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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
7th
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 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 Windows Server is 9.0%, up from 8.7% 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."
"The community and knowledge base are very robust."
"It's easy to install."
"The product is very efficient when it comes to virtualization."
"The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward."
"We used the solution as an operating system."
"It's less expensive than Red Hat."
"CentOS is very efficient and very powerful with many capabilities."
"The solution is straightforward to install and took approximately 30 minutes."
"The product, overall, is very simple. It's easy to use and navigate. It's got a good design."
"It is stable, scalable, flexible, and easy to use."
"Windows server is stable, having improved on previous versions."
"The installation of the solution is becoming easier every year after new releases. The first installation can take an hour but you can use templates to make the installation very quick."
"The most valuable features of Windows Server for us are scalability, hardware compatibility, and support for various hardware interfaces like communication boards."
"There is room for improvement in terms of pricing."
"The solution is easy to use and it supports multiple applications compared to other basic systems that are currently in a production environment."
 

Cons

"I would like the integration to be more secure."
"We occasionally have issues with software installation."
"The security could be improved because the server system isn't very secure."
"As an open-source solution, there isn't much technical support."
"The stability could always be improved."
"It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."
"The tool has no official support."
"There is no notification before updates are applied to the solution, which occasionally means that new functionality isn't compatible with how the product is currently being used, and causes issues."
"The system needs to offer better integration capabilities."
"It would be better if they had more security features and fewer bugs. They can also improve their technical support."
"Security and vulnerabilities could improve."
"I believe the solution needs to be more secure in the future."
"Rebooting is sometimes required to resolve issues, although we don't know the root cause."
"The solution could improve by increasing security."
"It could be more secure. We can't compare it to other products because they have their own security and all those things. When it comes to email security, there are issues. Microsoft products used to get hacked all the time, but we're still comfortable with that."
"In terms of support, it's pretty complicated when you have to study the documentation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have a CentOS license that we pay for on a yearly basis."
"This is a free solution."
"There are no licensing fees. CentOS is a free solution."
"We are using a subscription-based license option for CentOS."
"I use the free version."
"The solution is open source so is free."
"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs involved."
"CentOS is cheaper compared to Windows."
"Microsoft is relatively inexpensive compared to other database platforms."
"We use only the license versions of Windows Server."
"The price of the solution could improve."
"There is a license required to use Windows Server."
"I paid for a license to use Windows Server. It is a subscription-based license and it is purchased annually."
"Our customers prefer lifetime licenses."
"There is a license to use this solution and the price is reasonable."
"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."
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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
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
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.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.