Linux vs Windows
type: Article
description: 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.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-06-30T23:34:05.022Z
date created: 2026-06-30T23:34:05.022Z
date modified: 2026-06-30T23:34:05.085Z
content reference time: 2026-06-30T23:34:05.085Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Linux
about: Windows
abstract: 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.
text: Desktop Market Share. Server/Cloud Market Share. Cost. Gaming Support. Enterprise Support Options. Security Vulnerabilities (2024). Customization Level
conclusion text: 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.
additional property: Cloud Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96.4% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Annual Per-Server Licensing Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: $0 (open-source) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Minimum RAM Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 0.5-1 GB | Windows: N/A
additional property: Server OS Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 73.6% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Fortune 500 Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 65% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Native Active Directory Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Third-party tools (Samba, SSSD) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Time to Patch (Security Updates)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 4–24 hours | Windows: N/A
additional property: Typical Container Deployment Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 50–150MB | Windows: N/A
additional property: Base Software Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Free | Windows: N/A
additional property: Hardware Cost (Entry-level)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: $200-500 (used laptops) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Desktop Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 3.3% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Server/Cloud Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96.3% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Available Software Packages
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Varies by distribution (Debian has 70,000+) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Number of Distributions/Variants
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 100+ (Ubuntu, RHEL, Debian, etc.) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Developer Community Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 8.2M+ open-source projects | Windows: N/A
additional property: Out-of-Box Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 60-120 (configuration needed) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Supercomputer Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96.3% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Official Package Repository Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: ~750,000+ (Debian) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Typical Server Boot Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 15-25 seconds | Windows: N/A
additional property: Kernel Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 28,000+ | Windows: N/A
additional property: License Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: GPL v2 (copyleft) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Cloud Provider Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 99%+ of major providers | Windows: N/A
additional property: Container Runtime Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Docker, Kubernetes, OCI native | Windows: N/A
additional property: Installation Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 120-480 (requires manual kernel compilation and system configuration) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Desktop Linux Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 3% (all Linux distributions combined as of 2026) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Monthly Active Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Not tracked (kernel-only, varies by distribution) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Long-Term Support Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: ~2-3 years per kernel release cycle | Windows: N/A
additional property: Pre-installed Applications
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 0 (kernel only, no applications) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Cloud Infrastructure Usage
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96% of cloud servers run Linux (all distributions) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Kernel Development Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 2,000+ active Linux kernel maintainers globally | Windows: N/A
additional property: Customization Level (0-10 scale)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 10 (complete control over every component) | Windows: N/A
additional property: License Cost Per Install
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Free | Windows: $120-$200
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Cloud Server Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96% | Windows: 4%
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Desktop Operating System Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 2.5% | Windows: 72%
  value reference: Windows
additional property: Native Steam Games Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: ~2,500 | Windows: ~65,000
  value reference: Windows
additional property: Security Patch Response Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 24-48 hours | Windows: 30-90 days
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Available Commercial Software
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: ~10,000 | Windows: ~100,000+
  value reference: Windows
additional property: Web Server Operating System Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96.3% | Windows: 2.3%
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Base Operating System Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: $0 (Free) | Windows: $200 (Pro edition)
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Native Gaming Titles Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 6,000+ | Windows: 20,000+
  value reference: Windows
additional property: Average Onboarding Time (Non-Technical User)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 40-100 hours | Windows: 8-20 hours
  value reference: Windows
additional property: Available Linux Distributions/Windows Versions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 600+ active distributions | Windows: 1 official (multiple editions)
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Source Code Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: Open-source (full transparency) | Windows: Closed (limited transparency)
additional property: Typical Server Uptime Achievement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 99.99%+ | Windows: 99.5%
  value reference: Linux
additional property: Supercomputer Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 96% | Windows: N/A
additional property: Active Developer Community
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 28,000+ | Windows: N/A
additional property: Base Install Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 150-300 MB | Windows: N/A
additional property: Default License Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: GPL v2 (Copyleft) | Windows: N/A
additional property: Production System Uptime Records
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Linux: 10-15 years typical | Windows: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/linux
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/linux
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/windows
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/windows
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/linux-vs-windows
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/linux-vs-windows
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-windows))
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-windows)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/mac-vs-windows
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/macbook-vs-windows
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-windows-server
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-macos
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-alpine-linux
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-freebsd
teaches: How to choose between Linux and Windows
genre: Technology

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Linux vs Windows — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Linux
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Free, open-source operating system dominating cloud servers and development environments with extensive customization capabilities.
image: ImageObject
  caption: Linux
subject of: Linux vs Windows
image: ImageObject
  caption: Linux

Windows
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Microsoft's proprietary operating system with 72% desktop market share, offering broad software compatibility and mainstream hardware support.
subject of: Linux vs Windows

