Guides · 9 October 2026 · 10 min read

CentOS vs Ubuntu: Choosing a Server OS After CentOS Linux Ended

Packetra Team · 10 min read

Most CentOS vs Ubuntu comparisons still treat CentOS as an option. It is not one any more: CentOS Linux 8 reached end of life on 31 December 2021 and CentOS Linux 7 on 30 June 2024, and neither gets security updates. The choice in 2026 is between Ubuntu, Debian, and the RHEL-compatible distributions that replaced CentOS, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux.

This guide explains what happened to CentOS, how the replacements compare with Ubuntu on support length, packages and security tooling, which one to pick for a VPS, and what to do if a server of yours still runs CentOS 7.

The short version

For a new VPS, pick Ubuntu LTS if you want the widest tutorial coverage and newer software, or Debian if you want a lean, conservative system. Pick AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux if you are coming from CentOS or need software certified for RHEL, and AlmaLinux specifically if you run cPanel, which dropped Rocky Linux in 2026. Do not install CentOS Linux, and move any CentOS 7 server off it now.

What happened to CentOS

CentOS Linux was a free rebuild of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), which made it the default server OS for a decade of web hosting and CentOS vs Ubuntu the classic server debate. In late 2020 the CentOS Project shifted its focus to CentOS Stream, and CentOS Linux was wound down.

31 Dec 2021CentOS Linux 8 reaches end of life, years earlier than its users had planned for.

July 2023After Red Hat limits public access to RHEL source code, AlmaLinux switches its aim from exact 1:1 compatibility to binary compatibility with RHEL. Rocky Linux later commits to staying a 1:1 drop-in alternative.

31 May 2024CentOS Stream 8 stops receiving builds.

30 Jun 2024CentOS Linux 7 reaches end of life. The last CentOS Linux release stops getting security updates.

CentOS Stream is not CentOS Linux

CentOS Stream still exists, but it plays a different role. The CentOS Project describes it as a midstream between Fedora and RHEL: it receives changes before they reach RHEL, where CentOS Linux used to receive them after. Each Stream release lasts only as long as the matching RHEL full support phase, until 31 May 2027 for Stream 9 and 31 May 2030 for Stream 10. That makes it a good way to see what is coming in RHEL, and a weaker choice than AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux for a production server you want to leave alone for years.

CentOS vs Ubuntu in 2026: the real comparison

The useful CentOS vs Ubuntu question today is Ubuntu, or its parent Debian, against the RHEL family that took CentOS's place.

	Ubuntu LTS	Debian	AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux	CentOS Stream
Family	Debian-based, backed by Canonical	Independent, community-run	RHEL-compatible Enterprise Linux	Upstream of RHEL
Package manager	apt	apt	dnf	dnf
New major release	Every two years, in April	Roughly every two years	Follows RHEL, roughly every three years	Ahead of each RHEL release
Free security updates	5 years; 10 with Ubuntu Pro, free for personal use on up to five machines	About 5 years: 3 full, then 2 of LTS	10 years per major version	About 5 years
Security module	AppArmor	AppArmor	SELinux	SELinux
cPanel support	Yes, on 24.04 LTS	No	AlmaLinux yes; Rocky Linux no, dropped in 2026	No

In daily use the CentOS vs Ubuntu gap, or more accurately the RHEL family vs Ubuntu gap, is smaller than the table suggests. Both families run the same web servers, databases and Docker containers. The differences that matter are how long a release is supported, how new its software is, which admin habits you already have, and whether a piece of software you depend on names one family in its requirements.

AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux?

Both are built to match RHEL, both support each major version until the same dates, and both are run by community foundations. The difference since 2023 is philosophy. AlmaLinux aims for binary compatibility, meaning software built for RHEL runs on it, which also lets it ship some fixes without waiting for Red Hat. Rocky Linux aims to stay a 1:1 drop-in for RHEL. For a typical web server either works. Pick the one your control panel or vendor documents, or the one your migration tool supports. That settles it for cPanel users: since March 2026 cPanel no longer installs on Rocky Linux and recommends AlmaLinux instead.

Support timelines at a glance

Support length is where the old CentOS vs Ubuntu argument was usually settled: CentOS releases were planned for ten years of updates, Ubuntu LTS for five. That is still true of their successors, and it decides how long you can leave a server alone before a major upgrade. These are the current releases and their published end dates.

Release	Main support until	Extended support
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS	May 2031	May 2036 with Ubuntu Pro
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	May 2029	May 2034 with Ubuntu Pro
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	May 2027	May 2032 with Ubuntu Pro
Debian 13 (trixie)	9 August 2028	30 June 2030 with Debian LTS
Debian 12 (bookworm)	Ended July 2026	30 June 2028 with Debian LTS
AlmaLinux 10 / Rocky Linux 10	31 May 2035	Active support until 31 May 2030, security fixes after
AlmaLinux 9 / Rocky Linux 9	31 May 2032	Active support until 31 May 2027, security fixes after
CentOS Stream 10	31 May 2030	None
CentOS Stream 9	31 May 2027	None
CentOS Linux 7	Ended 30 June 2024	None from the project

Ubuntu also sells a Legacy add-on that stretches LTS releases to 15 years, but for most VPS owners the free five years, or ten with Ubuntu Pro's free personal tier, is the number that counts.

