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CentOS vs SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Ubuntu Linux comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of CentOS is 5.5%, down from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 7.2%, down from 8.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ubuntu Linux is 14.0%, down from 22.5% 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.
Dominique Locksley - PeerSpot reviewer
Has good kernel modules and upgrades
I like how the tool handles kernel modules and upgrades - we rarely have issues after upgrades, unlike with other Linux distributions like Oracle Linux or Ubuntu. The kernel module management is excellent. Changes made in one version typically work the same in other versions too, which isn't always the case with other distributions. There's also lots of information and community support available if you run into any problems, both on the official website and in forums and user groups. I know many people who use it specifically, so it's easy to get independent support if needed. I've been working with the tool for a long time, since 2003, before they became SUSE Linux Enterprise. It's always been one of the most admin-friendly Linux versions.
Kevin Haury - PeerSpot reviewer
Linux's advanced terminal empowers versatile usage and ongoing secure development
Initially, there was nothing complicated. It's easy since I have many years of experience with it. However, if I were a beginner with Linux, it could be completely disruptive compared to Windows. So, I would have to spend some time practicing with Linux to understand how it works and how I can accomplish the same tasks compared to Windows. Maybe one month, at least.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"CentOS's most valuable features are that it's cost-saving and helps to scale down your usage."
"The most valuable feature is performance."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is the speed and it is very easy to use."
"It has all the features of Red Hat, but you don't have to pay for the subscription."
"The technical support is good."
"The most valuable feature is that it is compatible with RedHat."
"CentOS is very efficient and very powerful with many capabilities."
"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 return on investment has been significant, especially considering its cost-effectiveness compared to other solutions."
"Linux is easy to use. You have more control on a Unix system."
"The tool’s idempotency ensures all configurations are in place at all times."
"The most important feature is the automatic kernel lifecycle subscription, which is critical for us because the server cannot go down once we start offering any services on the cluster."
"It's easy to set up."
"From a functionality perspective, the suite is quite rich. We like that."
"It is a stable platform."
"It's a flexible solution."
"The security is very good."
"Stability of our systems has only improved since moving from CentOS to Ubuntu LTS."
"I think Ubuntu's main strength, as opposed to using the other Linuxes, has been its ability to encourage user feedback."
"Some of the main features of this solution are it is less prone to viruses since most viruses are written for Microsoft software, and it is easy to use."
"The product’s stability is valuable."
"The solution is user-friendly."
"Ubuntu has a good interface, it is easier to use than other distribution such as CentOS or Red Hat. It's suitable for beginners who want to start learning Linux. It has a simple interface and it's easy to use."
"I rate Ubuntu Linux ten all the way."
 

Cons

"Updates are going to a streaming version."
"As an open-source solution, there isn't much technical support."
"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."
"In the future, CentOS will no longer be compatible with Red Hat."
"The solution could improve by making the management tools better for the DevOps teams. For example, WebEX and Webstacks."
"Integration with other platforms could be improved."
"The main issue is the End of Support. For that reason, we will switch to another operating system."
"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."
"I don't like the frequency of updates, especially if they're only from the vendor."
"SUSE Linux could provide more information about cost and the details of how clustering works."
"In the next release it would be nice to see more integration and better automation of processses."
"I would like to see better functionality for interacting with cloud-based systems."
"The product must improve its UI."
"Additionally, error handling needs improvement. The system should be more transparent when there's an error, rather than just declaring a generic error. It would be helpful if it could provide more specific information about the problem on that particular system. As it stands, you can waste a lot of time trying to troubleshoot these vague errors."
"When working in a Department of Defense environment, Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) have to be followed. SLES is not really addressed directly here. It did make following security policy difficult."
"SUSE could make more APIs available."
"I would recommend they improve the network security, because it can be very difficult. I mentioned that when you upgrade Ubuntu, the network cut is always deactivated, so you have to restart the service to reactivate the network. It is important to improve this ability."
"There aren't enough experts in my country to be able to help troubleshoot or to post answers to problems."
"The product is difficult to use sometimes."
"Ubuntu is putting great efforts into making their platform a great hosting platform for Kubernetes and other related tools, but they are not addressing the challenges with what it takes to run Ubuntu in a large Windows-based environment."
"Management monitoring and interface could be better."
"I would like to see the group policies and the GUI improved in the next release."
"The support team is not good and needs to be improved. The user community is excellent and helpful, but some questions are unanswered. Also, stability and scalability could be improved."
"The product must enable automation using AI."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is free."
"There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source."
"CentOS is an open source that is free of cost."
"I'm not required to pay a licensing fee."
"We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux."
"The solution is open source so is free."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"CentOS is an open-source tool."
"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."
"When we first implemented this product, we had licenses for support."
"The product is expensive. We purchase its yearly license."
"There is no license for this solution, there is only a subscription of support available."
"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."
"The license we pay is for Oracle. We make use of the community edition."
"The product's licensing options align well with the evolving landscape of Linux variants."
"This is a free solution."
"The use of the solution is inexpensive and the hardware it needs to operate can be priced very low. There is not a license for the solution but there is for the hardware."
"The solution is open source, so there is no licensing fee."
"Ubuntu Linux is free to use."
"The solution is free."
"It is a free product."
"It is open-source. We don't have to pay for its license."
"Ubuntu Linux is free, but you can pay for a supported version that is better."
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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
10%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
University
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
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 st...
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.
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 f...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
I used the open-source version, so there were no setup costs.
What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The software management side was a bit difficult, especially compared to Ubuntu. The software manager was different, ...
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 suppo...
What do you like most about Ubuntu Linux?
It has a good support system for loading databases.
 

Also Known As

No data available
No data available
Ubuntu
 

Overview

 

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, ...
Samsung, eBay, AT&T, Walmart, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, Bloomberg, Best Buy, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Ericsson, Orange, Wells Fargo
Find out what your peers are saying about Red Hat, Canonical, Oracle and others in Operating Systems (OS) for Business. Updated: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.