AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are the two leading free replacements for CentOS. Both appeared in 2021 after Red Hat moved CentOS to the rolling CentOS Stream, and both are free, enterprise-grade, RHEL-compatible rebuilds with 10 years of support. For a VPS they behave almost identically - the real differences are who backs each project and how closely each one tracks Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
AlmaLinux vs Rocky Linux at a glance
| Feature | AlmaLinux | Rocky Linux |
|---|---|---|
| First release | 2021 | 2021 |
| Founded by | CloudLinux | Gregory Kurtzer (CentOS co-founder) |
| Governance | AlmaLinux OS Foundation (non-profit) | Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation (RESF) |
| Commercial backing | CloudLinux | CIQ |
| RHEL tracking | ABI / application-binary compatible | Aims for 1:1, bug-for-bug |
| Support lifecycle | 10 years per major release | 10 years per major release |
| Package manager | dnf / yum | dnf / yum |
| CentOS migration tool | almalinux-deploy, ELevate | migrate2rocky |
| Cost | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Best for | Pragmatic compatibility and fast fixes | Strict, downstream RHEL parity |
Why both exist
For years CentOS was the free, stable, RHEL-compatible server standard. In late 2020 Red Hat discontinued classic CentOS in favour of CentOS Stream, which sits upstream of RHEL rather than downstream. That left a gap, and two projects filled it almost immediately: AlmaLinux, sponsored by CloudLinux, and Rocky Linux, started by one of the original CentOS co-founders. Both promise a free, drop-in CentOS successor.
The key difference: how they track RHEL
In mid-2023 Red Hat restricted public access to RHEL source code. The two projects responded differently, and this is the main distinction today:
- Rocky Linux continues to pursue a strict, one-to-one, bug-for-bug rebuild of RHEL, obtaining sources through channels such as official container and cloud images.
- AlmaLinux chose to remain application-binary-interface (ABI) compatible with RHEL rather than strictly 1:1, building from CentOS Stream and other sources. In practice software built for RHEL still runs unchanged, and AlmaLinux can ship some security fixes faster.
For the vast majority of VPS workloads - web servers, databases, application backends - this difference is invisible: both run RHEL software without modification.
Stability, support and packages
Both use the same dnf/yum tooling, the same package set and the same 10-year support lifecycle per major version, so long-running servers are covered for a decade. Rocky appeals to teams that want the closest possible mirror of RHEL for compliance or certification reasons; AlmaLinux appeals to teams that value a pragmatic, foundation-governed project with a track record of quick security updates.
Migrating from CentOS
Both make leaving CentOS easy. AlmaLinux provides the almalinux-deploy script and the ELevate tool for major-version upgrades, while Rocky Linux offers migrate2rocky. Either converts an existing CentOS install in place without a full reinstall.
Which one should you choose?
- Choose AlmaLinux for a pragmatic, foundation-backed RHEL-compatible server with fast security fixes - an excellent general-purpose default.
- Choose Rocky Linux when you need the strictest possible 1:1 downstream mirror of RHEL, for example for compliance or vendor certification.
Prefer the Debian family instead? See Debian 12 vs Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux install in one click on every INET.WS KVM VPS, with full root access and 14 locations across North America and Europe.
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