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Kali Linux vs Windows 10 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

Kali Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
11th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
AWS Marketplace (9th)
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.5
Number of Reviews
270
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 1.5%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 3.7%, down from 4.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

GurpreetSingh4 - PeerSpot reviewer
Has small footprint and low maintenance cycles
Pre-installed tools can provide basic training and security measures, which is helpful. However, these tools may not be sufficient to secure your workload fully. That's why it's important to complement them with other specialized security tools to enhance your overall security. Before using Kali Linux, make sure you know its pros and cons. It's a good system to learn because it's the best choice for some situations. It has default firewall settings that block everything by default. It's up to the user to decide how much they want to open up. Learning Kali Linux takes time because it relies on command-line tasks instead of graphical interfaces. Practice is key to becoming comfortable with it.
Akos Szirmai - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy installation and the initial setup time is reasonable
Stability can be an issue. I have to restart it every two days. And the boot time is quite long. My laptop's old, has no SSD, and is just a traditional Winchester. Had desktops with Windows 11 and SSDs, much better performance. But hardware limitations on my current laptop lead to stability and response issues. It's more like the whole reinstall every two years thing. It makes cleaning a pain. Performance improves significantly after a fresh install, then slowly deteriorates as I add more programs. But my biggest concern with Windows 10 is actually bigger than my situation. I'm replacing my laptop anyway, but I read that Windows 10 support ends in a year or so. And with hardware limitations, many other computers won't run Windows 11. So it's not just me. A lot of people with decent, still-working Windows 10 machines will lose support and be unable to switch to 11. This will be a significant problem for individuals and institutions. Large companies with thousands of computers don't replace them every three years, and they might face issues with many computers unable to run Windows 11 and lacking support for 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most effective features of Kali Linux include its stability as a Linux operating system, its flexibility in configuring resources such as partitions, its powerful and stable file system, and its multi-user capability, which allows for setting user privileges and rights. Additionally, Kali Linux provides access to a wide range of free and open-source applications for testing and development purposes."
"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"In general, Kali Linux is used for hosting applications, developing new applications, and operating systems. It's also used in containers and nodes. The tool offers a smaller footprint than Windows because it lacks the functionality of graphical user interfaces. One advantage of Kali Linux is its lower maintenance requirements than Windows, with slower update cycles and easier maintenance procedures."
"The interface is good and straightforward to use."
"The tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"The most valuable feature of Kali Linux is the attack it performs using a CVE script that's already on the internet."
"We use the product for open-source intelligence and identifying vulnerabilities."
"The initial setup is very straightforward."
"I prioritize stability and performance, so I'm accustomed to the Windows interface. When I attempt tasks on Linux, it feels unfamiliar to me. Prolonged usage, and familiarity should lead to efficiency."
"The solution is easy to use compared to other solutions, such as Mac OS. I am very familiar with Windows 10 since I have been using Windows since I was very young. It is always evolving to meet make new standards."
"I like the stability, the performance and the ease of use."
"Very reliable and user friendly."
"The product's initial setup phase is pretty straightforward."
"I like how Windows 10 is quite stable."
"The solution is easy to use."
 

Cons

"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."
"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."
"The installation process of Kali Linux can be slow, particularly when installing and upgrading packages within virtualized environments."
"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."
"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."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"The product should integrate AI and GPT capabilities."
"It would be helpful if Windows had its own antivirus to protect the OS. They should provide an antivirus with it."
"The stability of the product has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."
"The updates are excessively long and take an entire hour during startup, which is ridiculous."
"Windows needs improvements made with respect to security because it is still vulnerable."
"It would be nice to see more robust security features in the next release."
"It's difficult to determine the source of an issue when it comes to performance."
"So it would be nice to have the option to switch between this design and the previous one. Working with Windows 7, I preferred to use commands or applications like in the old version."
"Everything's tied-in via Bluetooth; it's kind of a pain in the ass because it hijacks your calls."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is open-source."
"Kali Linux is open source."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"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 perpetual license. I rate its pricing a five out of ten."
"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"There is no need to make any payments towards the licensing costs since it is a solution that is available for free."
"I have used the free version."
"It is an open-source tool."
"I have a home license that costs me around 1,000 rupees."
"While the licensing costs of Windows 10 certainly exceed those of other operating systems, as far as the product, its performance and its wide range of usage goes, it is fine. It's worth the price."
"The solution came pre-installed on my computer, so I did not incur a licensing fee."
"It falls within the average price range; it's not particularly cheap or expensive."
"We pay for the license, and it's fine."
"There is a one-time license purchase for Windows 10."
"I have never bought this solution myself, I generally get it with my Notebook for free. I think they are competitively priced at this moment."
"I have taken the full license, but its cost is very high. Its cost should be reduced."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Educational Organization
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
University
11%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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...
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...
What needs improvement with Kali Linux?
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 Ka...
What needs improvement with Windows 10?
Windows versions before 2016 had a lot of stability problems. When cybersecurity teams tested these devices or operating systems, we found many vulnerabilities to exploit. That's why if I could mak...
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
We use the solution as an operating system.
 

Comparisons

 

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Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,020 professionals have used our research since 2012.