We performed a comparison between KVM and Oracle VM VirtualBox based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: Both KVM and Oracle VM VirtualBox have their strengths and weaknesses. Oracle VM VirtualBox seems to be the more favorable choice of the two, since it offers good scalability whereas scalability seems to be an ongoing issue for KVM users.
"If you are a Linux desktop user, KVM is the solution to go with if you have to start virtual machines with Linux or other operating systems with almost zero extra configuration needed."
"Very cost-effective."
"This solution is open source and easy to configure."
"Our production servers are running in Linux, and this solution supports that environment well."
"I have found KVM to be scalable."
"It is an open ecosystem, and we see there is a benefit in open-source solutions."
"What I like most about KVM is that it's very easy to use. Everything is built-in, even when writing command lines."
"Good screen and keyboard sharing feature."
"The versatility, simplicity, and stability of the product are it's most valuable features."
"Oracle VM Virtualbox is easy to use and does not require much training."
"It is a stable product."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that there is no cost because it is open source."
"This is a highly scalable solution."
"Technical support is good."
"Oracle VM VirtualBox is easy to use."
"This solution can be used on many different platforms including Windows and Linux."
"Its resource usage can be improved."
"The main drawback in the solution is probably disaster recovery."
"We still occasionally build Interlaced Wireless Protection within our environment. The ecosystem entails areas, where we support agents, and release backup and security solutions. Collaboration with independent software vendors (ITOLs or ITOLED) is necessary to offer these solutions to customers. However, the scope of the ecosystem in KVM is not as extensive as that of VMware's. In contrast, VMware boasts a robust partner network, allowing for comprehensive customer solutions. On the other hand, KVM’s ecosystem is comparatively limited in comparison. I would like to see FT features in KVM."
"We would like to have a software lifecycle solution included in this solution. We can handle the software needed for KVM, but also the software that we provide. A lifecycle component would be very beneficial."
"The KVM tech support is really bad. They are not very responsive."
"Lacks high availability across clusters as well as support for Apache CloudStack."
"The initial setup of this solution is more difficult than some of the competing products and it could be improved."
"I believe KVM offers a unified answer, while ProxMark addresses orchestration. KVM lacks orchestration. If the aim is to centrally oversee multiple KVMs – let's say to freeze them – a centralized management solution is absent."
"When I select the Ubuntu operating system from within the virtual machine, it sometimes hangs."
"The solution needs to improve its flexibility. It's not as flexible as VMware."
"The communications setup lags. It does not connect properly so the batching and networking is a bit slow."
"The user interface needs to be improved."
"The installation is difficult and could be improved."
"Oracle VM VirtualBox is not flexible, It's not like VMware."
"One valuable feature would be for it to work right the first time but it doesn't necessarily do that."
"The solution could be more user-friendly."
KVM is ranked 4th in Server Virtualization Software with 39 reviews while Oracle VM VirtualBox is ranked 5th in Server Virtualization Software with 61 reviews. KVM is rated 8.0, while Oracle VM VirtualBox is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of KVM writes "Delivers good performance because of kernel-based virtualization". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Oracle VM VirtualBox writes "The solution is versatile, simple to use, and stable". KVM is most compared with Proxmox VE, Hyper-V, VMware vSphere, VMware Workstation and Oracle VM, whereas Oracle VM VirtualBox is most compared with Proxmox VE, Hyper-V, Oracle VM, VMware Workstation and VMware vSphere. See our KVM vs. Oracle VM VirtualBox report.
See our list of best Server Virtualization Software vendors.
We monitor all Server Virtualization Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.