We performed a comparison between CentOS and Windows Server based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: In this comparison, CentOS has a slight edge over Windows Server because it is free whereas Windows Server is considered expensive. Users also favor the technical support they receive from CentOS.
"CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported."
"It's easy to install."
"It helps us install and deploy our applications."
"I find the solution's stability to be the most valuable feature of it since I have been using a virtual machine with the help of the solution since 2015, and it still works on all the laptops in my organization."
"The solution is easy to troubleshoot."
"The product is free to use."
"Setup is straightforward. You can complete it in about 30 minutes."
"The most valuable feature is the limited resources the solution uses in operation."
"It is pretty simple and flexible. It works with all kinds of software. That's why we are using it. We avoid using Linux and other platforms."
"Windows Server performance is very good for backups."
"We like the performance."
"It is very easy to use for the end-user."
"My organization benefits from the use of the product since it is a tool that offers security while being user-friendly and easy to manage."
"This is a stable product and we plan to continue using it in the future."
"The features that I have found most valuable are that it is quick with an easy installation and has good troubleshooting compared to Linux or any other operating system."
"The solution is stable."
"Updates are going to a streaming version."
"Like every operating system, it could be more secure."
"We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"It would be ideal if Red Hat would continue the CentOS versions in an open-source format. They seem to be moving away from that. Now only paid versions are available."
"The solution could improve by making the management tools better for the DevOps teams. For example, WebEX and Webstacks."
"We occasionally have issues with software installation."
"CentOS NetworkManager is an area of concern in the solution that needs improvement, and it is the same with other products from Red Hat."
"The solution could improve by being more user-friendly."
"The performance from time to time can be a bit suspect."
"It would be nice if the solution was a bit cheaper. The product is a little pricey."
"The user interface needs improvement."
"It would be better if the license had a longer lifetime."
"The price should be reduced."
"It would help if Microsoft made it lighter to run on the servers and made troubleshooting much easier."
"While the solution is stable, it could be more so."
CentOS is ranked 5th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 63 reviews while Windows Server is ranked 4th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 180 reviews. CentOS is rated 8.2, while Windows Server is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of CentOS writes "Allows you to securely store data, and command prompts make it simple to use". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Windows Server writes "Easy to setup, stable and caters to my wide range of use cases but lacks user-friendly interface". CentOS is most compared with Oracle Linux, Ubuntu Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), openSUSE Leap and SUSE Linux Enterprise, whereas Windows Server is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Windows 10, Oracle Linux and Windows 11. See our CentOS vs. Windows Server report.
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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.
