Looking for Vmware Alternatives? Here Are 7 Alternatives To Consider!

7 VMWare Alternatives We Recommend

Here’s a list of 7 VMWare alternatives we’ve handpicked with features, pros, cons, and more.

1: Hyper V

Via Microsoft

Hyper-V is Microsoft’s answer to virtualization and comes pre-baked into Windows Server and Windows 10/11 Pro editions. If your organization is already in the Microsoft ecosystem, it will be a natural fit, as it integrates smoothly with Azure, Active Directory, and the like. 

Hyper-V shines when you need to run virtualized workloads on Windows and supports advanced features like live migration and dynamic memory allocation. While VMware edges it out in cross-platform support and third-party integration, Hyper-V’s cost-effectiveness and tight integration with Windows make it hard to beat for Microsoft-focused environments. 

Key features:

• It comes with the Hyper-V Manager Console along with Powershell for a familiar environment for Windows administrators

• Supports nested virtualization to run a hypervisor inside a VM 

• Implements Just Enough Administration (JEA) to enforce the principle of least privilege for maximum security

Pros

• Setting up a Hyper-V host for your VM is relatively easy.

• The ability to install a GUI-free server saves considerable resources.

• The built-in security features like Shielded VMs come in handy.

Cons

• Being a pro-Windows system, it is extremely limiting when you need it to integrate with Linux distros.

• It can be highly resource-intensive when compared to other similar hypervisors.

• Plenty of bugs and glitches in the platform need to be straightened out.

2: Nutanix

Via Nutanix

Nutanix is quite a heavyweight in the hyper-converged infrastructure space. This platform lets you quickly move apps anywhere without re-architecting or retooling—hybrid, multi-cloud, public, or private. Nutanix AHV, its native hypervisor, is a solid VMware alternative included in its ecosystem. 

What’s unique about Nutanix is its cloud-first design, which allows easy integration across private and public clouds. Nutanix’s Prism management interface is a joy to use, simplifying everything from scaling to troubleshooting. 

While Nutanix’s costs can rival VMware’s in large deployments, it offers a unified experience that eliminates many of VMware’s headaches, like handling licenses or configuring external storage.

Key features:

• Intelligently distributes workloads across data centers, public or private clouds, or edge locations without retooling.

• Enables cloud-native Kubernetes to allow building and deploying cloud-native applications on intelligent distributed infrastructure 

• Protects against cyberattacks with a secure design, policy monitoring, access control, data protection systems, encryption, and self-healing systems

Pros

• It automatically places data where it will provide the best performance to repair itself when a node or drive fails.

• It packs lots of computing and storage in a small footprint.

• The user interface is intuitive and user-friendly, and resources can be easily scaled up and down to match demand.

Cons

• Nutanix reporting is improving, but there is still room for improvement.

• Status indicators on things like node add/remove are sometimes displayed inaccurately.

• Firmware updates are not well-optimized and often need manual intervention.

3: Proxmox

Via Proxmox

Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is the platform of choice for open-source virtualization enthusiasts. This is mainly because it is a rare platform combining virtualization (using KVM) and containerization (via LXC) in one neat package. 

You get a sleek web interface that makes even complex tasks manageable without you needing to fire up the command line. It’s a solid alternative to VMware, especially for tech-savvy users who want flexibility without vendor lock-in. 

Proxmox also includes built-in clustering and high availability—features you’d expect to pay extra for with VMware. For high-level stuff like setting up a home lab or a production-grade infrastructure, Proxmox punches well above its weight for its zero-cost licensing model.

Key features:

• Enables live/online migration features to allow moving running VMs from one Proxmox VE cluster node to another

• Defines granular access to objects like VMs, storage, nodes, etc., by using the role-based permission management system

• Supports multiple authentication sources like Linux PAM, LDAP, Microsoft Active Directory, and OpenID Connect

Pros

• If you run into any error, there is plenty of Proxmox documentation all over the internet.

• It does not need a client since it defaults to the web interface.

• It provides an easy way to automate container orchestration using bash scripting and the Proxmox API.

Cons

• It does not support a headless hypervisor and always requires a Web GUI.

• There is no support for docker hosting.

• Being Linux-based, it demands some level of Terminal experience.

4: Scale Computing

Via Scale Computing

Scale Computing’s HyperCore platform provides scalable, accessible computing powered by automation. It combines virtualization, storage, and computing into a single hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) solution. 

Scale offers a TCO calculator on its homepage, giving you a personalized breakdown of your expected average annual savings, TCO savings, savings over time, and ROI expectations.

VMware arguably has broader functionality for complex environments, but Scale Computing focuses on being user-friendly and cost-efficient. As a result, it wins over businesses that don’t want to wrestle with VMware’s pricing and complexity.

Key features:

• It comes with self-healing intelligence that automatically takes corrective action when error conditions are detected without manual intervention

• Allows direct block-level access to the SCRIBE virtual storage device (VSD) virtual disks in the clustered storage pool 

• Supports REST APIs and cloud-init along with deployment of a container-optimized OS with a container runtime of choice

Pros

• The platform has a growing feature set, regular development cycles, and great support.

