Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Windows 10 comparison

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56,997 views|17,616 comparisons
96% willing to recommend
Microsoft Logo
15,821 views|8,068 comparisons
90% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Jan 9, 2023

We performed a comparison between Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Windows 10 based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users of both solutions agree that their initial setup is straightforward.
  • Features: Users of both products are happy with their stability and scalability.

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) users like the solution’s robust integration capabilities and its powerful security software. Reviewers say that it could be much more user friendly.

    Windows 10 users like its firewall and say the solution is flexible and user friendly. Several Windows 10 users mention that it requires a high amount of resources, and that its security needs to be improved.
  • Pricing: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) users say the solution is expensive. Most Windows 10 users feel that the price of the solution is fair.
  • Service and Support: Users of both solutions report being satisfied with the level of support they receive.
  • ROI: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) users report a positive ROI. Windows 10 users do not mention an ROI.

Comparison Results: Windows 10 wins out in this comparison. The main difference between the two solutions is that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is not user friendly, while reviewers say that Windows 10 is. Windows users are also happier with its pricing.

To learn more, read our detailed Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 10 Report (Updated: March 2024).
771,157 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"There are millions of commands you can use, although we use only five or ten.""The solution provides more detailed control.""Red Hat has introduced a fast server, where Red Hat Enterprise Linux can be integrated or connected to via a client.""We use Red Hat Enterprise Linux with Git apps in our closed environment to develop and run scenarios.""Red Hat Enterprise Linux has a good file system type and good kernels.""The updates are the most valuable feature.""Red Hat is open source, so what we get with Red Hat Enterprise Linux is valuable support that is not included in the free version.""The security features are better than many other solutions offer."

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"Windows 10 is easy to use. I like the built-in antivirus features.""Windows 10 is easier for people to learn than other alternative solutions. Microsoft has been doing a very good job recently with updates and integrations, such as the collaboration with Ubuntu.""It provides us with very good updates and security patching that is required.""It's very straightforward. There is virtually no learning curve at all.""The most valuable features are ease of use, usability, and user-friendliness.""The solution is easy to use and it supports a lot of applications.""I have not seen any slowness or any file corruption or misbehaving which leads to any obstacles in my day-to-day work.""The ease of use and performance are two of my favorite features."

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Cons
"Writing SELinux policies is sometimes very hard if you want to deploy a new application on it.""There is room for improvement in integration with different cloud platforms.""Could include additional security fefatures.""I would like to see additional features, including automation and the introduction of AI/ML-based tools within Red Hat to handle manual tasks that humans are required to do.""The support can be lackluster sometimes, especially in our disconnected space where we have specific requirements.""The product should be made more accessible to someone who isn't experienced with Linux.""I am not happy with the tool's support. It is difficult to find knowledgeable people. It's hard to troubleshoot.""The vendor keeps rolling out many packets, which complicates our job."

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"This is an expensive solution.""Windows 10 could be improved by implementing synchronization between Teams and Skype for Business. If you're in a conference call in one tool, the other tool shows that you're available. This means that you get calls from other people in your organization while you are unavailable. So synchronization is missing, that's all.""It would be nice if the next version of Windows had more integration.""Windows reboot too often, it is a nightmare. I hate it.""The product must provide AI features in future releases.""In the beginning, the system froze a few times.""I think that the user interface is a little bit complicated and can be more user-friendly.""The updates are excessively long and take an entire hour during startup, which is ridiculous."