Linux vs Windows — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Linux vs Windows. Contains 91 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Cloud Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Annual Per-Server Licensing Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Minimum RAM Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Server OS Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Fortune 500 Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise Adoption
variable measured: Native Active Directory Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Time to Patch (Security Updates)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Typical Container Deployment Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Base Software Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Hardware Cost (Entry-level)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Desktop Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Server/Cloud Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Available Software Packages
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Software Library
variable measured: Number of Distributions/Variants
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Developer Community Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Out-of-Box Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Supercomputer Adoption Rate
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Official Package Repository Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Typical Server Boot Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Kernel Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: License Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Legal
variable measured: Cloud Provider Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cloud Support
variable measured: Container Runtime Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: DevOps
variable measured: Installation Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Desktop Linux Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
variable measured: Monthly Active Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
variable measured: Long-Term Support Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support & Maintenance
variable measured: Pre-installed Applications
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Productivity
variable measured: Cloud Infrastructure Usage
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Server Market
variable measured: Kernel Development Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Development
variable measured: Customization Level (0-10 scale)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: License Cost Per Install
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Cloud Server Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Desktop Operating System Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Native Steam Games Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Gaming
variable measured: Security Patch Response Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Available Commercial Software
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Software Ecosystem
variable measured: Web Server Operating System Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Presence
variable measured: Base Operating System Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Native Gaming Titles Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Software Library
variable measured: Average Onboarding Time (Non-Technical User)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Available Linux Distributions/Windows Versions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Customization
variable measured: Source Code Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Transparency
variable measured: Typical Server Uptime Achievement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Supercomputer Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Active Developer Community
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Development
variable measured: Base Install Memory Footprint
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Default License Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Legal
variable measured: Production System Uptime Records
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Kernel Lines of Code
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Complexity
variable measured: Licensing Cost (Per Server, Year 1)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Economics
variable measured: Web Server Market Share
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Cloud Infrastructure Workloads
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cloud Adoption
variable measured: Active Directory Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise Features
variable measured: Security Patch Cycle
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Available Distributions/Variants
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Customization
variable measured: GUI Administration Tools
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Installation Time (First-Time User)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Default Package Ecosystem
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Learning Curve for Desktop Use
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Long-Term Support (LTS) Duration
variable measured: Download Size (ISO image)
variable measured: Global Server Market Share
variable measured: Commercial Support Cost (per system/year)
variable measured: Minimum Disk Space
variable measured: Base Memory Footprint
variable measured: Docker Image Size
variable measured: Boot Time
variable measured: Available Packages in Repository
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-windows

Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Linux vs Windows.
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Enterprise Adoption
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Software Library
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Legal
has defined term: Cloud Support
has defined term: DevOps
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Support & Maintenance
has defined term: Productivity
has defined term: Server Market
has defined term: Development
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Gaming
has defined term: Software Ecosystem
has defined term: Market Presence
has defined term: Customization
has defined term: Transparency
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: Complexity
has defined term: Economics
has defined term: Cloud Adoption
has defined term: Enterprise Features
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Resources
has defined term: Support & Cost
has defined term: System Requirements
has defined term: Resource Efficiency
has defined term: Container Performance
has defined term: Community Support
has defined term: Maintenance
has defined term: Support & Services
has defined term: Software
has defined term: Efficiency
has defined term: Specifications
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Stability

Market Position
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-position
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-adoption
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Software Library
type: DefinedTerm
term code: software-library
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Legal
type: DefinedTerm
term code: legal
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cloud Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cloud-support
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

DevOps
type: DefinedTerm
term code: devops
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support & Maintenance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support-&-maintenance
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Productivity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: productivity
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Server Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: server-market
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: flexibility
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Gaming
type: DefinedTerm
term code: gaming
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Software Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: software-ecosystem
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Presence
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-presence
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Customization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: customization
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Transparency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: transparency
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Complexity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: complexity
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Economics
type: DefinedTerm
term code: economics
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cloud Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cloud-adoption
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-features
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resources
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resources
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support & Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support-&-cost
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

System Requirements
type: DefinedTerm
term code: system-requirements
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resource Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resource-efficiency
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Container Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: container-performance
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-support
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maintenance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maintenance
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support & Services
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support-&-services
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Software
type: DefinedTerm
term code: software
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: efficiency
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Specifications
type: DefinedTerm
term code: specifications
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Stability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: stability
in defined term set: Linux vs Windows — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-06-30T23:34:05.085Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: linux-vs-windows
main entity: Is Linux completely free?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: 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).
    language: en-US
main entity: Why do 96% of servers run Linux instead of Windows?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: 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.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I game on Linux?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: 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.
    language: en-US
main entity: Is Linux harder to use than Windows?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: 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.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which is more secure: Linux or Windows?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: 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.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Linux and Windows
type: HowTo
description: 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.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Desktop Market Share
step: Consider: Server/Cloud Market Share
step: Consider: Cost
step: Consider: Gaming Support
step: Consider: Enterprise Support Options
step: Consider: Security Vulnerabilities (2024)
step: Consider: Customization Level
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: 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.

