Software Alternatives & Startups

CiviCRM VS CloudLinux

Compare CiviCRM VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

CiviCRM

A Constituent relationship management for the Civic Sector

Rating
0 reviews
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, CiviCRM seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 10 times since March 2021.

social mentions
10 vs 0
CRM popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

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

CiviCRM
CloudLinux
Website civicrm.org cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

CiviCRM 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Open Source
    CiviCRM is open-source, meaning it is free to use and can be modified to fit specific organizational needs. This allows for cost savings and flexibility.
  • Integrations
    CiviCRM integrates well with popular CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, allowing for seamless incorporation into existing websites.
  • Comprehensive Features
    The software offers a wide range of features such as contact management, event management, membership management, contributions tracking, and email marketing.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source, CiviCRM benefits from an active global community providing regular updates, plugins, and support.
  • Customizability
    Organizations can tailor the software to meet their specific needs through extensive customization options and add-ons.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complexity
    CiviCRM can be complex to set up and manage, which may necessitate technical expertise for optimal configuration and maintenance.
  • User Interface
    The user interface is often considered less intuitive and aesthetically outdated compared to other modern CRM systems.
  • Performance
    The system can be resource-intensive, potentially leading to slower performance if not properly optimized or on lower-end servers.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive feature set, new users might experience a steep learning curve before they can use the system effectively.
  • Limited Professional Support
    While community support is strong, professional support options are somewhat limited, which might be a drawback for organizations looking for direct assistance.
  • 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.

CiviCRM
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • CiviCRM is considered a good choice for non-profit and advocacy organizations that need a comprehensive, customizable, and cost-effective CRM solution. Its strengths lie in its community-driven development, feature-rich functionality, and ability to handle a wide range of constituent management tasks.

Why this product is good

  • CiviCRM is a free, open-source CRM solution designed specifically for the needs of non-profit, civic sector, and advocacy organizations. It offers a wide range of features such as contact management, fundraising, event management, email marketing, and membership management, which are tailored to help organizations effectively engage and manage their constituents. Its integration capabilities with popular content management systems like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal make it a flexible option for organizations using these platforms.

Recommended for

    Non-profits, civic organizations, advocacy groups, and other organizations in the public sector seeking a tailored CRM solution to manage contacts, donations, events, communications, and more without the expense of commercial CRM systems.

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.

CiviCRM 3 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

2014 CiviCRM User Summit Review

More videos

  • - CiviLive: COVID-19 – Using WordPress & CiviCRM
  • - CiviCRM for Absolute Beginners

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
CiviCRM
CloudLinux
100% 100%
CRM
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using CiviCRM 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.

CiviCRM 10 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Self hosted club management software
    Apart from Admidio which has already been mentioned, another option to explore is CiviCRM. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Is it possible for a political candidate to run completely off of free press?
    As a software developer, I looked at some of what they did, and some of what is commercially available for candidates. The guy who won in the races I ran in was spending $1500/month for a website that was a simple brochure. Something... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Looking for a membership management system
    Https://civicrm.org/ [this works with a cms like drupal, wordpress, joomla etc]. Source: over 4 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to CiviCRM and CloudLinux

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