--- title: "CentOS Linux Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about CentOS Linux Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Operating Systems products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/229026/CentOS-Linux/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # CentOS Linux Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) CentOS Linux ## What is CentOS Linux? CentOS Linux is a free operating system that can be run in any linux environment and provides new releases every 6-12 months. ## What is CentOS Linux used for? [Operating Systems](https://www.capterra.com/operating-systems-software/) Overall rating Based on 34 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 94% Neutral 6% Negative 0% Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Includes Free Version Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for CentOS Linux?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/centos/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### CentOS Linux 4.6 (34) VS. [### Windows 11](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/) [4.4 (106)](https://www.capterra.com/p/251507/Windows-11/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.2 (34) Ease Of Use 4.5 (106) Value For Money 4.8 (30) Value For Money 4.1 (86) Customer Service 4.1 (26) Customer Service 4.0 (77) ## CentOS Linux alternatives [Android Enterprise Management](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/) [4.6 (123)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228982/Android-11/) [Ubuntu](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/) [4.7 (123)](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/reviews/) Starting price $225.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/229058/Ubuntu/) Highest Rated [MacOS Big Sur](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/) [4.8 (59)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228984/MacOS-Big-Sur/) [iOS14](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/) [4.6 (53)](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/228981/iOS14/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/229026/CentOS-Linux/alternatives/) ## FAQs about CentOS Linux Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from CentOS Linux? CentOS Linux is most used by systems engineers, administrators, and infrastructure or network teams managing servers, backups, connectivity, and stable operating environments. Software developers, programmers, and web specialists rely on it to build, test, host, and maintain applications and sites. Technical consultants and CEOs use it to support client deployments and oversee IT infrastructure decisions. Answer based on 34 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is CentOS Linux built for? CentOS Linux serves small businesses, which represent 68% of reviewers, and Information Technology and Services organizations, its top industry at 26%. It also supports enterprise organizations (26%) and users in Computer Software (21%) and Hospital & Health Care (18%), primarily for operating system needs. Answer based on 34 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of CentOS Linux? CentOS Linux includes core system updates that deliver security fixes and new functionality, plus data security features for protecting server data and access. It provides stable, manageable kernels with support for loadable modules, and a GNOME-based user interface that can be updated and customized. Answer based on 8 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does CentOS Linux offer? CentOS Linux provides documentation for self-paced reference and setup guidance. This format gives teams written material they can consult while learning the system, reviewing configuration steps, and checking product details as needed. Answer based on 2 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does CentOS Linux offer? CentOS Linux provides FAQ/forum support and a knowledge base. Users often rely on community discussions and tutorials to solve issues, and support is described as helpful for common problems. Some users note that finding answers can take effort, especially when the community is smaller or the issue is less common. Answer based on 7 reviews Security ### How does CentOS Linux handle data security and access control? CentOS Linux uses a firewall, security patches, and package management to support secured server and application environments. Reviewers also report that it can help secure backups and that administrators can access tools efficiently. However, users note a learning curve, complicated repository implementation, and concern that updates may arrive after Red Hat releases. Answer based on 13 reviews Features and Usability ### Is CentOS Linux easy to use for beginners? CentOS Linux gives beginners a practical path into Linux administration through a straightforward interface, accessible terminal tools, and familiar server workflows. Infrastructure engineers and small business teams find it manageable for daily tasks, but configuring services and learning command-line operations can challenge users coming from Windows without prior Linux knowledge. Answer based on 13 reviews Features and Usability ### How user-friendly is the CentOS Linux interface? CentOS Linux provides an administrator-focused interface that supports efficient server management, terminal work, and application administration. Engineers often value its lean design and available graphical desktop, while end users may find the GUI dated, less customizable, and less intuitive than Windows. Remote GUI access can also require extra attention. Answer based on 11 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 945 Operating Systems reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of Operating Systems rank the following features as their top priorities: - **File Management** (**45%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Data Security** (**50%**) - **System Updates** (**47%**) CentOS Linux includes **Data Security** and **System Updates**, helping businesses protect systems and keep environments current with less manual work. However, it does not include **File Management**. Instead, it offers **User Interface** (**43%**), which gives teams an easier way to navigate system functions and manage day-to-day tasks, helping businesses maintain secure, up-to-date operations. Data Security 4.5 (24) 37.50% of 24 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Protect sensitive data for digital privacy System Updates 4.6 (25) 44.00% of 25 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Automatically update to the latest version User Interface 4.3 (25) 40.00% of 25 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus, used by most modern operating systems Kernels 4.5 (22) 45.45% of 22 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Manage communication between software and hardware CentOS Linux 4 features ### All Features - Data Security: Protect sensitive data for digital privacy - Kernels: Manage communication between software and hardware - System Updates: Automatically update to the latest version - User Interface: A visual way of interacting with a computer using items such as windows, icons, and menus, used by most modern operating systems --- Features 4.6 (34) 