Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Reviews

Name: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Brand: Red Hat
Rating: 4.4 (389 reviews)

Vendor: Red Hat

4.4 out of 5

389 reviews
97% willing to recommend

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What is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers stability, security, and support for mission-critical applications with robust tools and scalable architecture, ideal for diverse environments and hybrid cloud compatibility.

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the #1 ranked solution in top Operating Systems for Business. PeerSpot users give Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) an average rating of 8.8 out of 10. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is most commonly compared to Rocky Linux: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Rocky Linux. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 56% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 10% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

January 2026

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Featured Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

Ray Ortega

Server administrator at Northrop Grumman

The feature of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) that I appreciate the most is the new Boot C that's coming out. That's been pretty interesting. RHEL helps me solve the pain point of feeling disconnected from the community. I've been feeling more involved and considered. Previously, a lot of documentation was for connected instances, and I work for an air-gapped network. Now I appreciate seeing that the documentation actually has disconnected settings. It's neat to be included in there. I appreciate the documentation. The knowledge bases are pretty good. Usually, when I have an issue and find a Red Hat knowledge base, it addresses the issue. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)'s built-in security features are really well designed for simplifying risk reduction and maintaining compliance. I see many new technologies coming out are geared toward security or enhancing security. It's neat that it's continuing to evolve. My upgrade or migration plans to stay current with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) involve leaning on our unclassified environment before we can upgrade, as I'm in a disconnected network. As soon as we're able to, I'm trying to upgrade as often as we can. It's because I want to utilize all the new tools coming out in 9.6 and now 10. We just got to RHEL 8, and I'm already ready to leap RHEL 8 to get the newest features.

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TonyHe

Vice President at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

It provides us with long-term stability, meaning we often don't have to reboot servers for months. This contrasts with Windows, where we typically have to reboot every week. Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers long-term stability and security, allowing for prolonged periods without reboots. Moreover, the Linux operating system is regularly patched, ensuring a secure environment. We receive timely updates from Red Hat whenever there is a new patch available. Security requirements were significant consideration in choosing Red Hat Enterprise Linux. As a bank, security and performance are our top two priorities. We are promptly notified by Red Hat whenever any zero-day security vulnerabilities or loopholes are discovered. This allows us to quickly inform our team and make decisions on whether to apply patches immediately or to wait. We prefer not to experience any downtime during the week, so we typically wait until Saturday to perform any necessary shutdowns for patching. For some patches, Red Hat offers hot patching, which means we don't have to shut down our servers. This allows us to apply patches while the servers are still running, minimizing downtime.

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Sean Doyle

Solutions Architect at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees

The feature of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) I appreciate the most is the ability to build images from the Red Hat pipeline, which is very effective. We also have an on-prem image management system that works really well with Red Hat. These features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) benefit our company since they allow us to perform life cycle tasks faster. Our upgrade or migration plans to stay current with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are that our operating strategy is to put all net new on 8.10, and we are going to stay on 8.10 until 9.10. We typically just stay on the long-term release.

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) mindshare

As of February 2026, the mindshare of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category stands at 7.5%, down from 10.7% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)	7.5%
Rocky Linux	11.1%
Ubuntu Linux	9.0%
Other	72.4%

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

PeerResearch reports based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Operating Systems (OS) for Business	Feb 18, 2026	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Feb 18, 2026	Download
Comparison	Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Rocky Linux	Feb 18, 2026	Download
Comparison	Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Ubuntu Linux	Feb 18, 2026	Download
Comparison	Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Oracle Linux	Feb 18, 2026	Download

Valuable Features

RHEL is valued for its stability, security, and support. Users appreciate its robust automation, ease of deployment, and comprehensive tools like Ansible, Satellite, and OpenShift. The system's capability to integrate seamlessly with hybrid cloud infrastructures and its scalability supports diverse business needs. It offers a strong patch management system, mitigating downtime and enhancing performance. RHEL's built-in security features ensure compliance, making it ideal for enterprises prioritizing application deployment, consistency, and reliability.

"I always prefer recommending Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to my customers because it is very stable."
"The knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is excellent; the documentation is fantastic and is supported by a large community that answers questions effectively."
"I chose Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because it is so user-friendly, in every server I need to use it for security reasons, and it is user-friendly for everyone."

