Compare CentOS and Kali Linux 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (38.0% of reviews)
Small-Business (58.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
CentOS
Star Rating
(388)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (38.0% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about CentOSKali Linux
Star Rating
(162)4.6 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (58.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Kali LinuxSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that CentOS excels in its stability and long-term support, making it a preferred choice for enterprise environments, while Kali Linux is often highlighted for its cutting-edge tools tailored for penetration testing and security assessments.
- Reviewers mention that CentOS has a strong community backing and extensive documentation, which aids in ease of setup and administration, whereas users on G2 note that Kali Linux's setup can be more complex due to its specialized nature.
- G2 users indicate that CentOS offers robust memory management features, which are crucial for server environments, while users say that Kali Linux's memory management is optimized for running multiple security tools simultaneously, but may not be as efficient for general-purpose tasks.
- Reviewers say that CentOS provides reliable backup and recovery options, which are essential for business continuity, while users report that Kali Linux focuses more on real-time data analysis and monitoring, which is vital for security professionals.
- Users mention that CentOS has a higher quality of support, with many users appreciating the responsiveness of the community and official channels, while reviewers on G2 highlight that Kali Linux's support is more niche, catering specifically to security-related queries.
- Users report that both CentOS and Kali Linux have positive product direction ratings, but reviewers mention that Kali Linux's direction is more focused on evolving security tools, while CentOS is more about maintaining stability and support for existing features.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
CentOS
No pricing availableKali Linux
No pricing availableFree Trial
CentOS
No trial information availableKali Linux
No trial information availableRatings
Meets Requirements
9.1
312
9.0
122
Ease of Use
8.5
312
8.3
127
Ease of Setup
8.5
190
8.5
52
Ease of Admin
8.5
187
8.9
38
Quality of Support
8.1
258
8.3
121
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.7
146
8.9
36
Product Direction (% positive)
8.4
292
9.4
117
Features by Category
Memory Management - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Device Management - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Backup and Recovery - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Error Detection - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
CentOS
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Kali Linux
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
30.2%
Computer Software
15.6%
Computer & Network Security
5.9%
Telecommunications
4.0%
Internet
3.5%
Other
40.7%
Computer & Network Security
25.3%
Information Technology and Services
24.1%
Computer Software
15.8%
Computer Networking
4.4%
Higher Education
3.2%
Other
27.2%
Most Helpful Reviews
CentOS
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Emmanuel M.
Verified User in Computer Networking
The gnome-terminal is speed end robust, the kernel Linux is the best for any OS. CentOS is simple , i like.
Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Online Media
Support has been discontinued and they are shifting course to CentOS Stream which is not meant for production servers but test builds which are less stable.
Kali Linux
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Vishnu C.
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
The Kaliinux is preinstalled with all hacking tools a penetration tester needs. Then the best thing its free and open-source and easy to use even with minimum configurations. The community support is very helpful we will get all support from the community...
Most Helpful Critical Review
Sumit K.
Verified User in Information Technology and Services
1. Support issues, outdated packages. 2. Comes with a lot of unwanted packages.
Emmanuel M.
Verified User in Computer Networking
The gnome-terminal is speed end robust, the kernel Linux is the best for any OS. CentOS is simple , i like.
Vishnu C.
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
The Kaliinux is preinstalled with all hacking tools a penetration tester needs. Then the best thing its free and open-source and easy to use even with minimum configurations. The community support is very helpful we will get all support from the community...
Verified User in Online Media
Support has been discontinued and they are shifting course to CentOS Stream which is not meant for production servers but test builds which are less stable.
Sumit K.
Verified User in Information Technology and Services
1. Support issues, outdated packages. 2. Comes with a lot of unwanted packages.
Alternatives
Discussions
how to improve the customization of repositories?
1 comment
AM
use a command like this:
tcpdump -c 12 -i enp0s3 | grep "string search"
You capture the traffic according to the filter set example: http, wget...Read more
How can I acheive client isolation ?
1 comment
RR
When I was learning about client isolation I found this web article very helpful. I hope it will help you.
...Read more
Where did you go to learn how to use CentOS?
1 comment
AG
At my first job organization.
Some learning forums like stackexchange, tldp, the Linux Foundation etc...,
Read more
GRE Classes In Pune
4 comments
YR
Graduate Record Examination, popularly known as GRE has been the most used scorecard by many graduate schools around the United States and other renowned...Read more
Perusing Software Training Will Help In Career Building ?
3 comments
YR
Software testing is in high demand and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. The demand for software testers is expected to grow significantly...Read more
Why is Kali Linux illegal?
3 comments
BS
Kali Linux itself is not illegal. It is an open-source operating system developed and maintained by Offensive Security, and it is widely used for security...Read more
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