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CentOS vs Oracle Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

CentOS
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
112
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 5.8%, down from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Linux is 12.0%, down from 14.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Mahender Nirwan - PeerSpot reviewer
In-depth documentation available and command-line utility works well
One issue I recently faced, but I think it was due to my IT support guys, was that when the server storage gets full, the service crashes. It's very difficult to regain access and stability in that situation. That could be improved. So, the stability might be improved. But I don't think it's a CentOS-level issue. The system administrators need to come up with a solution for that, but I don't think it's CentOS's fault. I haven't done any research [R&D] on this issue. There's one thing for sure. We recently migrated from CentOS 7 to CentOS 9, and it was a bit difficult. For example, updating Windows is simple; you just download it, and it takes about 15-20 minutes. But that's not the case with migrating from CentOS 7 to 9. We had to back up the entire server, launch a new server, and then restore the backup to the new server. We couldn't directly migrate. I think that was a bit of a problem. The setup and updates are not that new in CentOS.
Marcelo Muniz - PeerSpot reviewer
The operational system is the best and is packed with free features like CapsLive
It is important to work with a vendor who will sell you the correct product for your environment rather than just try to make the most money off of you. Study the solution and learn how to install it correctly and use it in the best ways. Follow best practices from Oracle and get some training in the operational system. The solution comes with a lot of features and options that you can use for free. It is reliable and you can even use an old version with no issues. It is not the most user friendly, but you can learn it with a bit of study. Overall, the solution beats other operational systems by a large margin. The solution is rated a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It has all the features of Red Hat, but you don't have to pay for the subscription."
"It's less expensive than Red Hat."
"If I need to install a feature or fix a server issue, I can easily find answers online. The CentOS community is also vast and helpful."
"We particularly like that we can remove the graphic user interface to minimize attack settings for the operating system."
"It’s a simple, straightforward implementation."
"The stability of this solution is its most useful feature. It is a high quality product and you know what you're getting. You also receive wide support from the community."
"CentOS adapts well to many software and applications, providing good compatibility."
"The solution is open source."
"It provides for stable Oracle deployments."
"The product can scale."
"Oracle Linux's most valuable feature is flexibility."
"Oracle Linux is a secure solution."
"The tool's performance is good."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of the commands which take little time to learn."
"The stability of Oracle Linux is good."
"Oracle consistently performs better."
 

Cons

"In terms of commands, it's all CLI and there isn't any GUI which can make it challenging to use for some people."
"Currently, CentOS is not providing support, so you will not get new packages that are compatible with that operating system."
"CentOS is not easy."
"The support could be a bit better."
"If a proper GUI-based tool was connected remotely or on the machine, it could be a great addition to CentOS."
"They could build more options into the wizard."
"CentOS is pretty old now, so I wouldn't recommend anyone use it."
"The solution might be discontinued but I hope that IBM will continue to develop it and improve on the functionally and features."
"Time drifts happen frequently, and the database restarts automatically to protect data integrity."
"Oracle Linux could improve by having better compatibility with other solutions. Some aspects of the configuration are difficult. I was using Oracle Linux on a Mac computer and it was very difficult to set up."
"The download speed is not good. Oracle can improve their servers capacity, especially in Asia."
"In the next release, I would like for Autonomous Linux to be available to all users so that the OS administration can be automated."
"The price of Oracle Linux should improve, it is expensive compared to other solutions."
"What we found in moving from Oracle Linux 6 to Oracle Linux 7 was the whole interfacing with the application and the fact that operating had all changed, all the commands had changed. You need to be aware that there is some kind of training, some kind of handover required for your technical guys, understanding different ways of interacting with it. Bear that in mind."
"The solution could improve by giving the client or customer more control."
"The documentation has room for improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is open-source, which means it is a free product. It has a one-time deployment cost."
"The solution is free of cost to use."
"There is no license required for this solution."
"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux."
"There are no licensing fees. CentOS is a free solution."
"CentOS is cheaper compared to Windows."
"The solution is open source."
"The product's pricing is cheap. The tool's pricing is yearly."
"This is an open-source product that can be used free of charge."
"It is an expensive solution for us."
"The licensing is expensive."
"Low-cost solution."
"We are currently operating the solution using a license-based version. We get licenses per machine."
"We pay for a license for this solution annually."
"The price of Oracle Linux could be less expensive for those who are running a small freelance company, such as I do. We use the solution fully but the income that you're receiving is slow."
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Comparison Review

it_user281973 - PeerSpot reviewer
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
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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 stability, and also lots of features. I specifically like that the solution has fe...
What do you like most about CentOS?
CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CentOS?
I am not responsible for the setup cost in my company, so I am unsure about the cost of the license.
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 suitable for enterprises that are already Oracle solution users. I found Linux to be ...
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...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Oracle Enterprise Linux
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
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Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Oracle Linux and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,672 professionals have used our research since 2012.