Software Alternatives & Startups

Parrot OS VS CloudLinux

Compare Parrot OS VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Parrot OS

The best choice for security experts, developers and crypto-addicted people.

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, Parrot OS seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 5 times since March 2021.

social mentions
5 vs 0
Linux popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

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

Parrot OS
CloudLinux
Website parrotsec.org cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Parrot OS 6 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Security-Focused
    Parrot OS is designed with a focus on providing a secure platform for security experts, and ethical hackers. It comes with a wide variety of tools for penetration testing, forensics, and reverse engineering.
  • Regular Updates
    The OS receives frequent updates, ensuring that its tools and software packages are up-to-date and that security vulnerabilities are quickly patched.
  • Lightweight
    Parrot OS is designed to be lightweight, making it suitable for use on older hardware and providing a responsive experience even on less powerful systems.
  • Privacy Features
    It includes various privacy tools like encryption utilities, anonymization tools like TOR, and secure communication tools, helping to enhance users' overall privacy.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Parrot OS has a user-friendly interface, which makes it easier for both new and experienced users to navigate and utilize its features effectively.
  • Customization
    The OS is highly customizable, allowing users to tweak and configure it according to their specific needs and preferences.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its plethora of tools and features aimed at advanced users, Parrot OS may have a steep learning curve for beginners or those not familiar with security tools.
  • Resource Consumption
    Despite being lightweight, some of the advanced tools available can be resource-intensive, which may slow down performance on very old or low-spec hardware.
  • Niche User Base
    Parrot OS is tailored toward security professionals, which makes it less suitable for general-purpose desktop use compared to other Linux distributions that are designed for a broader audience.
  • Potential Legal Risks
    Some tools included in Parrot OS can be used for activities that may be legally dubious or outright illegal if misused, leading to potential legal risks for users who do not adhere to ethical guidelines.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Occasionally, users might encounter compatibility issues with certain hardware or software, as Parrot OS might not support everything out of the box like more general-purpose Linux distributions do.
  • 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.

Parrot OS
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Parrot OS is a strong choice for users who require a reliable and comprehensive security-focused operating system. It provides a robust platform for professionals in cybersecurity fields and is a good alternative to other security-oriented distributions like Kali Linux.

Why this product is good

  • Parrot OS is a Debian-based Linux distribution that is primarily focused on security, privacy, and development. It is equipped with an extensive set of tools for penetration testing, digital forensics, reverse engineering, and anonymity capabilities. Users appreciate its lightweight nature, making it suitable for older hardware as well as minimalism-focused users.

Recommended for

  • Ethical hackers and penetration testers who need a rich set of tools for vulnerability assessment.
  • Cybersecurity professionals looking for an OS tailored for digital forensics.
  • Developers interested in privacy and anonymity features offered by the distro.
  • Users with older hardware seeking a lightweight, secure operating system.

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.

Parrot OS 1 video + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

Parrot Security OS 4.7 Review & Walkthrough (2019) | (Linux Beginners Guide)

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
Parrot OS
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Parrot OS 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.

Parrot OS 5.0 · 1 review
CloudLinux no reviews yet

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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.

Parrot OS 5 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Best Portable OS?
    Parrot Security OS is an option, it contains vs codium(the OSS version without any binary blobs or telemetry) for coding as well as many, many pen testing tools which may or may not be useful to you. You meant Computer Science right? Not... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Help me with my system please....can anyone help me with this my kali virtual os was lagging on recon phase with slow fuzzing...what should i do to make it fast
    Checkout https://parrotsec.org In my opinion ParrotSec is much better than Kali but every pentester has there own specific distro they enjoy. Source: almost 5 years ago
  • Assist a newbie
    If you want a kind-of-temp system which resets itself after every reboot, then I recommend tails(although it does have an option to store files but you would have to set that up for it to work and since you're a linux beginner it might... Source: almost 5 years ago

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Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Parrot OS and CloudLinux

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