CentOS vs SUSE Linux Enterprise comparison

CentOS and SUSE are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. CentOS is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.8, while SUSE is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.2. CentOS holds a 7.2% mindshare in OSB, compared to SUSE’s 8.4% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of CentOS users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of SUSE users who would recommend it.

CentOS

Read 68 CentOS reviews

10,234 Views
10,397 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

SUSE Linux Enterprise

Read 31 SUSE Linux Enterprise reviews

12,892 Views
11,465 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

CentOS

SUSE Linux Enterprise

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

SUSE Linux Enterprise and CentOS are both robust enterprise-grade Linux distributions. Users report better support and pricing satisfaction with SUSE Linux Enterprise, while CentOS is often favored for its extensive features and higher perceived value.

Features: SUSE Linux Enterprise has strong security features, scalability, and comprehensive software support. CentOS is known for its stability, a vast library of software packages, and suitability for enterprise applications.

Room for Improvement: SUSE Linux Enterprise could enhance customization options and performance optimization. CentOS needs better documentation and more frequent updates.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SUSE Linux Enterprise provides professional customer support and a smooth deployment process. CentOS deployment is straightforward but lacks in customer service.

Pricing and ROI: SUSE Linux Enterprise has higher setup costs, justified by professional support. CentOS offers a lower-cost setup with a good return on investment due to its feature-rich platform.

To learn more, read our detailed CentOS vs. SUSE Linux Enterprise Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. SUSE Linux Enterprise

December 2024

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Categories and Ranking

CentOS

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SUSE Linux Enterprise

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

6th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 7.2%, down from 9.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 8.4%, down from 9.7% 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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Naveen Venugopal

Research Engineer at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees

Efficient IT management with crucial automatic updates but needs developer-friendly configuration

Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations. Some kernels will not fit with some packages, and this aspect could be improved. Furthermore, the system's rigidity when updating packages and services needs improvement. Additionally, there should be more loosely bound functionalities to improve developer experience.

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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

"The most valuable feature of CentOS is the speed and it is very easy to use."

"The most valuable feature is that it is compatible with RedHat."

"The solution is productive."

"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."

"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."

"The product is very efficient when it comes to virtualization."

"There are a lot of sources on the internet that you can use to solve any issues, and people share their experiences. It's not a closed system"

"It’s a simple, straightforward implementation."

More CentOS pros

"The most valuable feature is that there is an inbuilt HANA firewall."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the installation part...We don't face any issues related to the operating system or application."

"The solution offers a secure operation system."

"It's easy to set up."

"YaST simplifies the server management of SUSE allowing for a centralized utility to control most of the server functions."

"The product's initial setup phase was easy."

"The technical support services are good."

"The return on investment has been significant, especially considering its cost-effectiveness compared to other solutions."

More SUSE Linux Enterprise pros

Cons

"I would like the integration to be more secure."

"There could be more integration features included in the product."

"It would be ideal if Red Hat would continue the CentOS versions in an open-source format. They seem to be moving away from that. Now only paid versions are available."

"It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."

"More security features could be included in the next release."

"The solution could be more scalable."

"The performance could stand improvement."

"The solution must improve its security."

More CentOS cons

"We have had trouble integrating Autodesk with the SUSE manager."

"The solution could be more stable."

"I would appreciate the product's future releases being lighter and operating more efficiently on smaller systems."

"I have not seen an ROI with this solution."

"Red Hat has more packages that are available than SUSE does. I'd love to see more projects based on SUSE."

"The only stability issues that I can recall encountering with SUSE would be with KDE. However, that is limited to just the desktop environment as I have not had stability issues with most server functions."

"The initial setup could be simplified."

"The price of SUSE Linux Enterprise could improve, it is too expensive."

More SUSE Linux Enterprise cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 cheaper compared to Windows."

"The solution is open source so is free."

"There are no licensing costs for CentOS."

"I use the free version."

"The solution is free of cost to use."

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

"This is a free solution."

More CentOS pricing and cost advice

"When we first implemented this product, we had licenses for support."

"The product is expensive. We purchase its yearly license."

"I would advise others to download the free or strictly open source versions, then test them in their environment before committing to a purchase. This will allow for testing suitability for applications that they want to run."

"The price of SUSE Linux Enterprise could be cheaper. Other solutions, such as"

"As far as licensing goes, there is nothing unusual here. The price and model have worked fine for my organization."

"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."

"The product's licensing options align well with the evolving landscape of Linux variants."

"The price is reasonable."

More SUSE Linux Enterprise pricing and cost advice

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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Operating Systems (OS) for Business solutions are best for your needs.

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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

15%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Government

Financial Services Firm

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...

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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 SUSE Linux Enterprise?

The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise?

The pricing is slightly higher than expected, but it is manageable for our current project. For the upcoming projects, we are looking for cost-effective solutions.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?

See all answers

Comparisons

Oracle Linux vs CentOS

Compared 47% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs CentOS

Compared 10% of the time

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs CentOS

Compared 9% of the time

Windows Server vs CentOS

Compared 8% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs CentOS

Compared 7% of the time

More CentOS Competitors

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs SUSE Linux Enterprise

Compared 29% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs SUSE Linux Enterprise

Compared 22% of the time

Ubuntu Linux vs SUSE Linux Enterprise

Compared 20% of the time

Rocky Linux vs SUSE Linux Enterprise

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Solaris vs SUSE Linux Enterprise

Compared 3% of the time

More SUSE Linux Enterprise Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CentOS

December 2024

Download CentOS product report

Buyer's Guide

SUSE Linux Enterprise

November 2024

Download SUSE Linux Enterprise product report

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CentOS

SUSE

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.

SUSE Linux Enterprise is a versatile operating system ideal for deploying solutions, managing applications, and running certain applications. It is also used for migrating SAP workloads to the cloud, integrating with SAP HANA solutions and products, and as an operating system for application servers.

The solution is praised for its YaST tool for easier server administration, compatibility with Oracle and SAP, stability, scalability, ease of use, extensive documentation, pacemaker cluster, and SUSE Manager for patching. SUSE Linux offers extended support for each version and a special edition for SAP applications.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Air India, Akademicki Szpital Kliniczny (ASK), Allone, Altran, Apollo, ARCHIVA, Asia Innovatory Management School, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, AutoData Norge AS, Baldor Electric, Business Connexion, CASIO, Ciclum Farma, Delta Lloyd, Edumate , HPE, SAP SE, Lenovo, BMW, T-Systems, UCX, Turners & Growers, Shenzhen Development Bank, Bosch Group, JK Tyres & Industries, IOCL, European Space Agency, Daimler AG, China Minsheng Banking Corp, Café Coffee Day, Unisys, Petrochina Company Ltd, Fitch Ratings, ABeam Consulting Co Ltd, Tyro Payments, Rackspace, Pacific Textiles, ...

Buyer's Guide

CentOS vs. SUSE Linux Enterprise

December 2024

Free Report: CentOS vs. SUSE Linux Enterprise

Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. SUSE Linux Enterprise and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.

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