Kali Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) comparison

Kali Linux and Red Hat are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. Kali Linux is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.8, while Red Hat is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8. Kali Linux holds a 2.7% mindshare in OSB, compared to Red Hat’s 9.0% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Kali Linux users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.

Kali Linux

2,468 Views
1,777 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Read 364 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews

20,998 Views
20,788 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Kali Linux

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Kali Linux compete in the Linux distribution market. Users are happier with RHEL's support but believe Kali Linux offers better features, making it more valuable for specific use cases such as cybersecurity.

Features: RHEL is known for stability, security, and enterprise-level support. Kali Linux is valued for specialized tools, cybersecurity functionalities, and versatility. RHEL is preferred for enterprises, while Kali Linux is ideal for penetration testing.

Room for Improvement: RHEL could improve in cost and complexity of updates. Kali Linux users suggest enhancements in documentation and user-friendliness. The primary concern for RHEL is cost, and for Kali Linux, it is usability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: RHEL is noted for extensive support and reliable deployment. Kali Linux, while efficient in deployment, offers less structured customer service. RHEL is easier to deploy in large-scale environments due to robust support.

Pricing and ROI: RHEL has higher setup costs but provides high ROI due to stability and support. Kali Linux has lower upfront costs, delivering good value for money but a lower ROI compared to RHEL. Red Hat generates better long-term returns despite higher initial expenses.

To learn more, read our detailed Kali Linux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Kali Linux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

September 2025

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Helped 867,676 peers since 2012

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

Kali Linux

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

11th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...

Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business

1st

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

364

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 2.7%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 9.0%, down from 11.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Operating Systems (OS) for Business Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)	9.0%
Kali Linux	2.7%
Other	88.3%

Operating Systems (OS) for Business

Featured Reviews

NilutpalDutta

Senior Technical Manager at HCLSoftware

Provides valuable real-time data scanning for vulnerability assessment

We don't know if Kali Linux has the port scanning capability yet, but that is an area of improvement because we are working with DMZ zones and customized ports. If we can add featured customized port scanning and DMZ zone capability, then it will be a very great tool. It might be there, but we are not exploring it yet. We are not exploring 100% of Kali Linux capabilities. If real-time customized port scanning can be added, for example, instead of a default port such as 8080 or 443, if we can use a customized port such as 9876, that capability would be great. The only point that I didn't find on Kali Linux for now is the ability to customize port scanning.

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Bruce Lundberg

Linux HPC Systems Administrator at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Reliable patch management, high uptime, and incredible knowledge base

In terms of security, it does a lot of things that most people still turn off. SELinux is turned on by default. They have pretty good firewall rules in their defaults. The audit rules always take tweaking, but, overall, it comes out of the box not too bad. I used to write scripts to harden them from there. There are multiple ways to provision and patch. You have everything from local repositories to doing it by hand. Their knowledge base is incredible. There is so much information out there. It has never taken me longer than 30 minutes to find an answer to anything, even very tough ones. One company I worked for was a security company, and we did a lot of patching on everything. It was designed around security and email hosting, and uptime was pretty much whatever we wanted it to be. I have had a couple of times when the uptime was bad, but it was caused by a third-party solution. In fact, the Norton antivirus was definitely the worst. Red Hat had nothing to do with it.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The interface is good and straightforward to use."

"We use the product for open-source intelligence and identifying vulnerabilities."

"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."

"The tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."

"I'm mostly using for the web security web application, so end map and the troubleshoot will it's my price, and it's available in ColliNX."

"The most valuable feature of Kali Linux is the attack it performs using a CVE script that's already on the internet."

"Kali Linux has the capability of real-time data scanning for vulnerability assessment for backend services, and that is actually very far more valuable."

"I use the tool with Nmap to perform network audits. We use it to find vulnerabilities in our network through attacks. It's for those who want to launch or create viruses or perform attacks on systems. With Kali Linux, you can conduct penetration testing for networks, web applications, and Android mobile apps."

More Kali Linux pros

"By not breaking or causing problems, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) saves time, headaches, money, anguish, fees, violations, and penalties."

"The most valuable feature of Red Hat Enterprise Linux is its comprehensive ecosystem."

"The frequent updates are valuable."

"I would like to say Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is much more efficient than Windows, and my employees love the Linux command line."

"The most valuable aspects of Red Hat Enterprise Linux are its flexibility and security."

