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CentOS vs Windows Server 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
6th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
185
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

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 Windows Server is 9.0%, up from 8.6% 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.
NirajSingh - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly platform streamlining client connectivity
We are using Windows Server to connect our client software. We use it to access client systems and work on SQL databases Rather than purchasing and setting up infrastructure, we are using Windows Server, which obviously saves some costs. Windows Server is fulfilling our daily work-life purposes.…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup is very easy."
"Setup is straightforward. You can complete it in about 30 minutes."
"It's a good and stable system. It provides everything you need for web servers and database servers."
"I like the command prompt of CentOS. It's very simple."
"The most valuable feature is the limited resources the solution uses in operation."
"The product is free to use."
"I like its stability, performance, and usability."
"The vendor updates the tool regularly to solve vulnerabilities."
"The most valuable features are the ease of access and maintaining the solution."
"Very easy to configure."
"I feel the solution to be stable."
"PowerShell is a great feature of the solution."
"We haven't had any issues with the server whatsoever. It's been very reliable."
"The most valuable feature is the performance."
"It's quite stable."
"The solution is user-friendly, the UI looks good, and there are new versions every year. Each new version is very different, better, and cleaner."
 

Cons

"CentOS NetworkManager is an area of concern in the solution that needs improvement, and it is the same with other products from Red Hat."
"CentOS is not easy."
"If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."
"This solution is no longer supported and will not receive any updates going forward."
"CentOS can be somewhat difficult for beginners, as it has a complex UI, especially for those not in the IT field."
"Continuous deployment is the only thing that can be improved."
"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."
"It could be more secure."
"I used to like the graphical interface and graphical philosophy in previous versions of Windows Server. I am not able to be as fast and efficient as I used to be using a graphical interface. However, Windows has moved to the PowerShell, it is powerful, but is still limited compared to what we do can do in Linux. Linux was built at the beginning of the command line interfaces which is why they have a very powerful command line."
"The graphical user interface could be better. It's a little dated."
"Windows Server could always be more secure."
"I would definitely like to see bolting monitoring tools. To monitor the server you usually have to install third party tools. I would like to be less reliant on third-party tools. They always create some sort of security issue regarding ports that need to be opened, that type of thing. Windows Server has internally monitorable software but remote monitoring software would be a great add-on."
"It is not fast and is very slow. Versions before 2002 are not stable."
"It would be better if the license had a longer lifetime."
"The solution could offer higher availability."
"Windows should add some more compatibility tools to Windows Server."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's free."
"CentOS is an expensive solution. There are other solutions that are rated at the top that are not expensive, such as Red Hat."
"The product is free."
"For the enterprise version of CentOS, there is a license required. However, for personal use, I do not need a license."
"There is no license required for this solution."
"It is open-source, which means it is a free product. It has a one-time deployment cost."
"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"The solution is open-source and does not have any costs or licensing fees."
"It's expensive, but we have a need for it and have to purchase it."
"There is a license required for Windows Server and Microsoft the cost is based on the number of ports that you have on the production server."
"There is a license for this solution and the price could be cheaper."
"We pay yearly for a license. If you ask any vendor they will tell you that it could be cheaper."
"Our customers had a bundle package with Microsoft that included Windows Server."
"Our customers prefer lifetime licenses."
"To use Windows Server, we pay for licensing yearly. The licensing cost should be cheaper—it is expensive and should not cost that much."
"There is a license to use this solution and the price is reasonable."
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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
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
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 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.
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
I think there is room for improvement in the stability of older versions. Additionally, Windows Server could be more power-efficient, especially for individuals doing labs or studies on personal co...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
Windows Server ( /products/windows-server-reviews ) is the operating system we run on our servers. We use it in the IT department, primarily as the OS for our servers.
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about CentOS vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,767 professionals have used our research since 2012.