CentOS vs Rocky Linux comparison

CentOS and Rocky Linux are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. CentOS is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.6, while Rocky Linux is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.4. CentOS holds a 5.8% mindshare in OSB, compared to Rocky Linux’s 14.8% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of CentOS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Rocky Linux users who would recommend it.

CentOS

Read 68 CentOS reviews

8,807 Views
8,969 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Rocky Linux

Read 5 Rocky Linux reviews

14,571 Views
13,670 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

CentOS

Rocky Linux

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

CentOS and Rocky Linux offer robust options for enterprise-level Linux distributions. Based on user reviews, Rocky Linux has the upper hand due to its comprehensive support and feature richness, despite CentOS being favored for deployment ease.

Features: CentOS is noted for its stability, extensive documentation, and suitability for long-term projects. Rocky Linux brings enhanced security features, newer packages, and valuable functionalities for cutting-edge development environments.

Room for Improvement: CentOS users seek better update cycles, modernization of packages, and improved repository updates. Rocky Linux needs better backward compatibility, streamlined migration processes, and easier usability transitions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CentOS wins favor for straightforward deployment and comprehensive support with standardized installation and available troubleshooting help. Rocky Linux compensates for its slightly less user-friendly deployment with highly responsive support and thorough documentation, aiding users needing more guidance.

Pricing and ROI: CentOS offers a cost-effective solution with lower setup costs, appealing to budget-conscious users. Rocky Linux, despite higher initial costs, promises better ROI due to advanced features and robust support.

To learn more, read our detailed CentOS vs. Rocky Linux Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

January 2025

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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

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Rocky Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

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 Rocky Linux is 14.8%, up from 9.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

Mahender Nirwan

Software developer at TAIGLE LLC

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.

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Dominique Locksley

Linux System Administrator at Adapt IT

Very simple to work with, easy to learn, and has a competitive pricing

The UX design, the user front end, and the user GUI are very well done on the GNOME and KDE platform side. It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are. I have worked with a lot of different solutions like Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, and CentOS. Rocky Linux is very easy, and if you switch from one to the other, you can easily detect your tools in the front end. Since it is very similar to the file system breakdown of downloads and documents, it's very easy to show users where things will be.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It’s scalable."

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward and not complex, especially if you are familiar with CLI."

"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."

"A valuable features of CentOS is that it's quite stable and doesn't crash often. It's also quite intuitive."

"The scalability of CentOS is good. We can deploy the operating system in many hardware, laptops, and servers."

"The most valuable feature is performance."

"CentOS is very efficient and very powerful with many capabilities."

"It has minimal updates compared to other distributions."

More CentOS pros

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its stability."

"I haven't needed to use customer service or support, which speaks volumes about their product's reliability and ease of use."

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

"The custom install scripts streamline the setup process, making it straightforward."

"It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are."

Cons

"Previous versions were unstable."

"This solution is no longer supported and will not receive any updates going forward."

"The security could be improved because the server system isn't very secure."

"The stability could always be improved."

"CentOS NetworkManager is an area of concern in the solution that needs improvement, and it is the same with other products from Red Hat."

"The product lacks a graphical user interface that can help users automate certain systems using the native features offered by CentOS."

"It could be more secure."

"GUI could be merged and expansion simplified."

More CentOS cons

"I have certain problems with the tool's DNS part, making it an area where improvements are required."

"In terms of improvement, Rocky Linux needs to clarify its identity and target audience."

"Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort."

"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."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license."

"This is an open source solution."

"We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux."

"Once you buy the license, Linux will provide you with yearly or monthly patches, so your systems will be scalable for a long time."

"CentOS is an open-source tool."

"We don’t have to pay for the system’s licenses."

"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."

"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs involved."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

"Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."

"The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a three."

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Comparison Review

it_user281973

Storage and VMware Expert at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees

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…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

University

12%

Educational Organization

10%

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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...

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What do you like most about CentOS?

CentOS is very easy to use, and all the commands are user-friendly.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

What do you like most about Rocky Linux?

It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Rocky Linux?

Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Rocky Linux?

I use the solution in my company to do some automation stuff to run Ansible, and it has an administration server to provide all the Linux control like a client node can be connected to that master ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Oracle Linux vs CentOS

Compared 42% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 10% of the time

Windows Server vs CentOS

Compared 9% of the time

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Solaris vs CentOS

Compared 3% of the time

More CentOS Competitors

Ubuntu Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 28% of the time

Fedora Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 21% of the time

Oracle Linux vs Rocky Linux

Compared 18% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Rocky Linux

Compared 10% of the time

Windows 11 vs Rocky Linux

Compared 1% of the time

More Rocky Linux Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CentOS

March 2025

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

March 2025

Download Rocky Linux product report

Overview

CentOS is a versatile operating system with many use cases, including virtual spaces, scientific computing, data center servers, web-based applications, and more. Its valuable features include customization options, low memory consumption, performance, scalability, open-source nature, cost-saving, and compatibility with Red Hat packages.

The solution has helped organizations save money on licensing and improve testing capabilities for new implementations without spending additional resources. CentOS is a stable, reliable, and efficient operating system that is easy to use and integrate with other applications and services.

CentOS

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.

Rocky Linux

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

January 2025

Free Report: CentOS vs. Rocky Linux

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