Proxmox VE vs VMware vSphere comparison

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59,022 views|39,843 comparisons
98% willing to recommend
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43,659 views|35,882 comparisons
95% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Sep 14, 2023

We performed a comparison between VMware vSphere and Proxmox VE based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: VMware vSphere's initial setup duration varies based on complexity, ranging from a few hours to a couple of weeks. Proxmox VE can be set up within one to two days. VMware vSphere might require a certified engineer, whereas Proxmox VE is renowned for its user-friendliness and high ratings.
  • Features: VMware VSphere users say it is flexible and has good virtualization and great data recovery speed time. Proxmox VE users like the solution's ease of use, performance, and backup service.  
  • Room for Improvement: VMware VSphere users feel that the solution needs to be more secure and that the monitoring and reporting could be improved. Proxmox VE users want improvement to process automation. They also mention that moving things to the cloud can be difficult and, because it's a young solution, there are some bugs. 
  • Pricing: The majority of VMware VSphere reviewers consider the solution to be expensive. Users of Proxmox VE consider the solution affordable. 
  • Service and Support: VMware VSphere users are satisfied with the technical support. Most users of Proxmox VE are happy with the support, though there are a few who think it needs to be improved. 
  • ROI: Users of both solutions report a positive ROI.

Comparison Results: VMware vSphere is highly regarded for its extensive range of features, user-friendly interface, and scalability. However, users want improved backup features, integration capabilities, and documentation. Proxmox VE is valued for its simplicity, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. Users recommend automating certain processes, enhancing the user interface and documentation, and addressing compatibility. 

To learn more, read our detailed Proxmox VE vs. VMware vSphere Report (Updated: May 2024).
770,458 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Q&A Highlights
Question: What are the main differences between Proxmox versus VMware vSphere?
Answer: Parameter Tampering
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"It's been a stable solution.""It's very user-friendly.""The most valuable feature is the ease of deployment.""We now have the ability to quickly build and deploy VM desktops for application testing with the snapshot ability to rollback, as required.""The solution is easy to install. It can run on a lot of different types of hardware. Creating virtual machines with it is really easy.""It has a good performance and you can cluster it.""The feature that I have found most valuable is that its storage container, LVM, and everything else work out of the box.""The most valuable feature of Proxmox VE is the speed. Additionally, I can modify the solution if needed because it is open-source and the integration of any kind of API and monitoring is hassle-free."

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"The connectivity is fantastic, and many functions can run together in one server. If you need to scale, we can continue to add components or modules. It's a beautiful virtual solution that has many advantages over physical hardware, where you have to use devices and wiring to connect all your projects.""The stability of the solution is excellent.""I definitely like the stability, performance and ease-of-use.""VMware vSphere allows you to run multiple virtual machines.""Valuable features really depend on different projects. We are using the traditional infrastructure based on VMware vSphere. We are also using the high availability (HA) and Distributed Switch features to extend our network and switch between different hosts. The VMotion and SVMotion features are very essential for us to relocate the storage of virtual machines to different storage or vSANs. We are using VMotion and SVMotion features several times of the day. We are also using another VMware product to replicate a lot of solutions to a second replication site.""It is fairly easy to use and has enhanced security.""The initial setup is very simple.""The DRS feature of this solution is a very valuable feature."

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Cons
"Since I face issues importing Windows OVA inside Proxmox VE, a clickable button should be added to select the OVA format and import it inside Proxmox VE.""The management can be better. It's not like VMware where you can get all clusters on a single dashboard. In VMware, you can literally see all the VMs running in one cluster regardless of the host.""Proxmox VE needs to make a deal with Veeam. I was also unable to make version upgrades. I have also encountered backup problems.""There are some things that need to be done using the command-line interface, and these should be moved into the web-based interface.""Currently, there are several features inaccessible through the API, necessitating the use of either the WebUI or the command line interface.""Separate physical network for Corosync/Heartbeat should be emphasized in the Quick Start or Getting Started documentation.""The solution needs to improve its stability.""The initial setup has a pretty steep learning curve."

