Software Alternatives & Startups

Sur.ly VS CloudLinux

Compare Sur.ly VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Sur.ly

Sur.ly is a simple and efficient tool that aids you in avoiding any harm outbound links, and with it, you can get links on your site to get the external target pages with no need to leave your domain.

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, Sur.ly seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 4 times since March 2021.

social mentions
4 vs 0
SEO popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

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

Sur.ly
CloudLinux
Website sur.ly cloudlinux.com
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Sur.ly 4 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Security Enhancement
    Sur.ly provides an additional layer of security by preventing malicious links from directly affecting the user. It analyzes and intercepts harmful content, protecting users from phishing and malware.
  • Privacy Protection
    User privacy is maintained as Sur.ly acts as an intermediary, masking the referrer data and preventing websites from directly accessing users' personal information or browsing habits.
  • SEO Benefits
    Sur.ly helps preserve search engine ranking by ensuring that outbound links do not negatively impact the SEO ranking of the referring site, maintaining traffic flow and reputation.
  • Compliance
    The service aids in compliance with security and privacy regulations by ensuring links adhere to standards and reducing the risk of linking to non-compliant sites.

Possible disadvantages

  • User Experience
    The intermediation process can potentially disrupt the user experience, causing delays or discomfort due to the additional navigation through the Sur.ly interface.
  • Customization Limitations
    There might be limited customization options for how the service is integrated or the way it presents intermediary pages, which could impact site branding and user interaction.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some websites or web applications may not work as intended when accessed through an intermediary like Sur.ly, possibly breaking certain functionalities.
  • Learning Curve
    For site administrators and users unfamiliar with link intermediation services, there may be a learning curve associated with understanding and using the platform effectively.
  • 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.

Sur.ly
CloudLinux

No analysis of Sur.ly 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.

Sur.ly 0 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

No Sur.ly 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
Sur.ly
CloudLinux
100% 100%
SEO
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Sur.ly 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.

Sur.ly 4 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • VOTE NOW forTHE BEST ILLUSION OF THE YEAR! It's FREE!!
    This is a verified public neuroscientific contest meant to promote understanding of cognitive neuroscience. The contest is free for voters (and also free to those who wish to compete) and the winners take home cash prizes of $3000,... Source: over 3 years ago
  • "Monopoly GO!" spamming allowed in this community?
    If the rules allow it, you may ignore this post: but really, this is getting out of hand. I joined this community because I like to play, discuss, and create Monopoly-related stuff (although I have been absent for a while.) I don't think... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Is this website a scam?
    !domain https://sur.ly/ It’s been around since 2008 and based in Moscow. Autobot should have more. Source: almost 5 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Sur.ly and CloudLinux

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