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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 (3rd)
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.2
Number of Reviews
271
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Kali Linux is 2.0%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 3.0%, down from 4.5% 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 tools available in Kali Linux are incredibly effective for conducting security assessments."
"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."
"Kali Linux is much better than other OS because it gives you a good set of tools. It is preferred for vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity."
"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 solution's most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
"The solution's stability is very good."
"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."
"One useful feature of Windows 10 is its connectivity with mobile devices and ability to make cableless connections with external devices."
"Windows 10 is user-friendly and easy to use, these are the most valuable features."
"I have found all the features to be valuable. I like the compatibility of Windows with other products, I can add applications. The general compatibility of Microsoft is good, I know that I can use all the Microsoft products."
"The solution has good stability."
"The best thing about Windows 10 is that you can run anything on it."
"The upgrade process has been smooth, and performance has significantly increased, especially in laptops."
"The most valuable feature is how friendly the interface is. I expect that we will soon go up to Windows 11 because it's already available."
"It works. It is stable, unlike other versions of Windows. It is easy to use and intuitive for the most part."
 

Cons

"The product should improve its security features."
"I would like to have automation in Kali Linux instead of manually configuring or setting up something in case of an upgrade."
"I would like for them to offer more features for the free version in order for users to test them in their internal environment before purchasing."
"There can be some lagging issues because the product gets stuck at times, making it an area of concern where improvements are required."
"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."
"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."
"The tool is slightly difficult to learn."
"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."
"The solution could be more secure and user-friendly."
"It would be helpful if Windows had its own antivirus to protect the OS. They should provide an antivirus with it."
"The security could always be better."
"It would be ideal if the solution itself was less technical so a person like myself could more easily access it and understand it."
"The performance of Windows 10 is a bit slow because it takes a lot of time for loading. That is a concern because the same 4GB Ram laptop, which I used with Windows XP and other versions, has been faster than Windows 10."
"Everything's tied-in via Bluetooth; it's kind of a pain in the ass because it hijacks your calls."
"In terms of what could be improved, I would say that the most critical thing is security, including the ransomware."
"The solution's pricing could be a little cheaper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Kali Linux is open source."
"It is an open-source tool."
"The tool is open-source."
"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."
"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."
"I use it free of charge."
"Kali Linux is a free product, and you don't have to pay for a license."
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
"The license is built into whatever you have purchased. For example, we purchased our Lenovo laptop and the license for Windows 10 was built in."
"Windows 10 was pre-installed when I bought my laptop, so I haven't had to deal with any licensing costs."
"While I am not the IT manager, I do know that the licensing costs comes with a subscription that is based on volume."
"I don't have a license"
"We pay a licensing fee for Windows 10, which is too expensive."
"All Microsoft products are expensive."
"The price of the solution is reasonable, it normally comes included with a purchase of a laptop or other device."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
16%
Computer Software Company
14%
University
12%
Educational Organization
10%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
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?
I do not have notes for improvement.
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
In my case, I would mostly say it's because of security reasons. At least for the typical use cases that I generally rely on Windows for, there didn't seem to be a noticeable performance difference...
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Kali Linux vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.