Why Businesses Are Choosing Linux: It’s Not Just About Saving Money

Linux adoption on business desktops and laptops continues to climb. An analysis of nearly 18.5 million devices shows that Linux’s share among business endpoints rose from 1.6% in January to 1.9% in June 2025. Among newly added assets first detected after March 1, the figure reached 2.5%.

While these percentages may seem modest, at the scale of millions of devices they represent more than a statistical blip, says Lansweeper CTO Guido Patanella. According to him, this is not a one-off anomaly but a “sustained acceleration” in growth. The primary driver, he notes, is not merely the approaching end of Windows 10 support, but the rising demands of security compliance.

Patanella points out that “the exponential growth of threats and attacks is raising concerns within IT teams.” While Linux is not immune to vulnerabilities, in corporate settings it is often seen as more controllable from a security management perspective—a perception that carries weight amid relentless cyberattacks and increasing infrastructure defense costs.

Another growth factor is the influence of engineering and DevOps teams, who by default tend to favor Linux. Its popularity among developers, its automation-friendly nature, and its flexibility have become decisive arguments for migration.

European companies are slightly ahead of their North American counterparts in Linux adoption, particularly in the public sector and B2B industries. In North America, the highest usage is seen in technology and telecommunications, where it approaches 7%.

Nevertheless, Linux still faces desktop barriers: software compatibility issues, employee training needs, and entrenched user habits remain significant obstacles. Despite marked improvements in usability and software support, Windows and macOS continue to dominate.

According to Lansweeper, Linux could soon strengthen its presence considerably in both private and public sectors. The main motivation, however, is not ideology—but the imperative to enhance security.