Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

CentOS vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

CentOS
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
5th
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
184
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 Windows Server is 9.4%, up from 9.2% 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 product is based on Red Hat and very stable."
"The most valuable feature of CentOS is that it is easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is free."
"The technical support is good."
"Offers useful information and has good compatibility."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"It helps us install and deploy our applications."
"The community and knowledge base are very robust."
"The most valuable feature is this solution integrates very well with all Microsoft and all other mainstream software solutions and the design is very good. Windows has an option now allowing you to just install the Windows Core with the PowerShell without any graphical services running."
"The initial setup was straightforward. We had it fully installed within one or two hours."
"When we deploy this operating system, we're primarily focused on managing virtual environments. There are different parts like the directory, data storage, and CPU usage which are really useful. We also compare it to other parts like group policy, all of which are related to users. Currently, I find that users are very involved when it comes to these applications or servers on the two other links."
"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is quick with an easy installation and has good troubleshooting compared to Linux or any other operating system."
"The only thing that is extremely valuable about the solution is that most applications run on it. That's where it brings the value in as we have the server to run our applications."
"The performance is good."
"It's quite stable."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is Hyper-V Live Migration for Critical applications."
 

Cons

"We occasionally have issues with software installation."
"If a proper GUI-based tool was connected remotely or on the machine, it could be a great addition to CentOS."
"CentOS is pretty old now, so I wouldn't recommend anyone use it."
"We are aware that the licensing has shifted, and it's not a change we've liked."
"The product lacks a graphical user interface that can help users automate certain systems using the native features offered by CentOS."
"CentOS could be improved by being more secure. Of course, we use a firewall, but security is always a concern."
"If CentOS could add Office features then that would be beneficial. Additionally, the UI could improve."
"This solution is no longer suited to our business following the change they have made to the release process. It is no longer an enterprise solution."
"I would like to see better performance and more integration options in the next release of Windows Server."
"The security needs to be improved."
"One area for improvement in Windows Server is the basic administration tools and scripts, which have become less reliable and functional over time."
"There should be the ability to add other databases to be installed and configured instead of going to other virtual machines. They should be better integrated so they are all in one place."
"One area that needs improvement is the management console."
"The solution could improve by making it more secure."
"It is not easy to use. It can be more user-friendly to make our routine work a bit easy. It could also be cheaper."
"Windows Server needs to improve its speed and stability."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"CentOS is an open source that is free of cost."
"There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source."
"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"The solution is open source so is free."
"The solution is open-source and does not have any costs or licensing fees."
"There are no licensing fees for CentOS."
"CentOS is a free solution."
"The product is free."
"We use a perpetual license for Windows Server, which is expensive."
"Windows Server needs to be more flexible with the minimum requirements with the license and options. We are on an annual subscription to use the solution."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
"For the on-prem version, you need to go for a perpetual license. If I am planning to run ten operating systems, I will buy a pack of ten licenses, which will be cost-effective for me."
"We are with Microsoft's Cloud Solution Provider Program and we pay for a monthly license for this use of this solution and we support our customer subscriptions. The overall price of the solution is good."
"It is an expensive product."
"There is a license required to use Windows Server."
"The cost is relatively high."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Operating Systems (OS) for Business solutions are best for your needs.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

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
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
10%
Educational Organization
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.
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
Sometimes the performance goes down, which might be due to the stability zone or network issues. It can also depend on our network.
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
We are using Windows Server to connect our client software. We use it to access client systems and work on SQL databases.
 

Comparisons

 

Learn More

 

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: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.