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"The way that vSphere manages the alerts on the data machine is not easy to configure.""The solution needs to improve its stability.""There are some challenges around ESXi hosts — converting them into VMs.""In addition, I think they should come up with a backup feature which is more product enrichment-based. It should be a full-fledged backup solution. It just is not there right now.""It is not easy to upgrade VMware vSphere from an old version to a new version.""vSphere could perhaps be improved by more integration or better security.""I would like to see AI in future releases.""The management could be simplified for base-level customers, but of course, it would be difficult to match all customer needs."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "An excellent choice for budget sensitive operations.​"
  • "The cost is excellent."
  • "Proxmox is free software, but if you prefer the support and a more rested repository then you can pay for it."
  • "Zero - this is a free solution."
  • "The only thing you pay for is support and it is between $2,500 and $3,000 a year. It depends on the support plan you choose. Support is optional."
  • "I am not aware of the licensing cost, but there is a cost for support."
  • "It's an open-source solution that can be used free of cost."
  • "Because I'm using Proxmox VE for personal use and it's an AGPL license project, I can use it at home for free."
  • More Proxmox VE Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "My advice when it comes to pricing is that pricing is a bummer, especially when it comes to SnS coverage."
  • "Purchase only the cheaper solution with support. I don’t recommend high-end licenses."
  • "Pricing needs to be competitive since Microsoft Hyper-V has come a long way; they are both around the same price range."
  • "VMware is consistently expensive and their pricing arrogance is what will drive us and other customers away."
  • "Start with the lowest and upgrade if, and only if, absolutely necessary."
  • "Compared with other vendors’ products, the pricing of the license is slightly lower. The annual S&S price is very affordable."
  • "The product is worth what you pay for it. I definitely feel like I"m getting good value."
  • "​The only issue with vSphere might be with the cost of the tools and the software.​"
  • More VMware vSphere Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Comparison Review
    Answers from the Community
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    AbcXyz52 - PeerSpot reviewerAbcXyz52
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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:For me the biggest impact is the cost of licensing in the case of VMware despite its overall intuitiveness and ease of handling and management. However, KVM-based Open Source solutions are becoming… more »
    Top Answer:One of the best things about Proxmox VE is that it is open-source and very inexpensive. You get all of the same features as with the more well-known products. Proxmox VE is very easy to deploy - it… more »
    Top Answer:I use Proxmox VE and have been very happy with it. In my opinion, it is a complete and stable solution with excellent tools for managing servers. It has a lot of different features, and I also love… more »
    Top Answer:DEEPEN DHULLA did explain well IOMMU. IOMMU has to be activated at the bios level. It exists on Intel and AMD platforms. It is used a lot inside virtualization platforms like VMware VSphere. It… more »
    Top Answer:We use VMware and KVM. We find that KVM is a lot simpler to use and it provides the virtualization we need for Linux and Windows. For us, VMware does not offer any advantage. Moreover, KVM is free.
    Top Answer:We found the reduced power consumption with Nutanix Acropolis AOS a very attractive feature. We also like the interface that allows you to talk directly to your VM from the present software. We found… more »
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    Rating
    8.6
    Views
    43,659
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    Average Words per Review
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    Rating
    8.4
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    Learn More
    Overview

    Proxmox VE is a complete virtualization management solution for servers. It is a powerful open-source platform and supports two virtualization technologies - KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) for virtual machines and LXC for containers. Proxmox VE has a central user interface that allows you to manage not only VMs and containers, but also storage resources, network configuration, and high availability for clusters. It is enterprise-ready and is valued for its scalability and maximum flexibility, enabling you to virtualize very demanding workloads. Proxmox VE makes it possible for you to easily install, manage, and monitor hyper-converged (HCI) data centers.

    Proxmox VE Key Features

    The Proxmox VE platform has many powerful features, including:

    pen-source software, high-available clusters, command line, fencing, a web-based management interface, flexible storage options, REST API, live/online migration, storage replication stack, software defined storage, virtualized networking, backup and restore, two-factor authentication, role-based administration, and VM templates and clones.

    Proxmox VE Benefits

    Some of the biggest benefits of Proxmox VE are:

    • Central management: To manage all tasks of your virtual data center, you can use the central, web-based management interface.

    • Unique multi-master design: Proxmox VE allows you to carry out maintenance tasks cluster wide, from any node.

    • Minimize downtime: With the integrated live/online migration feature, you can move running virtual machines from one Proxmox VE cluster node to another, without any downtime or noticeable effect from the end-user side.

    • Granular access: Using Proxmox VE’s role-based permission management system helps you define granular access to all objects.

    • Multiple authentication sources: Proxmox VE supports multiple authentication sources, including Linux PAM, an integrated Proxmox VE authentication server, LDAP, Microsoft Active Directory, and OpenID Connect.

    • Several storage options: The Proxmox VE storage model is very flexible and the web interface allows you to add multiple storage types (LVM Group, iSCSI target, NFS Share, SMB/CIFS, Ceph RBD, Direct to iSCSI LUN, GlusterFS, CephFS).

    • Collaboration with Ceph: Proxmox VE fully integrates Ceph, giving you the ability to run and manage Ceph storage directly from any of your cluster nodes.

    • Scheduled backups: With Proxmox VE, backups can be scheduled so that they automatically run on specific days and times, for selectable nodes and guest systems.

    • IT infrastructure protection: Proxmox VE has a built-in firewall that works to protect your IT infrastructure. The firewall is completely customizable, allowing complex configurations via the GUI or CLI.

    Reviews From Real Users

    Here is some feedback from some of our users who are currently using the solution:

    A PeerSpot user who is a director at a tech services company says, “The most valuable features of Proxmox VE are the ease of containerization. Overall the solution is generic, feature-rich, and has compatibility.”

