VMware Alternatives

VMware Alternatives KB ID 0001927

Problem

With uncertainty surrounding VMware’s future, many IT teams are actively reassessing their virtualisation strategies. On platforms like Spiceworks and Reddit, professionals are sharing their experiences and recommendations as they explore alternatives.

VMware Alternatives What the Community Is Saying

Proxmox VE is gaining serious traction. One user noted:

“Already upskilling in Proxmox and testing it. All new projects will be delivered using Proxmox moving forward. Goodbye ESX.” — dlucre on Spiceworks

oVirt is also on the radar:

“oVirt looks interesting. Not sure how active Red Hat is with that project but it looks like the best replacement at the moment.” — Sylogz on Spiceworks

Other platforms like XCP-ng, Hyper-V, and Nutanix AHV are also being discussed as viable options.

A recent poll in the TrueNAS community highlighted current preferences:

• Proxmox: 52.1%
• XCP-ng: 20.7%
• Hyper-V: 2.1%
• oVirt: 1.4%
• Sticking with VMware: 15.7%

VMware Alternatives: Options

Here’s a closer look at the leading virtualisation platforms being considered in 2025, along with their key strengths and limitations:

Microsoft Hyper-V

Built into Windows Server and Pro editions, Hyper-V integrates seamlessly with Azure and other Microsoft tools—making it a strong choice for hybrid cloud environments.

• Strengths: Shielded VMs, hybrid cloud support, familiar interface.
• Limitations: Less support for non-Windows systems, smaller ecosystem.

Citrix Hypervisor (XenServer)

A mature, enterprise-grade platform offering GPU virtualisation, live migration, and high availability.

• Strengths: Scalable, secure, cost-effective.
• Limitations: Fewer third-party integrations, steeper learning curve.

Proxmox VE

An open-source platform that combines KVM and LXC with a web-based interface, clustering, and backup features.

• Strengths: Feature-rich, strong community, actively maintained.
• Limitations: Smaller ecosystem, some complexity, paid support for enterprises.

Deploy and Test Proxmox on VMware

Proxmox

VirtualBox

A free, cross-platform hypervisor ideal for desktop virtualisation and development environments.

• Strengths: Easy to use, supports a wide range of guest OSs.
• Limitations: Not suitable for enterprise-scale deployments.

QEMU

A powerful emulator that supports multiple CPU architectures. When paired with KVM, it delivers near-native performance.

• Strengths: Highly flexible, supports advanced use cases.
• Limitations: Command-line interface, less user-friendly for daily use.

KVM & Red Hat Virtualisation (RHV)

KVM is built into the Linux kernel and offers high performance. RHV adds enterprise features like a GUI and centralised management.

• Strengths: Free, widely supported, backed by Red Hat.
• Limitations: Requires Linux expertise, KVM lacks a native GUI.

Nutanix AHV

Part of Nutanix’s hyper-converged infrastructure, AHV integrates compute, storage, and networking.

• Strengths: Simplified infrastructure, cost-effective.
• Limitations: Best suited to Nutanix environments.

OpenStack, OpenNebula & Apache CloudStack

These platforms go beyond virtualisation, offering full cloud orchestration capabilities.

• OpenStack: Enterprise-grade, flexible, reduces vendor lock-in.
• OpenNebula: Lightweight, ideal for hybrid and edge deployments.
• CloudStack: Focused on IaaS, supports multiple hypervisors.

VMware Alternatives Quick Comparison Table

If you’re weighing up your options, the right choice will depend on your existing infrastructure, team expertise, and long-term goals.

VMware Alternatives Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Cross Hypervisor Migrations Using Veeam