Room for Improvement

Red Hat Enterprise Linux needs improvements in several areas, such as documentation, support speed, cost, and user-friendliness. The licensing model requires simplification. There's a need for enhanced security features and streamlined patch management. Users want easier upgrades and better integration with cloud and third-party tools. More training resources and developer-friendly options should be provided. Some users highlight a lag in package updates, while others seek improved command-line interfaces and automation features.

"Adding patches from these repositories is very painful because Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 does not easily support these older package versions."
"A disadvantage is that it is not open source, meaning limited flexibility, and the high cost associated with Red Hat compared to others."
"Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) needs some improvement for stability."

ROI

Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides significant returns with uptime, reliability, and competitive licensing costs. Users experience cost savings in hardware and maintenance, enabling a focus on innovation. It enhances operational efficiency through automation, reducing manpower requirements. Stability, security, and comprehensive support deliver value, ensuring seamless operations and compliance. Increased productivity and time savings arise from streamlined management processes. Robust performance and integration capabilities further enhance the platform’s value for enterprises.

Pricing

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is often perceived as pricey, particularly due to robust support and subscription-specific add-ons like Ansible Tower and Satellite. Despite its higher costs compared to alternatives like CentOS or Ubuntu, RHEL's value proposition lies in enterprise-grade stability, extensive support ecosystem, and integration with other tools. Its pricing, while comparable to Windows or Oracle, can be managed through bulk licensing, educational, or tiered subscription offerings, which some organizations find more cost-effective over time.

"If Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can reduce its pricing, then it would be easier to convince others that there is not much difference between open-source solutions while still receiving several features for a licensing cost."
"I am not involved in the pricing, but it is not very expensive."
"It's expensive."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations predominantly utilize Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for diverse infrastructure and application needs, including hosting databases, web servers, and containers. RHEL supports critical business applications, development environments, and cloud deployments. Its stability, security, and compatibility with cloud and on-premises environments make it suitable for financial institutions, telecoms, and public sectors. Companies leverage RHEL for automation, system administration, and high-performance computing, utilizing tools like Ansible to streamline processes and ensure reliability across various workloads.

Service and Support

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) customer service and support teams are widely regarded as responsive and helpful, often receiving high praise for knowledgeable assistance and quick resolutions. Some users report occasional delays or variability in support quality, particularly with lower-tier staff. Many value the premium support options like Technical Account Managers. Users especially appreciate the comprehensive documentation and community resources, though a few suggest improvements for a more consistent and streamlined experience.

Deployment

Deploying Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is mostly straightforward, especially with automation tools like Ansible and kickstart. Technically adept teams find it simple, benefiting from well-documented guides. The initial setup can vary in complexity depending on familiarity, but experienced users and automated processes ease deployment. Deployment often involves provisioning with tools like Satellite and Ansible. Some challenges exist for those new to the system, yet others find it easier with supportive tools and resources.

Scalability

Red Hat Enterprise Linux's scalability is widely praised. Users manage large numbers of instances across various environments efficiently. Automation and virtualization enhance its capability, allowing seamless scaling and increased resource allocation as needed. Users appreciate its ability to handle heavy workloads without issues. Its adaptability to changing demands and environments makes it a preferred choice among organizations. Many users highlight its ease of use for horizontal and vertical scaling, citing no significant challenges.

Stability

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is consistently stable according to users, with minimal downtime. It excels in reliability for business-critical applications, outperforming other operating systems. Users frequently praise its robustness, reporting few crashes and dependable performance. While some minor issues related to updates or integrations exist, these are typically resolved quickly. Businesses appreciate its minimal maintenance needs, regular updates, and secure architecture, noting that any issues are often application-related, not due to the operating system itself.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	78
Midsize Enterprise	44
Large Enterprise	234

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews
Company Size	Count
Small Business	808
Midsize Enterprise	359
Large Enterprise	1471

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

University

Retailer

Marketing Services Firm

Healthcare Company

Non Tech Company

Educational Organization

Performing Arts

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

Hospitality Company

Media Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Non Profit

Transportation Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Pharma/Biotech Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Consumer Goods Company

Legal Firm

Renewables & Environment Company

Compare Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) with alternative products

Learn more about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides organizations with a reliable platform ideal for high-performance computing and virtualization. Known for its robust security and seamless network administration, it integrates well with OpenShift and Ansible, ensuring adaptability and scalability. Despite challenges with documentation, upgrade complexity, and cost, RHEL remains a formidable choice thanks to its comprehensive documentation and extensive community support.

