Windows dominates consumer and enterprise desktops with 73% market share and superior gaming support, while Linux powers 96% of cloud infrastructure, web servers, and offers complete free open-source software with superior security and customization for developers and server environments.
Linux vs Windows — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Free, open-source operating system dominating cloud servers and development environments with extensive customization capabilities.
Microsoft's proprietary operating system with 72% desktop market share, offering broad software compatibility and mainstream hardware support.
Desktop Market Share. Server/Cloud Market Share. Cost. Gaming Support. Enterprise Support Options. Security Vulnerabilities (2024). Customization Level
Choose Windows if you prioritize gaming, mainstream software compatibility, plug-and-play hardware support, and seamless Microsoft Office integration for personal or office use. Choose Linux if you need a free, highly secure, customizable platform for development, server deployment, cloud infrastructure, or system administration—it's the clear choice for 96% of web servers and cloud applications.
Linux: Third-party tools (Samba, SSSD) | Windows: N/A
Linux: $200-500 (used laptops) | Windows: N/A
Linux: Varies by distribution (Debian has 70,000+) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 100+ (Ubuntu, RHEL, Debian, etc.) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 8.2M+ open-source projects | Windows: N/A
Linux: 60-120 (configuration needed) | Windows: N/A
Linux: ~750,000+ (Debian) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 99%+ of major providers | Windows: N/A
Linux: Docker, Kubernetes, OCI native | Windows: N/A
Linux: 120-480 (requires manual kernel compilation and system configuration) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 3% (all Linux distributions combined as of 2026) | Windows: N/A
Linux: Not tracked (kernel-only, varies by distribution) | Windows: N/A
Linux: ~2-3 years per kernel release cycle | Windows: N/A
Linux: 0 (kernel only, no applications) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 96% of cloud servers run Linux (all distributions) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 2,000+ active Linux kernel maintainers globally | Windows: N/A
Linux: 10 (complete control over every component) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 24-48 hours | Windows: 30-90 days
Web Server Operating System Market Share
Linux: $0 (Free) | Windows: $200 (Pro edition)
Average Onboarding Time (Non-Technical User)
Linux: 40-100 hours | Windows: 8-20 hours
Available Linux Distributions/Windows Versions
Linux: 600+ active distributions | Windows: 1 official (multiple editions)
Linux: Open-source (full transparency) | Windows: Closed (limited transparency)
Linux: 10-15 years typical | Windows: N/A
Linux: No (requires third-party tools) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 8-12 weeks average | Windows: N/A
Linux: 600+ distributions | Windows: N/A
Linux: Limited; command-line primary | Windows: N/A
Linux: 120-300+ minutes (requires distribution selection, kernel compilation) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 9 (advanced - no GUI by default) | Windows: N/A
Linux: Varies by distribution (typically 2-10 years) | Windows: N/A
Linux: Not applicable (kernel is 150-300 MB separately) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 96.3% of cloud servers run Linux kernel | Windows: N/A
Commercial Support Cost (per system/year)
Linux: Free (community) to $500+ (vendor-dependent) | Windows: N/A
Linux: 200-800 MB typical | Windows: N/A
Linux: 6-24 months (varies) | Windows: N/A
Linux: Extensive (Red Hat, Canonical, SUSE) | Windows: N/A
Linux: N/A | Windows: Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, MSI, Razer, and 50+ others
Linux: N/A | Windows: Varies by model, typically 8-12 hours
Linux: N/A | Windows: $299-$499 (budget Windows laptops)
Linux: N/A | Windows: 8-16GB depending on model
Linux: N/A | Windows: Vast library: Gaming, enterprise, development, niche applications
Linux: N/A | Windows: High customization: Taskbar customization (2026), upgrade options, themes
Linux: N/A | Windows: Windows 11: 18 new security features in 2026, built-in speed tests, improved malware protection
Linux vs Windows — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Linux vs Windows. Contains 91 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Linux vs Windows.
Yes, most Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, CentOS) are completely free to download, install, and use. You only pay for optional commercial support plans from vendors like Red Hat, Canonical, or SUSE. Windows requires a paid license ($119.99-$199.99).
Why do 96% of servers run Linux instead of Windows?
Linux dominates servers due to: (1) zero licensing costs at scale, (2) superior security with 94 CVEs vs Windows' 627 in 2024, (3) lightweight resource usage, (4) open-source transparency allowing security audits, and (5) superior stability on high-demand infrastructure requiring 99.99%+ uptime.
Linux supports 8,500+ native Steam games, but Windows dominates with 50,000+. Major AAA titles (Cyberpunk 2077, Call of Duty) rarely launch on Linux. Proton (compatibility layer) helps some Windows games run on Linux, but native support is limited. For serious gaming, Windows is significantly better.
Modern Linux desktop distributions (Ubuntu, Linux Mint) are user-friendly for basic tasks, but require command-line familiarity for troubleshooting. Windows is more intuitive for casual users. Linux's learning curve is steeper initially but worthwhile for developers and system administrators.
Linux reports 94 CVEs vs Windows' 627 in 2024. Linux's open-source model allows community security auditing, and its smaller attack surface makes it preferred for servers. Windows has more targeted attacks due to 73% desktop market share. For security-critical roles, Linux is objectively superior. For typical users, both are secure when updated.
Desktop Market Share: Linux has 3.8%, while Windows has 73.2%.
Server/Cloud Market Share: Linux has 96.3%, while Windows has 1.6%.
Cost: Linux has Free (most distributions), while Windows has $120-$199 (Home to Pro licenses).
Gaming Support: Linux has 8,500+ native Steam games, while Windows has 50,000+ native Steam games.
Enterprise Support Options: Linux has Red Hat, Canonical, SUSE (paid tiers), while Windows has Microsoft support included with license.
Consider: Security Vulnerabilities (2024)
Security Vulnerabilities (2024): Linux has 94 CVEs, while Windows has 627 CVEs.
Customization Level: Linux has Complete source code access, unlimited customization, while Windows has Limited; restricted by licensing.