Software Alternatives & Startups

what3words VS CloudLinux

Compare what3words VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

what3words

Geocoding system for the simple communication of locations with a resolution of 3 m

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, what3words seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 125 times since March 2021.

social mentions
125 vs 0
Maps popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

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

what3words
CloudLinux
Website what3words.com cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

what3words 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Precision
    what3words divides the world into 3m x 3m squares, providing very precise location information. This can be more specific than traditional street addresses and helpful in areas with limited addressing.
  • Ease of Use
    Three-word combinations are generally easier to remember and communicate than long strings of GPS coordinates, making it user-friendly for the general public.
  • Global Coverage
    what3words provides an addressing solution for the entire world, including areas that do not have formal street addresses or those that are difficult to map with conventional systems.
  • Integration
    The system can be easily integrated into various applications and services, such as delivery services, emergency response, and navigation apps, increasing its utility.
  • Language Support
    what3words is available in multiple languages, which helps in overcoming language barriers and can be a valuable tool for international use.

Possible disadvantages

  • Dependency on Technology
    To decode and use what3words addresses, an internet connection or the company’s app is generally required, which can be limiting in areas without robust technology infrastructure.
  • Privacy Concerns
    The precise nature of what3words could raise privacy issues, as it can pinpoint exact locations of residences or individuals if misused.
  • Proprietary System
    what3words is a proprietary system, which means users are dependent on a private company. This can lead to potential concerns about data ownership and longevity of the service.
  • Ambiguity in Pronunciation
    Certain word combinations may be difficult to pronounce or may sound similar to other combinations, leading to potential errors in communication.
  • Complexity in Error Correction
    A mistake in one of the three words could lead to an entirely different and possibly distant location. Unlike traditional addresses, there's less redundancy to aid in error correction.
  • 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.

what3words
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Overall, What3words is considered useful and innovative, particularly in scenarios where traditional addressing falls short. It offers significant advantages for navigation, delivery services, and emergency response. However, its adoption depends on industry uptake and user awareness, and it is sometimes critiqued for being a proprietary system.

Why this product is good

  • What3words divides the world's surface into 3m x 3m squares and assigns a unique three-word address to each square. This system provides an easy-to-remember way to specify locations precisely, especially in areas with no formal addressing or for delivering exact coordinates in emergencies or logistics.

Recommended for

    What3words is recommended for use cases such as logistics and delivery services needing precise locations, outdoor activities and adventure travel where traditional addresses are impractical, emergency services requiring quick and exact location data, and individuals or organizations operating in developing regions with poor address infrastructure.

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.

what3words 3 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

What3words navigation app reviewed

More videos

  • - How to use What3Words
  • - what3words in 2020 - Year in Review

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
what3words
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using what3words 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.

what3words no reviews yet
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.

what3words 125 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Japan Post launches 'digital address' system
    IBAN for home addresses. Yawn. Nothing beats the What Three Words system and would be much more fun if not routeable at scale. https://what3words.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Reverse Geocoding Is Hard
    What 3 words (https://what3words.com/) solves this problem, but it doesn't seem to be popular. If anyone has experience, I would be curious to know why. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Government report proves that we need to liberate the Postcode Address File
    Or we can just start using https://what3words.com/ and geolocation. I disagree with the report, I think it's feasible with a bit of creativity. The government also has this:... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to what3words and CloudLinux

When comparing what3words and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.