"Security, packages, and updates are valuable. There is also the possibility to do unattended installations. This way you can define how you want the installation to behave and be configured whenever you do the deployment."

"It's one of those nice things, similar to your refrigerator—you don't notice it until it breaks."

"Reliability is the most valuable feature."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) pros

Cons

"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."

"The only point that I didn't find on Kali Linux for now is the ability to customize port scanning."

"The tool is already stable and well-developed, so there's minimal feedback for enhancement or change. However, it should improve security, which is crucial, especially with the increasing use of Kali Linux in cloud environments."

"From an improvement perspective, Kali Linux could include more ML to help with academic literature, as it is one of the areas where there are shortcomings in the solution."

"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."

"Unfortunately, my current tool runs on Windows 10, and its use is restricted to enterprise versions. Integrating this tool or similar functionalities into Kali Linux for non-enterprise users would be incredibly valuable."

"Any new user or someone without deep expertise won't be able to understand how to scale or manage it"

"The product should improve its security features."

More Kali Linux cons

"The only area would be in regards to being capable of running on other architectures like ARM. They are about to release a new version that is available to be executed on ARM architecture."

"Having an image that includes all the necessary software and provisioning it so that subsequent updates provide the updated image, would significantly enhance the developer experience. It would be great if teams could make modifications and changes to the image, like rebasing. I think it would be an awesome feature."

"Red Hat Enterprise Linux's monitoring could be improved. I would like additional monitoring features, like a greater ability to monitor services and workloads running. Satellite can provide centralized monitoring of subscriptions and deployments. You can build a monitoring console, but there is no native monitoring."

"Red Hat Enterprise Linux has ongoing potential for improved integration with hosting solutions and VPNs as the demand for these technologies grows."

"As such, there are no specific features that we are looking for. We have frequent meetings with them. We have had some issues on the application side and the OS side for which we opened cases and discussed those concerns and questions in the meetings offered by Red Hat."

"The only issue for us was the cost. RHEL is expensive."

"They are continuing to push the ecosystem forward, but as a consumer, what was most important for me was the reputation of openness that Red Hat has fostered. I would like that back."

"Some of the solution's features need to be automated. We encounter the hassle of registering the system and attaching a subscription."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no need to make any payments towards the licensing costs since it is a solution that is available for free."

"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."

"It is an open-source tool."

"I use it free of charge."

"I have used the free version."

"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."

"The tool is open-source."

"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."

More Kali Linux pricing and cost advice

"We have to pay for the support and features."

"We purchased it directly from Red Hat. Compared to open source, it's very pricey, but you get the support, which makes it much better."

"The solution can get pretty pricey depending on how many machines we're licensing but for a good reason."

"We have moved to the Simple Content Access (SCA) model. It is much easier to do renewals and see how I am using my licenses. I used to have to do it all by hand. It would take me a good couple of hours every few months to make sure that we were up to snuff on everything. However, with the new model that they have, this is very easy. I just go to cloud.redhat.com to look and see how I am utilizing my licenses. If I am running out of bounds, I can find out why. If it is simply that we have images that need to be removed, we remove those images. If we need to buy more licenses, then we can start the process of purchasing more licenses."

"Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers a compelling value proposition for corporations due to its robust support infrastructure, which is essential for maintaining enterprise-level systems."

"While the cost of Red Hat Enterprise Linux may seem high, it's necessary to support Red Hat's extensive research and development, which includes maintaining long update cycles for the operating system."

"From a management point of view, it's quite good, but everyone is complaining that it's more expensive than the other operating systems."

"I like my developer account. The free sixteen licenses that they give with the developer account are great because that gives me the ability to keep using it at home instead of trying CentOS or something like that."

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) pricing and cost advice

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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

Comms Service Provider

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

University

12%

Educational Organization

11%

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	84
Midsize Enterprise	46
Large Enterprise	256

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Kali Linux?

I use the tool with Nmap to perform network audits. We use it to find vulnerabilities in our network through attacks. It's for those who want to launch or create viruses or perform attacks on syste...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kali Linux?

Kali Linux offers a perpetual license, meaning you pay for it once and can use it. While free versions of Linux are available, Kali Linux, being an enterprise edition, usually comes with a perpetua...

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What needs improvement with Kali Linux?

