rocky Linux, I've seen specific outcomes such as improved security because CentOS stopped the project, and security patches aren't being released.

Massimiliano Adamo

Linux architect at European Commission

For more quotes and insights, download the Rocky Linux report

Ubuntu Linux's open-source nature supports community contributions, bolstering its development and support ecosystem.

Thong Nguyen

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.

Prashanth D

Techincal Support Engineer at Ibits Tech Solutions

The updates in terms of security are very fast, and it is very easy to deploy.

Mohammad Rosli Sukri

manager at SSDU Innovations

For more quotes and insights, download the Ubuntu Linux report

Categories and Ranking

Rocky Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

3rd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Ubuntu Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

152

Ranking in other categories

OpenStack (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Rocky Linux is 5.9%, down from 13.6% 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
Product	Mindshare (%)
Ubuntu Linux	8.3%
Rocky Linux	5.9%
Other	85.8%

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

IsaacHernandez

Senior Technical Lead QA at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees

Building consistent QA environments has improved deployments and simplifies troubleshooting

The best features Rocky Linux offers in my experience are its stability, RHEL compatibility, strong security with SELinux, and reliable package management with DNF. It is also very useful for building QA environments that closely match production. Compatibility has made the biggest difference, allowing me to reproduce production-like, RHEL environments for QA and catch deployment and configuration issues earlier, reducing environment-specific failures. For QA, Rocky Linux's strong community support and predictable updates are highlights that make it easier to maintain consistent and reliable test environments over time. Rocky Linux has impacted my organization positively by helping to create stable, production-like environments for QA and development, thus improving consistency, reducing environment-related issues, and making deployments more predictable. We have seen fewer environment-related issues and less time spent troubleshooting differences between QA and production, which has made testing and deployments more consistent.

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reviewer2728158

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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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

18%

University

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	16

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	86
Midsize Enterprise	22
Large Enterprise	54

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Rocky Linux?

Rocky Linux could improve its documentation and onboarding for newer users, especially around troubleshooting SELinux and system configuration. The documentation and example configurations regardin...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Rocky Linux?

My main use case for Rocky Linux is for QA and development, such as setting up environments, running automated test suites, validating services, and troubleshooting application behavior in a RHEL c...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Rocky Linux?

I would improve the documentation, troubleshooting tools, and integration guidance for modern DevOps, container, and AI workloads. Better migration guides and more real-world examples would also he...

See all answers

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 support. This solution is suitable for both desktop and server use. It has a very app...

See all answers

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 the licensing cost is zero. Having the Ubuntu Pro licensing option, where you h...

See all answers

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 migrating to certain versions where we are losing APT. To have a pure terminal experi...

See all answers

Comparisons

Debian vs Rocky Linux

Compared 14% of the time

Fedora Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 13% of the time

Oracle Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 7% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Rocky Linux

Compared 7% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Rocky Linux

Compared 7% of the time

More Rocky Linux Competitors

Oracle Linux vs Ubuntu Linux

Compared 23% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Ubuntu Linux

Compared 8% of the time

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Ubuntu Linux

Compared 7% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Ubuntu Linux

Compared 5% of the time

CentOS vs Ubuntu Linux

Compared 4% of the time

More Ubuntu Linux Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Rocky Linux

October 2026

Download Rocky Linux product report

Buyer's Guide

Ubuntu Linux

October 2026

Download Ubuntu Linux product report

Also Known As

No data available

Ubuntu

Overview

Rocky Linux provides enterprise-grade stability and seamless Red Hat compatibility, coupled with extensive community support. Known for easy setup and minimal maintenance, its open-source nature ensures cost-effectiveness, making it ideal for critical systems.

Rocky Linux is an open-source operating system valued for its compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, making it an attractive choice for organizations migrating from CentOS. It focuses on stability, security, and long-term support, crucial for critical systems. Users benefit from seamless integration with automation tools and its strong community backing. While it offers ease of setup and package availability, areas like software availability and faster updates need enhancement. The system's UX design supports productivity, with potential improvements in documentation and security integration helping to maintain competitive advantages.

What Are the Key Features?

Enterprise-Grade Stability: Designed for reliability in mission-critical environments.
Red Hat Compatibility: Ensures seamless integration with existing Red Hat setups.
Community Support: Backed by a strong, active community providing assistance.
Ease of Setup: User-friendly installation process for quick deployment.
Minimal Maintenance: Requires reduced effort for upkeep.
Security and Clustering: Advanced features for enhanced system security.

What Benefits Should Users Expect?

Cost-Effectiveness: Open-source status reduces overall costs.
Improved Productivity: UX design and package availability streamline workflows.
Scalability: Supports growing business needs with long-term support.
Seamless Integration: Compatible with automation and monitoring tools.
Migration Ease: Smooth transition for CentOS users.

Rocky Linux is widely implemented across numerous industries as a server platform and backend OS, supporting web hosting, big data projects, and cloud infrastructure. Companies in IT environments like Nutanix data centers and high-performance computing choose it for its compatibility with open-source tools, making it favored for automation with Ansible and monitoring through Prometheus.

Rocky Linux

Ubuntu Linux stands out for its stability, security, and open-source nature. It is appreciated for its efficient resource usage and compatibility across cloud and on-prem environments, making it a reliable choice for personal and professional use.

Recognized for a user-friendly interface and strong performance, Ubuntu Linux is utilized for server hosting, development, and leveraging cloud environments. Its lightweight design supports extensive hardware configurations, offering seamless upgrades, rapid support updates, and robust development tools. Challenges include limitations in repair options, driver compatibility, and native applications. Users acknowledge its scalability and customization flexibility but identify room for improvement in stability, configuration, and certain software compatibility.

What features make Ubuntu Linux popular?

Stability and Security: Offers a reliable and secure platform for both desktop and server environments.
Open-source: Provides transparency and the ability to modify and distribute code.
Community Support: Backed by an extensive user community aiding in troubleshooting and development.
Cost-effectiveness: Serves as a low-cost alternative to other operating systems like Windows.
Seamless Upgrades: Features consistent and smooth upgrade paths for users.
Development Tools: Includes comprehensive tools ideal for development and coding tasks.

What benefits and ROI can users expect from Ubuntu Linux?

Customization Flexibility: Easily tailored to meet specific user requirements.
Scalability: Efficiently adapts to changing demands in enterprise and cloud environments.
Performance in Enterprises: Delivers strong performance for business needs and infrastructure tasks.
Cloud Compatibility: Integrates seamlessly with cloud services for development and operations.

Ubuntu Linux serves diverse industries through applications like database management, virtualization, and web servers. It supports development activities, coding, and containerization tasks like Kubernetes, proving itself as a cost-efficient alternative for enterprises and domain-specific implementations.

Canonical

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo

Buyer's Guide

Rocky Linux vs. Ubuntu Linux

November 2026

Free Report: Rocky Linux vs. Ubuntu Linux

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