    Another PeerSpot user who is a head of IT operations at a tech services company mentions that "In addition to the virtualization, the firewall and the routing functions that it provides are valuable."

    Deepen D., director and CTO at TechnoInfotech, expresses that "The feature that I have found most valuable is that its storage container, LVM, and everything else work out of the box."


    VMware vSphere is a powerful and complete server virtualization platform that allows its users to create and manage virtual data centers and machines. VMware vSphere is designed to help IT departments set up and run applications using the most cost-effective computer resources. By using vSphere, organizations save the time and energy necessary for purchasing infrastructure and software and reduce ongoing maintenance and operational burdens on IT teams.

    Infrastructure administrators and network operators can access and manage the vSphere server by using a web-based cross-platform client application or via the vSphere client tool provided with vSphere. 

    VMware vSphere provides visibility into VMs and enables its users to carry out operations to manage VMs. This includes tasks such as:

    • Powering VMs on and off
    • Launching the VM console
    • Shutting down guest operating systems
    • Settings configurations
    • Taking system snapshots

    VMware vSphere Benefits

    Some of the benefits of using VMware vSphere include: 

    • Reduced costs: Since VMware applications are run on a server, it is not necessary to spend large amounts of your organization’s money on hardware, software, and infrastructure.
    • Increased productivity and customer satisfaction: VMware is able to operate multiple complex processes simultaneously. With all your applications being managed and run on the cloud, downtime, failures, and application errors are rare. VMware easily scales up and down to meet your computing needs. The high availability that VMware provides allows your IT staff to focus on other issues and keeps your customers satisfied with the service they receive.
    • Unlimited access to your VMs: VMware’s user-friendly cloud-based interface allows any employee to work from any location at any time.
    • Enhanced security: VMware’s security tools deliver full visibility into your entire system. This keeps your applications and data more secure, in any type of environment. VMware provides multiple protective tools including antiviruses and anti-malware, as well as backup and recovery services.

    VMware vSphere Features

    Below is a list of some of VMware vSphere’s key features:

    • Transferable virtual machine images: Export and import virtual machine images from your local environment. This gives users the ability to set up and configure their systems locally and only upload them to the server once everything is working properly. VM images can be moved back and forth between vendors, ensuring that your company is never tied up to a specific cloud vendor.
    • User-friendly interface: Using VMware’s intuitive console, you can easily create, manage, share, and deploy virtual machines.
    • API integration: VMware’s APIs support integration with third-party applications for data protection, multipathing, and disk array solutions.
    • Distributed power management: Automate efficiency by continuously optimizing server power consumption within each cluster.

    Reviews from Real Users

    VMware vSphere stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. A few major ones are its virtualization abilities, its flexibility and availability, and its user-friendly interface.

    Felix D., an Automation project administrator, DCS, I&E at Centennial Cayman Corp, writes, “The connectivity is fantastic, and many functions can run together in one server. If you need to scale, we can continue to add components or modules. It's a beautiful virtual solution that has many advantages over physical hardware, where you have to use devices and wiring to connect all your projects.”

    Sample Customers
    Municipality of Trento, SwitchMIA, inDenova, Valmeita City Council, Alpha IT AS, Grupo Inversor Veracruzano S.A.P.I. de C.V. (GRIVER), Laut und Schoen, IT-Services - Hamburg e.K., KMI Learning, Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd., Serwise AG
    Abu Dhabi Ports Company, ACS, AIA New Zealand, Consona, Corporate Express, CS Energy, and Digiweb.
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Government13%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Retailer13%
    University8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider13%
    Government8%
    Educational Organization7%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Energy/Utilities Company10%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Computer Software Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization26%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Government6%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business68%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise17%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business31%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise50%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business30%
    Midsize Enterprise25%
    Large Enterprise45%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business20%
    Midsize Enterprise34%
    Large Enterprise46%
    Buyer's Guide
    Proxmox VE vs. VMware vSphere
    May 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Proxmox VE vs. VMware vSphere and other solutions. Updated: May 2024.
    770,458 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Proxmox VE is ranked 1st in Server Virtualization Software with 58 reviews while VMware vSphere is ranked 2nd in Server Virtualization Software with 446 reviews. Proxmox VE is rated 8.6, while VMware vSphere is rated 8.8. The top reviewer of Proxmox VE writes "Easy to use and supports multi-monitors on multiple VMs in KVM". On the other hand, the top reviewer of VMware vSphere writes "Offers good performance and is useful for banking systems". Proxmox VE is most compared with Oracle VM VirtualBox, KVM, Nutanix AHV Virtualization, Hyper-V and Citrix Hypervisor, whereas VMware vSphere is most compared with Hyper-V, Oracle VM, VMware Workstation, KVM and Nutanix AHV Virtualization. See our Proxmox VE vs. VMware vSphere 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.