We use CentOS for repository features.
Cost-effective product with an easy setup process
Pros and Cons
- "It is a scalable and cost-effective product compared to public cloud solutions."
- "There could be more integration features included in the product."
What is our primary use case?
What needs improvement?
There could be more integration features included in the product.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using CentOS for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product.
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CentOS
September 2025

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have five CentOS customers. It is a scalable and cost-effective product compared to public cloud solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup process is easy. It requires five executives for deployment, including managers, admins, engineers, and developers. It takes around a month to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We take the help of a reseller to implement the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We don’t have to pay for the system’s licenses.
What other advice do I have?
I rate CentOS a nine out of ten.
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Managing Director at Equilogic Technologies
A very stable solution that can be mastered without much difficulty
Pros and Cons
- "We particularly like that we can remove the graphic user interface to minimize attack settings for the operating system."
- "We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it."
What is our primary use case?
We have a team of ten who use the solution for Linux-based SIEM and network monitoring.
What is most valuable?
We particularly like that we can remove the graphic user interface to minimize attack settings for the operating system. We access applications on the operating system from our web interface and other machines.
What needs improvement?
We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it.
For how long have I used the solution?
Our company has been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Our team loves working with the solution because it is very stable.
We experienced a few crashes that were due to human error, not issues with the operating system. We experienced a crash when upgrading from version six to seven but managed to rectify it with assistance from the knowledge base.
The bugs that we encountered were fixed with constant live updates that were quite straightforward and useful.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is very scalable. We started using one machine with two nodes but scaled it up to four nodes.
How are customer service and support?
I utilized support when upgrading from version six to seven and experiencing kernel issues. The technical team was able to give us excellent service and assistance.
I rate support a six out of ten because there is always room for improvement in response time. If you make a request for immediate assistance, you might not get help until a day later but when the support comes it is quite good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was a bit complex but workable after training, reading through distribution papers, and increasing knowledge base. The solution can be learned and mastered after some time without too much difficulty.
What about the implementation team?
We deployed the solution in-house and sometimes got stuck but figured it out after a couple of weeks.
The longest deployment took a month because we made a few errors. CentOS support helped us through the configuration of some applications so we managed to get it up and running.
Setup of the solution is rated an eight out of ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Because the solution is being depreciated, we are considering moving to Ubuntu but haven't made that decision yet.
What other advice do I have?
The operating system is very good and stable. We hope to continue to work with it, but are not sure if that is possible because Red Hat has decided to depreciate it and not develop it further.
Considering that there will not be further development, I recommend considering alternate solutions.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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CentOS
September 2025

Learn what your peers think about CentOS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2025.
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Software Developer at NMB Bank
Highly availability, performs well, but user interface could improve
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of CentOS are it is built from Linux, has good performance, and can we can create scripts. The scripts are you to do minor work automatically."
- "If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."
What is our primary use case?
I am using CentOS for hosting applications.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of CentOS are it is built from Linux, has good performance, and can we can create scripts. The scripts are you to do minor work automatically.
What needs improvement?
If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using CentOS for approximately three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
CentOS has been stable in our usage. We have had one server up for five years without any problems.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
CentOS is scalable. However, it is depending on the deployment. We use Docker for our applications so we have not scaled the solution, but if the bandwidth is good then CentOS can be scaled.
Our entire company infrastructure is using CentOS. When I host an application, it's usable by about 1,000 people.
How are customer service and support?
The support is handled by our other team. Even though I'm facing an issue, I talk to our team. If they cannot handle it, then they scale it to the CentOS support team.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I use MacOS, Windows, and Ubuntu on a daily basis.
For a server environment, I would recommend CentOS, but for normal usage, I would recommend MacOS.
When you buy a Mac it just comes with MacOS which is beautiful to work on. If I'm using a Windows laptop, I would go for CentOS. However, the problem with CentOS is there is no Microsoft Office.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others is if they have a server environment then I would recommend CentOS. It's stable. One of the only letdowns is the repository for some applications, it takes time for CentOS to adapt.
It has to do with the ecosystem of CentOS, I'm not sure. When comparing CentOS to Ubuntu, if Ubuntu comes out with a release today and a few days later you see you can install it.
I rate CentOS a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Group Manager at HCL Technologies
Easy to set up, great for access controls and captures inappropriate usage
Pros and Cons
- "It’s scalable."
- "In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."
What is most valuable?
It is good for ensuring that only approved applications are allowed to run. Other applications, which have not been approved by IT, are picked up as violations. You really can define at the start of it, what is approved, what is not approved, and you can clearly identify if there's an exhibition of unapproved applications and that get filtered or blocked by the tool.
The security and IT team can go back and question the user to see why that particular application was run or maybe do further investigation in terms of seeing if that machine has attracted any malware.
The solution is stable.
It’s scalable.
The initial setup is pretty simple.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be a bit more user-friendly. In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using it for the last two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn’t crash or freeze. It’s reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have found that the solution can scale.
Our company has 15 to 20 users leveraging it right now.
How are customer service and support?
I’ve never directly dealt with technical support. I can’t speak to how helpful they are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using Redhat Linux. We just had the application need, which is why we adopted this product.
How was the initial setup?
It was just an application requirement. The application we are managing requires CentOS, which we had to install. There wasn't any choice.
For CentOS, the setup itself is straightforward. It didn't take much time. We installed it in one day. It was just the image that was installed. It also doesn’t take much staff to deploy or maintain the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing is per device.