• It is relatively easier to implement and use compared to other VMs.

• Unlike VMWare, Scale has instant snapshots, fast VM replication, and no data stores to manage.

Cons

• Its ability to connect to external storage solutions like iSCSI target mounts is limited.

• Dynamic scaling of hosted system resources is a weak point.

5: OpenStack

Via Openstack

If you are looking for full control and scalability, OpenStack might be your answer. This open-source cloud infrastructure platform is ideal for organizations that need to build and manage large-scale public or private clouds. 

Beyond virtualization, OpenStack handles storage, networking, orchestration, app lifecycle, etc., and imitates a DIY cloud provider toolkit. Compared to VMware, OpenStack offers much more flexibility but demands significant expertise to implement and maintain. 

It’s favored by enterprises and service providers who want to avoid vendor lock-in and embrace the power of open standards. While not for the faint of heart, OpenStack’s modularity and extensive community support make it a powerhouse.

Key features:

• Combines web frontends, workload provisioning, shared services, networking, and more with the NOVA compute service and ZUN container service

• The compute service NOVA supports multiple hypervisors like KVM, Hyper-V, VMware, and more

• Provides infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) in addition to orchestration, fault management, and service management

Pros

• It lets you go to the root of each software and service and modify it to your needs.

• It has a helpful visualization interface that gives you a clear picture of the infrastructure you build upon it.

• Its versatility and hybrid-cloud ability make it one of the best options for custom configurations.

Cons

• The platform's stability is not the best, even with redundancy for most components and services. 

• The installation process of each package and its integration is complicated. 

• Documentation is not updated regularly, and support could be better. 

6: Red Hat OpenShift

Via RedHat

Red Hat OpenShift is a container orchestration platform built on Kubernetes. Its focus is on modern applications, particularly containerized ones, and It offers a robust ecosystem for developing, deploying, and managing these workloads. 

Unlike VMware, a heavily virtualization-centric platform, OpenShift takes you straight into the cloud-native world with features like automated scaling and CI/CD pipelines. 

This platform fits most cloud-native, AI, virtual, and traditional workloads—you can get it in self-managed or fully managed cloud service editions. With support for self-service options and integrations with CI/CD pipelines, you can build, test, and deploy workloads faster, accelerating time to market.

Key features:

• Enables lightweight, Kubernetes-native container runtime for improved performance and security

• Accelerates cloud-native app development and delivery with development, operations, and security under a single platform

• It lets you move quickly from app code to container with the built-in OpenShift Pipelines and builds for Red Hat OpenShift technology. 

Pros 

• It offers collaboration with on-prem specialized vendors like VMware, MS Hyper-V, and more.

• It supports most storage and networking solutions in Container Storage Interfaces (CSI) and Container Network Interfaces (CNI).

• The platform has a high uptime ratio, which keeps downtime-related hindrances for business apps at bay.

Cons

• The deployment architecture occasionally generates detractors due to the incorrect configuration.

• The documentation is tucked behind a training subscription.

• Database hosting is handled separately and thus cannot be handled from the same pod.

7: Virtual Box

Via VirtualBox

Developed by Oracle, VirtualBox is a free, cross-platform, open-source virtualization tool with a reputation for being user-friendly and versatile for personal and enterprise use. Need multiple Linux, macOS, or Windows host machines in one environment? VirtualBox will handle it.

It’s an excellent option for small businesses or individuals who want enterprise-grade virtualization without the hefty price tag. Although it doesn’t quite measure up to VMware regarding enterprise-level features and scalability, it holds its own with its simplicity and flexibility.

A unique feature is its ability to seamlessly integrate guest OSes with your host through “Guest Additions,” which also allows you to get clipboard sharing, drag-and-drop, and more. VirtualBox is an easy go-to if you’re dipping your toes into virtualization or testing software across platforms.

Key features:

• Quickly provisions development VMs with preconfigured Oracle software for easy and rapid deployments

• Provides secure and encrypted workspace with remote connections to restricted applications via 256-bit encryption keys

• Supports cross-platform guests and hosts and up to 32 virtual CPUs on the base package

Pros

• The platform is very efficient when you need to run more than one OS.

• It lets you see shared file systems and other resources, such as USBs, microphones, and hard drives, in all installed devices.

• It even supports old operating systems like Windows NT4, XP, Vista, etc.

Cons

• Running VirtualBox on older machines is not a very smooth experience.

• Implementing a new version of VirtualBox often results in compatibility issues.

• It is pretty memory intensive and requires a lot of shared memory to run the environment and the OS.

Pick The VMware Alternative That Suits Your Unique Needs

We get it. With so many alternatives, replacing VMware, a leader in virtualization, isn’t easy. Take time to evaluate options, considering costs and migration ease. Book demos to find the best fit for your needs with minimal disruption!