# CentOS vs Kali Linux Comparison --- ## AI Generated Summary - **G2 reviewers report** that CentOS excels in stability and long-term support, making it a preferred choice for enterprise environments. Users appreciate its compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, which enhances its reliability for server applications. - **Users say** that Kali Linux stands out for its extensive suite of over 600 pre-installed penetration testing tools, such as Nmap and Metasploit. This makes it an ideal option for security professionals looking for a comprehensive toolkit right out of the box. - **Reviewers mention** that CentOS offers a familiar server ecosystem, which is beneficial for those transitioning from Red Hat. The RPM package manager is highlighted as a valuable feature for teaching system administration tasks, providing a solid foundation for users. - **According to verified reviews** , Kali Linux is praised for its ease of installation and user-friendly out-of-the-box experience. This aspect is particularly appealing for users who want to get started quickly without extensive setup processes. - **G2 reviewers note** that while CentOS has a higher ease of use rating, Kali Linux still provides a robust administrative experience. Users appreciate the balance of features and usability, although some find CentOS slightly more intuitive for everyday tasks. - **Users highlight** that both operating systems have strong support metrics, but Kali Linux edges out with slightly higher ratings in quality of support. This can be crucial for users who may need assistance with the specialized tools and features that Kali offers. | | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **Star Rating** | 4.4 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 | | **Total Reviews** | 426 | 243 | | **Largest Market Segment** | Mid-Market (38.4% of reviews) | Small-Business (56.0% of reviews) | | **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | --- ## Top Pros & Cons ### CentOS Pros: - Reliability (16 reviews) - Stability (14 reviews) Cons: - Outdated Technology (7 reviews) - Lack of Support (5 reviews) ### Kali Linux Pros: - Powerful Features (35 reviews) - Community Support (17 reviews) Cons: - Skill Requirements (20 reviews) - Usage Difficulty (14 reviews) --- ## Ratings Comparison | Rating | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **Meets Requirements** | 9.1 (342 reviews) | 9.0 (171 reviews) | | **Ease of Use** | 8.5 (343 reviews) | 8.2 (178 reviews) | | **Ease of Setup** | 8.6 (220 reviews) | 8.5 (103 reviews) | | **Ease of Admin** | 8.5 (204 reviews) | 8.6 (47 reviews) | | **Quality of Support** | 8.1 (286 reviews) | 8.3 (166 reviews) | | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.7 (161 reviews) | 8.8 (43 reviews) | | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.3 (321 reviews) | 9.6 (165 reviews) | --- ## Pricing ### CentOS #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial No information available ### Kali Linux #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial No information available --- ## Features Comparison By Category ### Operating System | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **CentOS** | 8.8/10 | 26 | | **Kali Linux** | 8.2/10 | 50 | #### Memory Management - Operating System | Feature | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **RAM management** | 9.2 (19 reviews) | 8.4 (40 reviews) | #### Device Management - Operating System | Feature | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **I/O management** | 9.0 (19 reviews) | 7.7 (42 reviews) | #### Backup and Recovery - Operating System | Feature | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **Data backup** | 8.2 (14 reviews) | 7.8 (37 reviews) | #### Error Detection - Operating System | Feature | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **System operations monitoring** | 8.8 (20 reviews) | 8.7 (45 reviews) | ### AWS Marketplace | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **CentOS** | N/A | N/A | | **Kali Linux** | N/A | N/A | #### Agentic AI - AWS Marketplace | Feature | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | --- ## Categories **Shared Categories (1):** [Operating Systems](https://www.g2.com/categories/operating-system) **Unique to CentOS (1):** [AWS Marketplace Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/aws-marketplace) --- ## Reviewer Demographics ### By Company Size | Segment | CentOS | Kali Linux | |---|---|---| | **Small-Business** | 31.7% | 56.0% | | **Mid-Market** | 38.4% | 30.1% | | **Enterprise** | 30.0% | 13.9% | ### By Industry #### CentOS - **Information Technology and Services:** 30.2% - **Computer Software:** 15.7% - **Computer & Network Security:** 5.7% - **Telecommunications:** 4.2% - **Internet:** 3.7% - **Higher Education:** 3.0% - **Financial Services:** 2.7% - **Research:** 1.7% - **Program Development:** 1.5% - **Education Management:** 1.2% - **Other:** 30.2% #### Kali Linux - **Information Technology and Services:** 24.8% - **Computer & Network Security:** 21.4% - **Computer Software:** 16.2% - **Computer Networking:** 3.8% - **Financial Services:** 3.8% - **Telecommunications:** 2.4% - **Education Management:** 2.4% - **Information Services:** 2.4% - **Higher Education:** 2.4% - **Banking:** 1.9% - **Other:** 