Software Alternatives & Startups

Baïkal VS CloudLinux

Compare Baïkal VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Baïkal

Cal and CardDAV server

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Baïkal seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 23 times since March 2021.

social mentions
23 vs 0
Email popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Baïkal
CloudLinux
Website sabre.io cloudlinux.com
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Baïkal 4 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Open Source
    Baïkal is an open-source project, allowing users to access, modify, and customize the source code to fit their specific needs.
  • CalDAV and CardDAV Support
    Baïkal supports both CalDAV and CardDAV protocols, providing robust calendar and contact management functionalities.
  • Lightweight
    Designed to be lightweight, Baïkal is ideal for users who need a simple solution without the overhead of more complex systems.
  • Self-hosted
    Allows users to host their own calendar and contact services, ensuring greater control over data privacy and security.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Features
    Compared to other solutions, Baïkal has fewer features, which may not meet the needs of users requiring advanced functionalities.
  • Technical Setup
    Requires some level of technical knowledge to set up and maintain, which might be a barrier for non-technical users.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project with a relatively small community, users may find less extensive documentation and community support.
  • No Official Mobile App
    Baïkal does not have an official mobile app, which could be a limitation for those looking for seamless mobile integration.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Baïkal
CloudLinux

No analysis of Baïkal yet.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Baïkal 0 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

No Baïkal videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Baïkal
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Baïkal and CloudLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Baïkal 23 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Radicle 1.0 – A Local-First, P2P Alternative to GitHub
    Maybe check baikal https://sabre.io/baikal/ comming from Nextcloud it was a lot simpler to host. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals
    I'm sure there are many ways, but I used https://sabre.io/baikal/ to get a CalDAV and CardDAV server on cheap (shared, bog standard) web hosting, and then pointed Thunderbird to it. Apart from automatic syncing of contacts between... - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Where do you save your phone contacts with sync feature?
    I use Baikal. It's a CalDav and CardDav server which run easily on a NAS with Docker for example. Source: over 3 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Baïkal and CloudLinux

When comparing Baïkal and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.