Software Alternatives & Startups

Mountain Duck VS CloudLinux

Compare Mountain Duck VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Mountain Duck

Cyberduck for mounting volumes in the file explorer. Available for Mac and Windows.

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, Mountain Duck seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 44 times since March 2021.

social mentions
44 vs 0
Cloud Storage popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

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

Mountain Duck
CloudLinux
Website mountainduck.io cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Mountain Duck 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • User Interface
    Mountain Duck offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy to mount various types of cloud storage as local drives.
  • Seamless Integration
    The tool integrates seamlessly with Finder on macOS and File Explorer on Windows, allowing users to manage remote files as if they were local.
  • Wide Protocol Support
    Mountain Duck supports a variety of protocols including FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3, and more, making it versatile for different needs.
  • Encrypted Storage
    Offers options for client-side encryption to ensure that data remains secure during transfer and storage.
  • Synchronization
    Allows for real-time synchronization between local and remote directories, ensuring that the most recent versions of files are always accessible.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    Mountain Duck is a paid software, which may be a deterrent for users looking for a free solution.
  • Resource Intensive
    The application can be heavy on system resources, which may affect performance on lower-end machines.
  • Learning Curve
    Though the interface is user-friendly, new users may still find a learning curve associated with understanding all the features and settings.
  • Occasional Lag
    Users have reported occasional lag times or delays in file transfers, particularly with large files or slower internet connections.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Mountain Duck is primarily designed for desktop environments and lacks robust mobile support.
  • 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.

Mountain Duck
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Mountain Duck is considered a robust and reliable tool for users who need seamless integration between cloud storage or remote servers and their local file system. Its ability to integrate with Finder on macOS and File Explorer on Windows enhances user experience, which, combined with its strong security features like end-to-end encryption, makes it a great choice for personal and professional use.

Why this product is good

  • Mountain Duck is a versatile tool that allows users to mount cloud storage and server files as local disks on macOS and Windows. This makes it convenient for users to access, edit, and manage remote files with the same ease as local files. It supports a wide range of protocols and cloud services, such as SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, and more, making it a flexible solution for different needs.

Recommended for

  • Individuals and businesses looking for efficient remote file management.
  • Users who want to integrate multiple cloud services into their desktop experience.
  • Professionals who require secure file transfer and synchronization across different platforms.
  • Organizations that need to facilitate collaboration by simplifying access to shared storage.

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.

Mountain Duck 1 video + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

How to Mount your Server as a Local HDD

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
Mountain Duck
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Mountain Duck 2.5 · 2 reviews
CloudLinux no reviews yet

We have no reviews of CloudLinux yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Mountain Duck 44 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Ask HN: Is iCloud a viable alternative to Dropbox? Any other alternatives?
    Is Mountain Duck (https://mountainduck.io) still viable for this sort of thing? I use Dropbox, iCloud and GDrive but, it's inconsistent and a bit fractured. I've never looked into consolidation seriously. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • RcloneBrowser: Simple cross platform GUI for rclone
    I've had a good experience with CyberDuck too. Recently I learned they also have MountainDuck for mounting remote storage: https://mountainduck.io/ I'm still excited to learn more about Rclone since it looks like a great way to sync the... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • Recommendation for file-streaming (folder sync) for Unraid?
    Edit: The more I try to Google this, the more it seems like it's more of a Mac software question than it's something I could easily enable by way of a docker-hosted solution. Something like Mountain Duck might do the trick. But I'll hold... Source: about 3 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Mountain Duck and CloudLinux

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