Compare AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux for a VPS: governance, RHEL compatibility, release timing and panel support.
AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are both free, RHEL-compatible replacements for CentOS with the same 10-year support life per major version. Choose AlmaLinux if you want a non-profit foundation and broad hosting-panel support; choose Rocky Linux if staying as close as possible to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) matters most. For most workloads, either works.If you’re planning the move itself, start with the CentOS Migration Planning Guide.
Both projects started after Red Hat ended CentOS Linux 8 early in favour of CentOS Stream. Both rebuild RHEL, so software built for RHEL 8, 9 or 10 generally runs on the matching AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux release. Both are free to use, with no license fees.
AlmaLinux is run by a non-profit foundation with elected board members.
Rocky Linux is run by the RESF, a public benefit corporation founded by CentOS co-founder Gregory Kurtzer. Its charter commits the project to remaining free and open source.
After Red Hat restricted access to RHEL source code in 2023, AlmaLinux moved from exact bug-for-bug matching to ABI compatibility: software built for RHEL runs, but AlmaLinux can ship a fix before RHEL does. Rocky Linux continues to aim for a 1:1 rebuild. In practice, both run the same applications.
Both usually publish security updates and point releases shortly after Red Hat does. Release dates vary from release to release, so check each project’s announcements rather than relying on a fixed lead time.
Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux (8, 9 and 10) are available when you deploy a FlashRDP Linux VPS, and you can switch between them later from the Reinstall tab in the Billing Portal. A reinstall erases the disk. See the available distributions.