More Windows 10 Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is a bit on the expensive side, mainly because of the support they provide. However, it is quite affordable if you are an organization. If, as a small company or individual, this is an expensive option, I would recommend CentOS, which is an exact replica of RHEL, minus the customer support."
  • "In terms of the solution’s single subscription and install repository for all types of systems, we can have as many RHEL installations as we want because we have a specific subscription that entitles us to have as many RHEL services as we want. We pay for a subscription and with that we get RHEL and Satellite as well."
  • "Red Hat Linux is inexpensive. Linux solutions are generally inexpensive."
  • "RHEL is expensive."
  • "Because it is a subscription, you can go elastic. This means you can buy a year, then you can skip a year. It is not like when you buy something. You don't buy it. You are paying for the support on something, and if you don't pay for the support on something, there is no shame because there are no upfront costs. It changes the equation. However, we have such growth right now on the Linux platform that we are reusing and scavenging these licenses. From a business standpoint, not having to buy, but just having to pay for maintenance, changes a lot of the calculations."
  • "We have a site license on a yearly basis. Generally, we're okay with its price, but everything could be cheaper."
  • "The licensing with Red Hat is on par with other organizations like Microsoft. We have a site license, which gives us a certain number of servers, perhaps 25,000, for the type of license that we have. That works really well for us."
  • "We are an educational institution and as such, what we pay is less than the average company."
  • More Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Windows 10 is licensed. It was included with the purchase of my laptop."
  • "For my home computer it's a lifetime license, only purchased once."
  • "I think it is fair. I haven't bought it on my own because our laptops are from the company, and our company pays for it."
  • "Windows 10 came with the computer when I bought it, so it was already licensed."
  • "The basic operating system of any hardware should be free. Therefore, it should be free. They should charge only for the enterprise level or enabling the hypervisor. They should charge for Professional Windows 10, but the basic OS should be free."
  • "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."
  • "When we purchase a new machine, it comes with it, and we don't pay separately for the license."
  • "This solution could definitely be a little cheaper."
  • More Windows 10 Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Comparison Review
    Anonymous User
    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: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… more »
    Top Answer:It is open source. We can customize it as per our requirements.
    Top Answer:We use open source. We only have a subscription for support.
    Top Answer:I get updates continuously. The product must send updates less frequently. The copy speed changes depending on the size of the file.
    Top Answer:It is an operating system. I need it to access applications and services. I use the tool for personal purposes.
    Ranking
    Views
    56,997
    Comparisons
    17,616
    Reviews
    137
    Average Words per Review
    762
    Rating
    8.7
    Views
    15,821
    Comparisons
    8,068
    Reviews
    42
    Average Words per Review
    310
    Rating
    8.3
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL
    Learn More
    Overview

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a stable and reliable open-source operating system for running application servers, databases, web servers, and production systems. It is also used for cloud infrastructure services, BI, and disaster assistance. Its valuable features include support and subscription, ease of management and troubleshooting, integration with existing infrastructure, security updates and hardening tools, scalability, and flexibility. 

    Red Hat has helped organizations accelerate deployment, provide stability, control, and reliable updates, and enable the deployment of current applications and emerging workloads across different environments.

    Windows 10 is one of Microsoft’s most advanced operating systems for personal computers (PCs), tablets, and other similar devices. To date this operating system is active on more than 1.3 billion personal computers worldwide.

    Windows 10 has many features that make it arguably the most popular operating system for PCs on the planet. Included in these are a wealth of security features designed to stop malware from compromising both devices and networks. It has integrations for various multifactor authentication as well as non-password-reliant login technologies such as iris scanning. These keep networks safe from the moment that a user logs in. It also has security tools which not only identify, isolate, and remove threats, but also limit the damage that they can cause.

    Benefits of Windows 10

    Some of the benefits of using Windows 10 include:

    • A wide array of security features that proactively protect your system from malware of all kinds. The Windows Defender Exploit Guard feature constantly scans your system’s background for threats. It identifies, isolates, and removes the malware from your infected network. It can also quarantine infected devices to stave off an outbreak of infection across your network.
    • Allows you to browse the web in a way that protects your network from cyber-threats, enabling you to browse the internet from the confines of a virtual machine. If your device becomes infected, the malware will be unable to spread beyond the virtual machine that it has already infected.
    • The ability to synchronize multiple devices so that you can work from anywhere at any time. Windows 10’s Timeline feature enables you to save your work in a Microsoft application. You can then access this saved work on another Windows 10 device and continue from wherever you left off.

    Reviews from Real Users

    The Windows 10 operating system stands out from the competition for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its ability to secure users from digital threats and its main app management screen, which gives users the ability to easily manage their applications.

    One PeerSpot user who is the founder, president, and COO at an analyst firm, noted Windows 10’s impressive security suite when they wrote, “My impression is that the security via Windows Defender is good enough that I no longer feel a need for another third-party security solution, which had always been the case in the past. I think that perception still holds true.”

    Mike K., a collaboration specialist at a comms service provider, takes note of the main app management screen when he writes, “I like the main window pane where you can sort your mostly used and different types of apps, such as OneDrive, Google Chrome, and Access. I can just open up the main window, and those apps are right there at my fingertips.”

    Sample Customers
    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
    Information Not Available
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm28%
    Government13%
    Computer Software Company11%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    Government9%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Educational Organization9%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business23%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise67%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise66%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business40%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise39%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise58%
    Buyer's Guide
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 10
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 10 and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    771,157 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is ranked 1st in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 167 reviews while Windows 10 is ranked 7th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 255 reviews. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is rated 8.8, while Windows 10 is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) writes "Highly stable, good knowledge base, and reasonable price". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Windows 10 writes "User-friendly, easy to setup and manage domain ". Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is most compared with Windows Server, Ubuntu Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise, CentOS and Oracle Linux, whereas Windows 10 is most compared with Windows Server, Ubuntu Linux, Oracle Solaris, openSUSE Leap and Rocky Linux. See our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 10 report.

    See our list of best Operating Systems (OS) for Business vendors.

    We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.