Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat's subscription enterprise Linux for servers, workstations and cloud deployments.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the most widely deployed commercial Linux distribution, used for servers in data centres, public clouds and at the edge. A subscription gives access to all supported versions, security updates, certified hardware and software from a large partner ecosystem, and Red Hat's support. RHEL is developed in the open, with Fedora and CentOS Stream upstream, and many free rebuilds such as Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux aim for compatibility with it. Editions cover servers, workstations, IBM Power, SAP workloads and virtual data centres. Pricing is per subscription and published in Red Hat's online store for the main editions. Developers can get it at no cost through the Red Hat Developer program, which includes self-supported RHEL subscriptions. It suits organisations that need certifications, long lifecycles and vendor support; individuals and small teams often prefer free community distributions instead.
Best for: Organisations that need certified, vendor-supported Linux for production servers..
Pros and cons
What works
- Largest ecosystem of certified hardware and enterprise software
- No-cost subscriptions for developers
- Long, predictable support lifecycles
Why people leave
- Production use requires paid subscriptions
- Subscription management adds admin overhead
- Packages are older than in Fedora or rolling distros
Top Red Hat Enterprise Linux alternatives
See all 3- 1
Ubuntu64.8Free Ubuntu Server with optional Ubuntu Pro support, widely used on public clouds.
- 2
Debian61.8Free and community-governed, very stable, for teams that don't need a support contract.
- 3
Fedora Linux59.4RHEL's free upstream community distribution, with newer software and a faster cycle.
Why people left Red Hat Enterprise Linux
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Red Hat Enterprise Linux: common questions
Is Red Hat Enterprise Linux free?
No, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a paid product. Starting price (Server): US$383.90 (checked on Red Hat Enterprise Linux's own site).
Is Red Hat Enterprise Linux open source?
Yes.
What platforms does Red Hat Enterprise Linux run on?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is available for Linux.
What are the best alternatives to Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
The highest-ranked Red Hat Enterprise Linux alternatives right now are Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora Linux. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.