Which one to choose for a VPS

If you searched CentOS vs Ubuntu because you are setting up a new server, this is how the options line up.

Most peopleUbuntu LTS

The largest pool of tutorials, answers and install scripts assumes Ubuntu, its LTS releases usually ship newer software than the RHEL family, and Canonical offers commercial support if you ever need it. Five years of free updates, ten with Ubuntu Pro's free personal tier, covers the life of most servers. It is the safe default if you are not sure.

Lean and stableDebian

Ubuntu's parent, run by a volunteer project rather than a company. A minimal install is small and changes little between releases, which suits a server you want to leave alone. Almost every Ubuntu guide works on Debian with small changes. The trade-offs: shorter free support than the RHEL family, and no cPanel.

Coming from CentOSAlmaLinux or Rocky Linux

The closest thing to the CentOS you knew: the same dnf commands, SELinux, file layout and ten years of updates per major version. Choose this family if you run software certified for RHEL or your team already knows it. If you want cPanel, choose AlmaLinux, the only one of the two cPanel still supports.

Shorter lifecycleCentOS Stream

Tracks just ahead of RHEL, which makes it the place to see and shape what comes next, and some organisations run it in production. The catch is a support window of about five years and changes that land before RHEL gets them. For a web server you want to leave alone for years, AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux give you the same family with twice the support.

Whichever you choose, pick an LTS or long-support release, not an interim one, and size the server for what you will run on it. Our guide on how to choose a VPS covers the rest, and if you plan to run containers, Docker hosting works the same on all of these.

Still running CentOS 7?

If you are reading a CentOS vs Ubuntu comparison because you have an old CentOS 7 server, this is the part that matters.

A CentOS 7 server has had no security updates from the CentOS Project since 30 June 2024. Vulnerabilities found in its packages since then get no patches from the project. Paid extended support from third parties can fill the gap for a while, which buys time but not a future. Move it.

There are two ways off it:

Rebuild and migrate. Set up a new server on a supported OS, move your sites and data across, test, then switch DNS. It takes longer, but you end up with a clean system and the old one stays untouched until you are sure. Our guide to migrating a website without downtime walks through the cutover.
Upgrade in place with ELevate. AlmaLinux's ELevate project upgrades CentOS 7 to AlmaLinux 8 or CentOS Stream 8, and then from 8 to 9 and 9 to 10 within the same distribution, keeping your data and settings. It no longer supports moving to Rocky Linux. The project recommends testing the upgrade on a copy first, and you should take a full backup or snapshot before you start.

For a small server, rebuilding is usually less work than it sounds and leaves fewer surprises. In-place upgrades suit machines that are hard to rebuild, as long as you can afford a failed attempt and a restore.

Does the distribution matter for privacy?

Less than where the server runs. All of these are open source and collect very little. One detail worth knowing on Ubuntu: its message-of-the-day news feature periodically contacts Canonical's servers, sending your Ubuntu version, kernel, CPU model, uptime and cloud ID. Set ENABLED=0 in /etc/default/motd-news to turn it off. Beyond that, the bigger privacy decisions are the provider and the jurisdiction, which our Hosting Jurisdiction Index compares country by country.

Choosing your OS on a Packetra VPS

Whichever side of the CentOS vs Ubuntu line you land on, our Cloud VPS plans are full KVM virtual machines, so the operating system is yours to choose and reinstall. Ready-made templates cover Debian, Ubuntu and AlmaLinux, and our netboot guide shows how to install other distributions, Rocky Linux included, yourself. If you are moving off CentOS 7, a fresh VPS next to the old server is the cleanest way to do it. Plans start at EUR 9.90 a month in Finland and EUR 13.90 in Switzerland, signup takes an email address, and you can pay with Bitcoin or Monero.

FAQ

Is CentOS still supported?

No. CentOS Linux 8 ended on 31 December 2021 and CentOS Linux 7 on 30 June 2024. CentOS Stream is still maintained, but it sits ahead of RHEL rather than being a stable rebuild of it, and each release lasts about five years.

CentOS vs Ubuntu: which is better for a server?

Today the comparison is Ubuntu against CentOS's replacements, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux. Ubuntu LTS is the easier default, with more tutorials and generally newer software. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux suit you if you come from CentOS, need RHEL compatibility, or want ten years of updates per release.

Is CentOS faster than Ubuntu?

Not in a way you would notice on a VPS. CentOS vs Ubuntu speed differences come from kernel versions, configuration and the software you run, not from the distribution's name. Pick on support length and familiarity instead.

What replaced CentOS?

AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux, both free, RHEL-compatible distributions. Either lets you keep CentOS habits such as dnf, SELinux and the same file layout. If you use cPanel, choose AlmaLinux.

Is Debian or Ubuntu better for a VPS?

Ubuntu if you want the most tutorials and a company standing behind the release; Debian if you want a minimal system from a community project that changes slowly. Most guides work on both.

Can I still install CentOS 7?

You can find old images, but you should not use them. CentOS 7 has had no security updates from the CentOS Project since June 2024, so newly found vulnerabilities in its packages go unpatched unless you pay for third-party extended support.

Sources

Last reviewed: 9 October 2026

Research note: Support dates are taken from each project's own release pages at the time of review. Projects occasionally extend or adjust these dates, so check the linked pages before planning an upgrade.