Consider: Desktop Market Share
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Desktop Market Share: Linux has 3.8%, while Windows has 73.2%.

Consider: Server/Cloud Market Share
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Server/Cloud Market Share: Linux has 96.3%, while Windows has 1.6%.

Consider: Cost
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Cost: Linux has Free (most distributions), while Windows has $120-$199 (Home to Pro licenses).

Consider: Gaming Support
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Gaming Support: Linux has 8,500+ native Steam games, while Windows has 50,000+ native Steam games.

Consider: Enterprise Support Options
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Enterprise Support Options: Linux has Red Hat, Canonical, SUSE (paid tiers), while Windows has Microsoft support included with license.

Consider: Security Vulnerabilities (2024)
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Security Vulnerabilities (2024): Linux has 94 CVEs, while Windows has 627 CVEs.

Consider: Customization Level
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Customization Level: Linux has Complete source code access, unlimited customization, while Windows has Limited; restricted by licensing.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Linux vs Windows
review body: 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.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Linux vs Windows

Kernel Lines of Code
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 30+ million | Windows: N/A

Licensing Cost (Per Server, Year 1)
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: Free | Windows: N/A

Web Server Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 96.3% | Windows: N/A

Cloud Infrastructure Workloads
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 91% | Windows: N/A

Active Directory Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: No (requires third-party tools) | Windows: N/A

Security Patch Cycle
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 8-12 weeks average | Windows: N/A

Available Distributions/Variants
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 600+ distributions | Windows: N/A

GUI Administration Tools
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: Limited; command-line primary | Windows: N/A

Installation Time (First-Time User)
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 120-300+ minutes (requires distribution selection, kernel compilation) | Windows: N/A

Default Package Ecosystem
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 0 (kernel only) | Windows: N/A

Learning Curve for Desktop Use
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 9 (advanced - no GUI by default) | Windows: N/A

Long-Term Support (LTS) Duration
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: Varies by distribution (typically 2-10 years) | Windows: N/A

Download Size (ISO image)
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: Not applicable (kernel is 150-300 MB separately) | Windows: N/A

Global Server Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 96.3% of cloud servers run Linux kernel | Windows: N/A

Commercial Support Cost (per system/year)
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: Free (community) to $500+ (vendor-dependent) | Windows: N/A

Minimum Disk Space
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 2000-5000 MB | Windows: N/A

Base Memory Footprint
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 500-1000 MB | Windows: N/A

Docker Image Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 200-800 MB typical | Windows: N/A

Boot Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 2-5 seconds | Windows: N/A

Available Packages in Repository
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 60000+ (Ubuntu) | Windows: N/A

Community Size (Stack Overflow Tags)
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 500000+ (Linux) | Windows: N/A

Release Cycle
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: 6-24 months (varies) | Windows: N/A

Enterprise Support Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: Extensive (Red Hat, Canonical, SUSE) | Windows: N/A

Market Share (Desktop)
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 72%

Malware Risk
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: Higher

Gaming Library
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: Largest

Hardware Manufacturers
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, MSI, Razer, and 50+ others

Battery Life
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: Varies by model, typically 8-12 hours

Base Model Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: $299-$499 (budget Windows laptops)

RAM Standard
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 8-16GB depending on model

Software Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: Vast library: Gaming, enterprise, development, niche applications

Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: High customization: Taskbar customization (2026), upgrade options, themes

Security Features
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: Windows 11: 18 new security features in 2026, built-in speed tests, improved malware protection

Global Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 73.1%

Entry-Level Hardware Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: $399

Malware Threats per 1,000 Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 3.2

Application Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 500,000

Steam Game Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 95%

User Satisfaction Rating
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 71%

Display Screen Repair Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: $150-$350

System Uptime Between Updates
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 45

Global Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value: Linux: N/A | Windows: 73.2%

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

Linux — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Windows — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Linux vs Windows
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/linux-vs-windows
object: Linux
object: Windows

Long-Term Support (LTS) Duration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support & Maintenance

Download Size (ISO image)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Resources

Global Server Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Commercial Support Cost (per system/year)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support & Cost

Minimum Disk Space
type: PropertyValue
value reference: System Requirements

Base Memory Footprint
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Resource Efficiency

Docker Image Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Container Performance

Boot Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Available Packages in Repository
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Software Ecosystem

Community Size (Stack Overflow Tags)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community Support

Release Cycle
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maintenance

Enterprise Support Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support & Services

Market Share (Desktop)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Malware Risk
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Gaming Library
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Software

Hardware Manufacturers
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Battery Life
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Efficiency

Base Model Price
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

RAM Standard
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Specifications

Software Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Software

Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Security Features
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Global Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Entry-Level Hardware Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Economics

Malware Threats per 1,000 Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Application Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Software Ecosystem

Steam Game Compatibility
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Gaming

User Satisfaction Rating
type: PropertyValue
value reference: User Experience

Display Screen Repair Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maintenance

System Uptime Between Updates
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Stability

Global Market Share
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position