What other advice do I have?
I’m not sure which version of the solution we’re using. It might be version 8.
I’d recommend the solution to others. However, it all depends upon if the application needs it. If there is an application dependency, yes, you will need that. However, it'll come from a specific need.
We have not been using the OS as such. We have been just managing the application on the OS. We have been only supporting the application. We don't do anything, particularly on CentOS. We are doing all the settings on the application that's running on top of it.
That said, the product is okay. It's good, stable. It hasn't given us any issues, and we have no performance problems. I’d rate it overall an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Data Solution Architect at Econet Wireless Zimbabwe
Useful for service applications that are Linux compatible but there could be more frequent updates
Pros and Cons
- "Setup is straightforward. You can complete it in about 30 minutes."
- "I would like to see more frequent updates."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for any server that needs the database, for any service applications that are Linux compatible.
We use a specific version for each user, but when we do a system, we use the latest. We deploy the latest version except when a vendor specifies a different version.
Usually, the developers request service for themselves and then the people using those servers will be varied. There are so many people using this solution that we cannot determine the exact number. There are some internal systems like finance or HR, for example. So, the numbers are not consistent.
As more products and requests come out, I think we are increasing the number of users.
The solution is deployed on-premises.
What is most valuable?
The good thing about it is that it's free.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see more frequent updates.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using CentOS for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable.
How are customer service and support?
For support, we just use internal skills.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were also using SUSE Linux in Windows.
How was the initial setup?
Setup is straightforward. You can complete it in about 30 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
Deployment was done in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's freeware, so we can use it without worrying about licensing.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution 7 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Group CEO at Mmusi Group
An upstream open source development platform that allows you to alternate certain things and minimize admin features
Pros and Cons
- "I like how you can alternate certain things and minimize admin features on there and just let it run on specific scripts. It's nice. Even if I had to put it in a container, I'd still do it. I prefer Linux over Windows any day."
- "The price could be better. They could add more drivers in terms of peripherals and other things. Add more drivers for the Linux specifications in the next release. Right now, they are just pushing to have more drivers for Windows instead of Linux."
What is our primary use case?
I use CentOS for business applications and personal applications. Because Linux is an operating system, the use case will differ from person to person. We used it to host our scripting servers and infrastructure layout.
What is most valuable?
I like how you can alternate certain things and minimize admin features on there and just let it run on specific scripts. It's nice. Even if I had to put it in a container, I'd still do it. I prefer Linux over Windows any day.
What needs improvement?
The price could be better. They could add more drivers in terms of peripherals and other things. Add more drivers for the Linux specifications in the next release. Right now, they are just pushing to have more drivers for Windows instead of Linux.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using CentOS since 2010.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
CentOS is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
CentOS is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
CentOS tech support is fine.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
At the time, there were quite a lot of options like Linux, Red Hat, and Ubuntu. But if you're already using these commands that work here, they will be the ones that work there. So, we chose CentOS.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost depends on how the organization or a specific person licenses it. If you want the free version, there's Ubuntu which is supported by forums. You can pay for the license yearly or pay for a specific version.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give CentOS a nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Mostly stable and has a free community version but could be even more stable
Pros and Cons
- "The product offers a free community-based version."
- "The stability could always be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution to build our applications.
What is most valuable?
The solution is stable.
The product offers a free community-based version. You can also buy a license if you need to.
What needs improvement?
The platform already provides pretty great services. I'm not sure if it is missing any features.
The stability could always be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I occasionally use the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and the performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable, however, if you would like to expand, you may need to pay for a business license.
in terms of administration, 20 to 30 people use the solution.
How are customer service and support?
I've never used technical support. If I need help, I can Google information to help troubleshoot.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use another operating system.
How was the initial setup?
The solution was very easy to install. The implementation process wasn't a problem at all.
The deployment was fast. It maybe took one hour.
I and another engineer handled the implementation together. You need two to three people to deploy the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are using the community version, which is free.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. For the most part, it's a good solution. I'd recommend it to others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Architect - Database Administration at Mitra Innovation
A very robust tool that doesn't consume unnecessary resources
Pros and Cons
- "The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward."
- "I have had a tough time with the product's scalability, making it an area where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
I have set up some databases on CentOS, like MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, and RabbitMQ.
What is most valuable?
Regarding the most valuable features of the product, I can say that an operating system is a very robust tool. The product doesn't consume unnecessary resources, and it is very lightweight as an operating system. In our company, we are able to do a lot with the limited or small amount of resources offered by the tool. The aforementioned area covers my favorite aspects of using a Linux-based product like CentOS.
What needs improvement?
I have had a tough time with the product's scalability, making it an area where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using CentOS for five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a robust and stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Though it is scalable, the processes attached to it are not straightforward.
There are around four to five people who use the product.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward. For a technical person, it can be very easy to install the tool.
One needs to follow a standard deployment process for CentOS. It has a few simple steps, and as long as we use the correct parameters, it will spin up the OS correctly.
What was our ROI?
My company gets regular updates on the product, which helps to save our company's costs.
What other advice do I have?
The product's security features are really good.
The integration capabilities of the product with other tools in the market are okay.
CentOS is a lightweight operating system that offers stability. I would recommend CentOS or any other Linux-based tools.
I have not used any AI with CentOS.
CentOS is an open-source product, so there are no licensing costs attached to the tool.
The value of using the solution is the fact that it is a lightweight product that is easy to implement.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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