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Kali Linux vs Windows 10 comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024
 

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 (2nd)
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
269
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 Kali Linux is 1.4%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 3.8%, down from 4.9% 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.
Darko Borovic - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to use and has good features like control panel, system settings, and backup
Windows 10 is mostly used in our production system. We are a TV station with some software depending on an operating system. This software won't be able to start or manage in other operating systems. We were forced to use Windows 10. Since we updated that software, we switched to Windows 11…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Kali Linux is the attack it performs using a CVE script that's already on the internet."
"Additionally, it now includes comprehensive migration analytics and reporting capabilities."
"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."
"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."
"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"The solution's stability is very good."
"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."
"Windows installation is straightforward. It only took about 30 minutes."
"I've got a good level of familiarity with it. The user interface is intuitive."
"Windows 10 has a convenient user interface."
"The solution is versatile and allows for easy installation."
"Provides easy integration."
"We use Windows 10 as an operating system for endpoints."
"For the most part, Windows 10 is the same as earlier versions of the operating system, but there are more ways to find files and programs. It's user-friendly."
"I have found the product to be scalable."
 

Cons

"The product should improve its security features."
"Any new user or someone without deep expertise won't be able to understand how to scale or manage it"
"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."
"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."
"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."
"From an improvement perspective, it should be made possible for users to learn about the product easily."
"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."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"Windows 10 could be improved by making the price cheaper."
"The core of the operating system needs work to become more stable and less complex. The need to occasionally re-install should not be necessary."
"The solution can improve security."
"Windows reboot too often, it is a nightmare. I hate it."
"Patch management could be improved."
"Security-wise, Windows 10 should be more stable."
"There is room for improvement in the troubleshooting feature."
"The product is exposed to more threats compared to Mac."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is open-source."
"The price is good because Kali Linux already provides a good bundle of tools."
"Kali Linux is open source."
"I use it free of charge."
"I have used the free version."
"It is an open-source tool."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"The licensing fee is expensive compared to other products."
"We have a license for all the products in my organization—the license for Windows Server and the license for the desktop version like Windows 10."
"I don't have a license"
"The solution requires a license and you can purchase one for personal use that lasts for the length of time you are using the solution."
"Windows 10 came preinstalled on my laptop, I am not sure the price."
"The tool's price used to be good earlier, but now it has become expensive. The tool is worth the money, especially since Windows 10 users got auto-upgraded to Windows 11."
"My company is on a corporate license for Windows 10 and my personal computer I bought the operating system already installed, I did not pay for it."
"We need to pay for licensing to use Windows 10. Any time we change the computers, we have to pay, and it's a bit expensive."
"Windows 10 could be less expensive. We have a perpetual license for this solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
12%
University
12%
Educational Organization
12%
Computer Software Company
13%
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: December 2024.
823,795 professionals have used our research since 2012.