18.6% --- ## Alternatives ### Alternatives to CentOS - [Ubuntu](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2393 reviews) - [Red Hat Enterprise Linux](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-enterprise-linux/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (975 reviews) - [Windows 7](https://www.g2.com/products/windows-7/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (898 reviews) - [macOS Sierra](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-macos-sierra/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (484 reviews) - [Oracle Linux](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-linux/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (348 reviews) - [Android](https://www.g2.com/products/android/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1273 reviews) - [Fedora](https://www.g2.com/products/fedora/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (213 reviews) - [Linux Mint](https://www.g2.com/products/linux-mint/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (189 reviews) - [Apple iOS](https://www.g2.com/products/apple-ios/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1569 reviews) - [Debian](https://www.g2.com/products/debian/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (222 reviews) ### Alternatives to Kali Linux - [Parrot Security OS](https://www.g2.com/products/parrot-security-os/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (62 reviews) - [Arch](https://www.g2.com/products/arch/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (44 reviews) - [BlackArch](https://www.g2.com/products/blackarch/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (22 reviews) - [Linux Mint](https://www.g2.com/products/linux-mint/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (189 reviews) - [Ubuntu](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2393 reviews) - [Windows 11](https://www.g2.com/products/windows-11/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (4292 reviews) - [Red Hat Enterprise Linux](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-enterprise-linux/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (975 reviews) - [Fedora](https://www.g2.com/products/fedora/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (213 reviews) - [Debian](https://www.g2.com/products/debian/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (222 reviews) - [Android](https://www.g2.com/products/android/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1273 reviews) --- ## Top Discussions ### CentOS - Title: [how can I install and use CentOS](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-can-i-install-and-use-centos) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "First download centos from the official repo. Later you can install by booting up your computer/laptop with centos iso image." - Title: [How to install package?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-to-install-package) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "For install package use command : yum install <package_name>" - Title: [Bolehkah ini digunakan untuk acara pembelajaran?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/can-this-be-used-for-learning-events) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "Yes. You can run Moodle, or other learning management system (LMS) products on CentOS Linux, or event management software. There is a rich set of open source..." - Title: [Where did you go to learn how to use CentOS?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/51381-where-did-you-go-to-learn-how-to-use-centos) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "At my first job organization. Some learning forums like stackexchange, tldp, the Linux Foundation etc..., " - Title: [How can I acheive client isolation ?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-can-i-acheive-client-isolation) — 1 comment, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "When I was learning about client isolation I found this web article very helpful. I hope it will help you. ..." ### Kali Linux - Title: [What Kali Linux can do?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-kali-linux-can-do) — 4 comments, 1 upvote > **Top comment:** "make hacking so easy" - Title: [GRE Classes In Pune](https://www.g2.com/discussions/gre-classes-in-pune-d91fc12d-083b-4ad3-a34b-2eb32ad569ad) — 4 comments > **Top comment:** "https://www.sevenmentor.com/gre-classes-in-pune.php" - Title: [Why is Kali Linux illegal?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/why-is-kali-linux-illegal) — 3 comments > **Top comment:** "I don't think it's illegal at all. It's just a operating system" - Title: [Why Hackers use Kali Linux?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/why-hackers-use-kali-linux) — 3 comments > **Top comment:** "In addition to being a free, practical, and highly secure Linux operating system, Kali Linux comes with over 600 tools for data security. Due to its..." - Title: [How do I update my kali linux os form the terminal](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-i-update-my-kali-linux-os-form-the-terminal) — 3 comments, 2 upvotes > **Top comment:** "sudo apt-get -y update & apt-get upgrade" --- **Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/centos-vs-kali-linux)