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VERDICT

Should I use TuxCare?

Not disclosed - tuxcare.com

Depends. Buy if you run EOL Linux distros or large fleets that can't take reboots — the live patching and Endless Lifecycle Support portfolio is credible. Skip if your systems are current and your fleet is small; normal patching or migrating costs less.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 40+ public sources; independent review base is small (21 G2 reviews) and most pricing is quote-based.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$50

KernelCare Starter

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Bundles / EnterpriseCustom quote

Best for

  • Teams stuck on EOL Linux (CentOS 7, RHEL6, Debian 11)
  • Large fleets that can't take reboot windows
  • FedRAMP-bound AlmaLinux shops
  • Enterprises needing vendor SLAs on open source

Not for

  • Small teams on current, supported distros — just patch
  • Anyone who can simply migrate off EOL instead of extending it
  • Buyers wanting transparent, self-serve pricing
  • Homelab or hobby setups — heavy overkill

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Pricing is mostly quote-based; $50 Starter is the only public anchor

medium

ELS creates lock-in: longer on EOL distros, harder migration gets

medium

Small independent review base; run a pilot before fleet-wide rollout

low

Bundle discounts exist but require sales negotiation

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Live kernel patching without downtime via KernelCare Enterprise
  • Extends life of EOL distros: CentOS 7, Debian 11, Ubuntu 18.04
  • CVE Numbering Authority — can assign CVE IDs
  • Broad portfolio: ELS, scanning (Radar), SecureChain, AlmaLinux support
  • 24/7/365 engineer access on enterprise support plans

Cons

  • Thin review base: only 21 G2 seller reviews
  • Bundle pricing needs a sales quote; little public pricing
  • Paying extends dead distros instead of forcing migration
  • Low mindshare: admins still ask if anyone has used it

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/25/2026 - 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x4review x4security x2news x2

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • $50

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Public Starter price; bundles quote-only
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Automated, non-disruptive patching
  • Feature depth: 5/5. ELS, live patching, scanning, SBOMs, CNA
  • Support quality: 4/5. 24/7/365 engineer access advertised
  • Security posture: 4/5. CNA status; encryption and certifications published
  • 21 G2 reviews seller-level reviews
  • $50 Starting price KernelCare Starter (buy page)
  • 2021 Brand launched CloudLinux rebrand of enterprise products
  • Yes CVE Numbering Authority can assign CVE IDs

Pricing

KernelCare Starter

$50

  • Live kernel patching
  • Entry tier from public buy page

Bundles / Enterprise

Not disclosed

  • Mix ELS, live patching, support
  • Quote requested via sales

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Admins on Reddit and G2 discuss TuxCare mainly for extending EOL distros like CentOS 7 and RHEL6, but the independent review volume is small.

“In our company, we unfortunately stil”
Reddit, r/linuxadmin

Alternatives

Compare TuxCare with each alternative.

  • Canonical Ubuntu Pro

    Vendor subscription with long lifecycles; avoids third-party ELS

Companies that use it

  • OCLC
  • Encoway
  • Breqwatr
  • ProComputers
Full analysis

Based on 40+ public sources; independent review base is small (21 G2 reviews) and most pricing is quote-based.

Credentialed EOL Linux patching and live kernel updates; overkill if your distros are still supported — just patch or migrate.

Methodology

Based on 40+ public sources; independent review base is small (21 G2 reviews) and most pricing is quote-based.

Sources

  1. TuxCare homepagetuxcare.com
    official
  2. TuxCare Pricingtuxcare.com
    official
  3. Buy KernelCare Enterprisetuxcare.com
    official
  4. TuxCare Products — 21 Reviews on G2g2.com
    review
  5. KernelCare Enterprise Reviews — G2g2.com
    review
  6. Anyone used TuxCare for extended distro support? — Redditreddit.com
    review
  7. CentOS 7 EOL is coming — Redditreddit.com
    review
  8. TuxCare Vulnerability Reporting (CNA)tuxcare.com
    security
  9. TuxCare Security Certificationstuxcare.com
    security
  10. CloudLinux Launches TuxCare Brand — BusinessWirebusinesswire.com
    news
  11. ELS for Debian 11 — National Law Reviewnatlawreview.com
    news
  12. Enterprise Support for AlmaLinux — Docsdocs.tuxcare.com
    official

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