What are the key features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

Stability and Security: Maintains high stability and advanced security measures, critical for enterprise environments.
Extensive Support: Offers robust support through community and documentation, assisting with problem-solving and integration.
Automation with Ansible: Simplifies tasks and enhances efficiency, optimizing operations across the infrastructure.
Hybrid Cloud Compatibility: Supports cloud environments, enabling flexibility and strategic deployments.
Scalable Architecture: Adapts to different workloads, making it suitable for growing organizational demands.

What benefits should users look for when evaluating Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

Reliable Performance: Ensures consistent and secure operations across diverse environments, including cloud infrastructure.
Efficient Management: Centralized operations make it easy to manage enterprise workloads effectively.
Community and Documentation: Access to a strong community and comprehensive documentation aids in resolving issues.
Integration Capabilities: Easily integrates with technologies like OpenShift and SAP, enhancing operational versatility.
Adaptability: Supports a wide range of environments and technical requirements, improving strategic deployment.

Organizations across industries like financial services, telecommunications, and application hosting implement Red Hat Enterprise Linux for server and application management. Its compatibility with technologies such as SAP, Oracle, and Ansible supports functions including web, database, and enterprise solutions, ensuring stable and secure performance in high-pressure environments.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) was previously known as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for AWS.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 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

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Reviews Summary
Author info	Rating	Review Summary
Server administrator at Northrop Grumman	5.0	I use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for hosting applications, appreciating its robust security features, thorough documentation, and ability to reduce man-hours with Ansible. However, it needs better collaboration tools and more educational resources on licensing.
Vice President at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees	4.5	I've used Red Hat Enterprise Linux for over ten years to run Java applications securely and stably with minimal downtime. It's reliable, scales well, but needs better documentation, hardware compatibility, and built-in monitoring.
Solutions Architect at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees	4.0	At our company, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the primary operating system for most servers due to its effective image-building features and robust community support. While pricing could improve, technical capabilities and ROI are strong compared to alternatives.
Senior System Engineer at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees	4.0	In my experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), its stability and support make it ideal for business-critical applications, though I'd appreciate faster vulnerability resolutions and improved integration between tools like Red Hat Satellite and Ansible.
Solutions Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees	4.0	We use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for server workloads, benefiting from features like no-downtime patching and automation with Ansible. RHEL's ease of security compliance and support contribute to our ROI, though clearer licensing information is needed.
Specialist Cloud and Infrastructure at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech	4.5	At my company, we rely on Red Hat Enterprise Linux for mission-critical applications due to its robust patching schedule and strong security support. While we see great ROI, improvements in SAP certification speed are needed for more widespread adoption.
Senior software engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees	4.0	I primarily use Red Hat Enterprise Linux for application servers and VMs. Key benefits include image mode, AppStreams, and integration with Ansible. While considering SUSE, Red Hat's pricing and product maturity won me over. Kickstart functionality could improve.
Hpc Engineer Ai Workload & Infrastructure at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees	4.5	I use RHEL for HPC node provisioning and find it stable, fast to install, scalable, and well documented, with responsive support and fair pricing. My main pain point is difficulty applying older EPEL patches on RHEL 9.

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Rocky Linux	4.4	11.1%	100%	19 interviews Add to research
Ubuntu Linux	4.3	9.0%	95%	150 interviews Add to research

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Reviews

What is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

Featured Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) mindshare

PeerResearch reports based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

Valuable Features

Room for Improvement

ROI

Pricing

Popular Use Cases

Service and Support

Deployment

Scalability

Stability

Review data by company size

Top industries

Compare Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) with alternative products

Learn more about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) customers

Related questions

Product Categories

Popular Comparisons