CentOS
It's a Red Hat Enterprise Linux clone, primarily used by military-standard corporations. CentOS is ideal for setting up a VPS since it's primarily used for WHM and cPanel, well-known website management licenses. It's considered a stable and ideal alternative for high-demand work and is focused specifically on web development.
It's completely free in terms of license and distribution. In addition, you'll find extensive documentation that will help you resolve any questions or emergencies during the upload process.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a branch of Debian Linux, available in desktop and web server versions. This system has the characteristic of containing many functions, which provides greater versatility when working or playing.
Debian
Like Ubuntu, Debian is a canonical branch of Debian Linux, available in desktop versions and as a web server.
Which distribution should you choose?
This question doesn't have a single answer; it always depends on your intended use and the functions you intend for your web server. Below, I'll describe three key criteria to ensure you make the right decision.
Stability
CentOS is very stable because the operating system is developed for corporate purposes, so the level of updates is lower. For example, the latest version, CentOS 7, was released in 2014 and will be maintained until 2024.
Ubuntu and Debian are more versatile servers, and the number of updates is more frequent. Each version is maintained for up to 5 years, receiving updates every 6 months.
Speed
In terms of loading speed, it is the lowest among distributions. In my experience using the terminal, Debian and Linux distributions are faster, both for establishing SSH connections and for continuous use in this interface. However, there are no significant differences when loading web applications.
Usage
Regarding usability between operating systems, CentOS is much simpler when it comes to locating critical files and folders. In the case of the firewall, Debian and Ubuntu allow the use of UFW, which can make things much easier when establishing rules, although using FirewallD in CentOS is not particularly complicated.
Support
In case you need documentation, although it is always emphasized that Ubuntu "wins" in this regard due to its larger community, the truth is that with so many versions, it can be more difficult to find a useful answer if you are using newer versions, such as Ubuntu LTS 20.24.
Installation
Ubuntu and Debian are easier to install because they come with the most basic libraries pre-installed, and installing Apache is enough to launch the web server immediately. On CentOS, initializing the firewall or installing LAMP may take a few minutes longer.
Linux and Debian share the same branch (Debian Linux), so there's no major difference between them, or you'd have to dig deeper to find them. The communities for all three distributions are vast, and you'll find everything you need to at least set up a web system.
Surely, in your search, you'll find some detractors and some fanatics, but when it comes to choosing, all three distributions are super-powerful operating systems that allow scalability for your web platform.