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Head-to-head · Server Operating System

Ubuntu Server vs CentOS Stream

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score Ubuntu Server #1 in Server Operating System 9.4/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Ubuntu Server
CentOS Stream #7 in Server Operating System 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit CentOS Stream

Ubuntu Server leads on 0 checks, CentOS Stream on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreUbuntu Server · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Ubuntu Server

Ubuntu Server scores higher on our rubric for server operating system: 9.4 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

Ubuntu Server is the better fit for broad server deployments needing low-cost enterprise Linux. CentOS Stream is the better fit for RHEL-adjacent systems tracking upstream development.

  • Ubuntu Server fits best

    Broad server deployments needing low-cost enterprise Linux

  • CentOS Stream fits best

    RHEL-adjacent systems tracking upstream development

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Side by side

Feature Ubuntu Server 9.4/10 Visit ↗ CentOS Stream 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.8
Ranking #1 in Server Operating System #7 in Server Operating System
Best for Broad server deployments needing low-cost enterprise Linux RHEL-adjacent systems tracking upstream development
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $25/device/yr Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Self-hosted, Cloud Self-hosted, Cloud
Platforms Linux Linux
Support Docs, Community · 24/7 Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Ubuntu Server 0/4 · CentOS Stream 0/4
Long-term support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Live kernel patching Not checked yet Not checked yet
Container tooling Not checked yet Not checked yet
Commercial support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
License model Not checked yet Not checked yet
Architecture support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Management interface Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free LTS releases include five years of standard security maintenance.
  • Supports six architectures and physical, virtual, cloud and edge deployments.
  • Pro adds Landscape management, Livepatch and wider package security maintenance.
  • Free, community-driven Linux distribution with DNF and RPM package management
  • Installation media, cloud and container images, and Vagrant boxes
  • CentOS Stream 10 supports x86_64_v3, ARMv8.0-A, POWER9, and z14
Cons
  • Standard LTS security maintenance lasts five years without Ubuntu Pro.
  • Ubuntu Pro Server with unlimited VMs costs $500 per machine per year.
  • Landscape and Livepatch are part of the Pro offering, not the free OS.
  • Updates arrive ahead of RHEL, which may not suit conservative production systems
  • CentOS Stream 10 has a roughly five-year lifecycle, maintained until 2030
  • Support channels are community and documentation
Our verdict

Ubuntu Server is an open-source Linux operating system for running workloads on physical servers, virtual machines, cloud instances and IoT or edge devices. Its deployment options include a server ISO and cloud images, and it supports…

Read the review →

CentOS Stream is a free, community-driven Linux distribution positioned between Fedora Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Built by RHEL engineers, it is the major-version branch from which RHEL minor versions are created. It is…

Read the review →
  1. Ubuntu ServerServer Operating System 9.4Free plan · 30-day trial
  2. CentOS StreamServer Operating System 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Ubuntu Server — where it wins

    • Free LTS releases include five years of standard security maintenance.
    • Supports six architectures and physical, virtual, cloud and edge deployments.
    • Pro adds Landscape management, Livepatch and wider package security maintenance.

    Where it doesn't

    • Standard LTS security maintenance lasts five years without Ubuntu Pro.
    • Ubuntu Pro Server with unlimited VMs costs $500 per machine per year.
    • Landscape and Livepatch are part of the Pro offering, not the free OS.

  • CentOS Stream — where it wins

    • Free, community-driven Linux distribution with DNF and RPM package management
    • Installation media, cloud and container images, and Vagrant boxes
    • CentOS Stream 10 supports x86_64_v3, ARMv8.0-A, POWER9, and z14

    Where it doesn't

    • Updates arrive ahead of RHEL, which may not suit conservative production systems
    • CentOS Stream 10 has a roughly five-year lifecycle, maintained until 2030
    • Support channels are community and documentation

More comparisons

All server operating system comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update