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What Operating System Do Most Businesses Use?

One OS or a mix to get a feel of flexibility? Your choice

12 min. read

Updated onApril 22, 2024

updated onApril 22, 2024

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Key notes

The world is full of debates and opinions on many different subjects. And the operating system most businesses use is one of those.

There’s no denying that certain operating systems are more popular than others.Windows has always been the dominant OSin business, but it’s not the only option.

In addition, businesses are not the same, and each has its unique way of doing things. For instance, just on the surface:

If you were about to start and run a business and had to choose any operating system software you wanted, what would you choose? If you’re confused, we unpack these OSes so that you’ll have a firm decision by the end of this article.

What factors influence the selection of a business OS?

Just like we said above, each business is unique, making the answer to this question a bit complicated. Each OS has its pros but don’t forget that the cons are always lurking.

Since you can’t avoid the disadvantages, you need to pick one that favors your business and find a way around the cons.

Before you pick an OS, you need to consider several factors. The most important ones are:

1. Ease of use

The easier an operating system is to use, the more likely people will be able to perform their jobs and get things done without needing help from someone else. This means less time will be spent training and troubleshooting problems.

However, there are some general guidelines for determining how easy an operating system will be to work with.

For example, if you plan on using the same computer for several years, you should probably go for an OS with a user interface (UI) that doesn’t change too often over time.

2. Cost

The cost of the OS you select for your business is a major factor when choosing which one to use. Each OS has its own licensing model, so it’s important to understand how much it will cost your company to use each one.

The cost of using a particular operating system will vary from business to business, depending on what software you use, how many employees you have, and how long you plan to use the OS.

For example, if you’re using cloud-based applications that require little or no infrastructure investment, then costs may be minimal. On the other hand, if you’re using an in-house application that requires costly hardware upgrades and maintenance contracts, then costs could be high.

3. Reliability

This is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing an OS for your business. How stable is the platform, and how often does it crash? Does it have any bugs or security flaws? AnOS that crashes frequentlyis unsuitable for business use.

In addition, the technical support offered by the software developer should be adequate enough to meet users’ needs and solve all problems related to the use of the software. A reliable OS will provide consistent performance and minimal downtime, keeping productivity high and costs low.

4. Security

Do you havesensitive data that needs to be protected from prying eyes? If so, then security is not a component to be taken lightly.

A secure OS must be able to support an organization’s security needs, including encryption and password management. You need to know that yourdata and applications are safe from hackers, viruses and other cyber threats.

5. Hardware compatibility

The operating system must be compatible with the hardware you intend to use in your business. For example, if you have a new computer and want toinstall Windows 11, it will not work properly if it doesn’t meet thesystem requirements.

This is because Windows 11 is only compatible with certain types of hardware. And while other older versions of Windows can be installed on the PC, they may not meet the needs of your business adequately because of the advanced technology trends.

6. Business needs

You need to clearly understand the goals you want to achieve with your business to choose the right operating system.

Some enterprises have specific requirements that will determine the type of OS you should use. For example, if you want todeploy an applicationin a multi-tenant environment, you may need to select a platform that supports virtualization.

If there are no specific business needs, it is better to use open-source software since it is free and easy to use.

7. The size of your company

The size of your company will have a large influence on which OS you should use. For example, if you’re a small startup and don’t have much money to invest in software licenses, Linux might be the way to go.

A small company might also choose anopen-source operating systembecause it can be customized to meet specific needs.

However, if the size of your company is growing, you may want to consider multiple devices and systems. This way, multiple employees can access information from different locations at once.

8. Upgrade costs

The cost of upgrading or updating the software once you’ve purchased and installed it is something you need to consider when choosing an OS for your business.

As new versions of an OS are released, your software vendors may require you to upgrade to continue using their products.

This can be especially problematic if your company uses older software versions because upgrading can be costly or impossible. It’s also important to know how easy it is to upgrade software.

What are the top 3 operating systems for businesses?

A good operating system is the backbone of any business. It allows employees to get their work done; in some cases, it’s even more important than the hardware itself.

Now that you know what to look for when shopping for an OS, let’s look at what is available in the market.

Although there are over three OSes, only Windows, Linux, and MacOS are popularly known. So what makes these top three the creme de la creme?

1. Windows

Windows is the most popular operating system in the world. But what makes Windows so appealing to businesses? And why do they stick with it even as new technologies emerge?

These are some of the benefits:

2. Linux

While Windows still has an edge over other platforms when it comes to popularity, Linux offers several advantages over Microsoft’s OS. First, here’s its market share over the years.

Some of the benefits include:

3. MacOS

Apple’s macOS has been making steady inroads into business over the past few years. And while it still trails far behind Windows in terms of market share, it has a solid fanbase that appreciates its features.

Here’s why it’s a top choice for businesses.

What is the best operating system for a small business?

While we’ve touched on the three most popular OSes and why most businesses choose them, we haven’t answered which is the best for you.

Unfortunately, this is a decision you have to make on your own. The good thing is now it doesn’t have to be hard because you know what to look for based on your business’s needs.

Below, we’ve come up with a comparison table to help you assess the risk level of running each OS.

To break it down further, the score per OS is based on how easy it is to install apps, perform backups, and have compatibility with other hardware and software, among others.

Let’s take the user-friendliness performance metric, for instance.Installing Windowsis relatively easy compared to the other two. Some devices even come pre-installed with Windows making it easier to use.

However, Linux requires downloading the software and then load into a USB stick, among other actions you need to perform. Such actions make it unsuitable for a business that does not have enough training resources.

To sum it up,Windows has been dominant for years, but the situation is slowly changing. If we were to pick one OS for your business, we’d have to choose macOS. Macs have fewer malware threats than Windows machines, so they’re less likely to slow down over time.

Still, the market is rapidly changing, and many businesses are choosing to use a mix of operating systems because it gives them more flexibility and increases their options for software development.

If you’d like a more in-depth analysis of the operating systems, we have a couple you can check out, such as:

We’d love to hear your feedback on what operating system your company uses. Let us know the size of your business, your choice of OS, and why you went for it in the comment section below.

What Operating System Do Most Businesses Use?#

What factors influence the selection of a business OS?#

1. Ease of use#

2. Cost#

3. Reliability#

4. Security#

5. Hardware compatibility#

6. Business needs#

7. The size of your company#

8. Upgrade costs#

What are the top 3 operating systems for businesses?#

1. Windows#

2. Linux#

3. MacOS#

What is the best operating system for a small business?#