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

It is open source. We can customize it as per our requirements.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

I can say about pricing for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is maybe a two on a scale where ten is a high price.

See all answers

Comparisons

CentOS vs Kali Linux

Compared 19% of the time

Windows 10 vs Kali Linux

Compared 18% of the time

Windows 11 vs Kali Linux

Compared 15% of the time

Rocky Linux vs Kali Linux

Compared 8% of the time

Debian vs Kali Linux

Compared 8% of the time

More Kali Linux Competitors

SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 19% of the time

Windows Server vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 15% of the time

Rocky Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 13% of the time

Oracle Linux vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 9% of the time

openSUSE Leap vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Compared 4% of the time

More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Kali Linux

September 2025

Download Kali Linux product report

Buyer's Guide

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

August 2025

Download Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) product report

Also Known As

No data available

Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL

Overview

Kali Linux is widely used by organizations for penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, web application security, network audits, ethical hacking, and open-source intelligence, providing extensive free features.

Organizations run Kali Linux in virtualized environments alongside other operating systems, employing tools for automated scans, malware identification, infrastructure testing, and application development or hosting. These users benefit from lower maintenance requirements and a smaller footprint. The toolset includes Nmap, SQLMap, Metasploit, and Hydra, ensuring effective security assessments. Its high scalability, performance, user-friendly interface, and extensive documentation enhance the platform's usability. Known for stability, flexibility, and virus resistance, Kali Linux supports web security, troubleshooting, and configuration tasks comprehensively.

What are the most important features of Kali Linux?

Nmap: A network scanning tool for discovering hosts and services.
SQLMap: An SQL injection and database takeover tool.
Metasploit: A penetration testing platform with various exploit tools.
Hydra: A network log-in cracker supporting numerous protocols.
Documentation: Offers extensive resources for user guidance.
Stability: Provides a reliable and consistent operating environment.
Scalability: Adapts efficiently to growing security needs.
Performance: Ensures fast and efficient operations.
Virus Resistance: Enhances security through robust virus protection.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Cost Efficiency: Free tools reduce operational expenses.
Operational Efficiency: Lower maintenance needs and quick setup.
Enhanced Security: Robust tools for comprehensive security measures.
Flexibility: Adaptable to different environments and requirements.

Kali Linux can support industries in improving security through stable and flexible environments that resist viruses and provide extensive documentation. Users employ it for web security, troubleshooting, and configuring capabilities. Necessary improvements include automation, user-friendliness, and integrating AI and blockchain. Enhancements in security features, faster installations, and better learning tools are also essential. Machine learning integration and non-enterprise user functionalities can address current limitations.

Kali Linux

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is recognized for its stability, security, and performance, serving diverse industries with its robust support and seamless cloud deployment capabilities.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides comprehensive server applications across cloud environments, featuring tools like Ansible for enhanced user experience. It integrates OpenShift, Identity Management, and automation, supported by extensive documentation. Users seek easier upgrades, enhanced network virtualization support, and improved live patching.

What are the key features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

Stability and Security: RHEL is designed to provide a stable and secure environment, backed by consistent updates.
Cloud Deployment: Easily deployable across cloud platforms, enhancing flexibility.
Integration with Ansible: Enhances operational efficiency with powerful automation tools.
OpenShift and Containerization: Supports modern app development with integrated OpenShift features.
Extensive Documentation: Offers comprehensive resources for users to troubleshoot and optimize.

What are the benefits of using Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

Reliable Support: Benefit from extensive support options for seamless operation.
Enhanced Security: Built-in features ensure data integrity and protection.
Increased Flexibility: Suitable for diverse deployment environments, including on-premises and cloud.
Operational Efficiency: Tools like automation and cloud navigation improve productivity.
Training and Resources: Access to comprehensive training contributes to smoother implementations.

In sectors like finance, telecommunications, and education, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is crucial for running stable, secure systems. Its application spans web servers, data management, and containerization through tools like Kubernetes. Organizations adopt it for on-premises, virtualized, and cloud environments, ensuring robust infrastructure management.

Red Hat

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Travel Channel, Mohawk Industries, Hilti, Molecular Health, Exolgan, Hotelplan Group, Emory University, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, HCA Healthcare, Paychex, UPS, Intermountain Healthcare, Brinker International, TransUnion, Union Bank, CA Technologies

Buyer's Guide

Kali Linux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

September 2025

Free Report: Kali Linux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

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