4.6 Based on 34 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.8 (30) Value for money 4.8 (30) 4.8 Based on 30 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.1 (26) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.1 (26) 4.1 Based on 26 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.6 Based on 34 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(24) 4(8) 3(2) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful CE CEO CEO Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Free operating system for reliable web server" 5.0 August 17, 2021 CentOS Linux is a cost-effective solution for enterprise-level web servers. Very stable and secure too. Pros CentOS Linux is a free and open-source operating system based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It has been mainly used to host enterprise-grade web applications. It is a stable, secure, and reliable operating system that also offers a graphical user interface for personal computers. Most preferred OS by Webhosting providers. Cons Red Hat community is supporting CentOS 8 until the end of 2021, while support for CentOS 7 will be until 2024. This has created little uncertainty about its future. Its GUI interface for personal computers is difficult to customize. II ICT Infrastructure Manager ICT Infrastructure Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "great server Linux release" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 23, 2025 The best free Linux server release that can be used instead most famous paying versions Pros Free; can replace or be compatible with most of server Linux release Cons sometimes difficult to configure for basic services; not always updated as other Linux release PR Programmer Programmer Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Linux, but better" 3.0 February 1, 2022 Pros I really like this os, have a lot of good builtin things. really good for compiling things to \`many linux\` packages Cons A bit old, and not really get updated that often. and the GUI is not really nice in my opinion Jonathan Alexander C. IT infrastructure analyst Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "A stable distribution for your applications and services" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 July 15, 2022 I have used this Linux distribution for more than 5 years to develop applications as a development environment and as a telephony service server, say PBX, Asterix and more. It has been very useful and its constant updates have helped it to remain stable and to be one of the best Linux distributions used by developers and computer scientists. Pros What I like the most about this distribution is that it is easy to configure and put into operation, it is very stable for managing databases and applications Cons Currently I have no complaints about this distribution but they could improve the performance and distributed workload IM Ibrahim M I. System Engineer Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Centos Linux review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 12, 2021 No need to pay money if you have good knowledge with Centos linux you can use power of community to find a solution for any faced issue Pros Opensource, community support, hardware support Cons GUI stability while I access it remotely Torikul I. Freelancer - Web Developer Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "CentOS Linux is one of the best free OS system " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 September 25, 2021 My overall experience was amazing, I have used CentOS Linux couple of years for my project purpose. It was a successful decision for me to pick CentOs because this OS helped me a lot. But currently, I'm not using it anymore. Pros The main thing is this operating system is totally free and a lot helpful for web application development. I have used this OS for a long time but there was nothing out of my requirements. I got almost every single feature and functionality that I basically want to have an operating system. Its customization, sensitivity, and advanced options are so helpful. Cons There are no highlighted cons I noticed with this operating system but I think its UI/UX part should be improved. ZAiN R. Web Designer Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Rock Solid Linux Distribution used as a Web Server" 5.0 June 24, 2022 Used as a webserver, no issues experienced. Minimal configurated in conjunction with servermin Pros Rock solid Good community support with tons of tutorials online Cons Not as much support as the ever popular Ubuntu SA Server Administrator Server Administrator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "RedHat/IBM killed CentOS " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 June 2, 2022 CentOS was a great Linux distribution, very stable secure and reliable. now it's all gone after RedHat decided to kill and replace it with CentOS Stream. Pros CentOS was a great operating system based on RedHat Enterprise Linux source code, it was a down stream of RedHat Enterprise Linux which means any updates or security patches or issues fixed and tested by RedHat Enterprise Linux community end up released in CentOS after a while. But now After RedHat/IBM decided to kill CentOS, they required it and made it an up stream to RedHat Enterprise Linux, so instead of CentOS taking updates tested in RedHat, RedHat now uses CentOS as for testing. Cons RedHat/IBM acquired CentOS and killed the project. Pinki K. Technical consultant Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Create your application deployment server with centos " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 September 12, 2022 Its very good experience to use centos with help of centos we sre able to deploy our application with minimum costs and setup the CI/CD process on centOs. Pros Very easy to setup and can consume very less resources. We are using sent of to deploy our application on dockers and with help of centos we are able to do this with minimum resources use. We are using centos to deploy our javascript application and also to install Jenkins, sonarqube etc. Tools. Cons Its user interface is not good. All you need to be good at terminal side means have to remember all commands. Ankit .. Devops Engineer Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Centos Operating System" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 24, 2024 It is built on the red hat enterprise linux so making secure and reliable to use. Free to use so it easy is for a beginner to start using it for learning. It works with much faster speed compared to other operating systems. Pros It is free to use so anyone get started with it. It is flavour of linux so if a person knows linux already it very easy to switch to centos. Centos provides more security features than linux. As it is being used for hosting many servers it is go to choice to learn a os. Cons Having less community support. Having long release cycle compared to fedora, ubuntu. It is designed to be used through terminal, can'nt perform actions using the UI. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/229026/CentOS-Linux/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Windows 11 vs CentOS Linux](https://www.capterra.com/compare/229026-251507/CentOS-Linux-vs-Windows-11)