The Best Hypervisors

Hypervisors are the core software layer that enables virtualization. They abstract physical hardware (CPU, memory, storage, networking) so multiple isolated virtual machines can run concurrently on a single system. Hypervisors originated in the 1960s on IBM mainframes to securely share costly computing hardware among numerous workloads. They re-entered the mainstream in the early 2000s with the introduction of x86 processors that added hardware virtualization support. VMware played a leading role in making the technology practical and accessible on everyday servers.

There are two main types of hypervisors: Type 1 (bare-metal) and Type 2 (hosted).

• Type 1 hypervisors run directly on the hardware, providing better performance and resource management. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen. They are commonly used in enterprise environments for server virtualization, enabling efficient resource allocation and isolation between different virtual machines (VMs).
• Type 2 hypervisors, on the other hand, operate on top of an existing operating system. This makes them easier to set up and use for individual users or developers. Examples include VMware Workstation and Oracle VirtualBox. While they offer flexibility for development and testing environments, they may have slightly lower performance compared to Type 1 hypervisors.

Hypervisors play a vital role in cloud computing and data center management, allowing for efficient hardware utilization, cost savings, and simplified disaster recovery. They facilitate the deployment of scalable, flexible IT environments by enabling dynamic resource allocation and management of multiple VMs, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and flexibility.

Hypervisors can help your organization avoid the following pain points:

• Inefficient use of compute resources: Physical servers often run far below capacity when dedicated to a single workload. Hypervisors consolidate workloads and drive higher utilization.
• Operational rigidity: Hardware-bound applications are slow to adapt to change. Hypervisors decouple workloads from physical infrastructure and support rapid provisioning, scaling, and mobility.
• Server sprawl: One-application-per-server models lead to excessive hardware growth. Virtualization reduces the physical footprint by running many workloads on fewer systems.
• Slow provisioning cycles: Acquiring and configuring new servers can take weeks. Virtual machines can be deployed or cloned in minutes.
• High infrastructure and maintenance costs: Fewer physical systems translate to lower power, cooling, space, and support overhead.
• Limited scalability and resilience: Scaling traditionally requires overprovisioning. Hypervisors enable high availability, live migration, and automated failover.
• Complex disaster recovery: Restoring physical servers is slow and error-prone. Virtual machines can be snapshotted, replicated, and rapidly recovered.

This article provides a practical overview of the leading hypervisors available today. Our aim is to guide you toward making the right choice for your business based on real operational and technical requirements.

Here is our list of the best hypervisors:

1. VMware ESXi EDITOR’S CHOICE Widely regarded as the industry leader for enterprise Type 1 virtualization. Strong performance, advanced features, a broad ecosystem, and tooling support.
2. Microsoft Hyper-V A Type 1 hypervisor integrated into Windows Server and supported in Azure infrastructure. Good performance and management in Windows environments.
3. KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) Type 1 hypervisor built into the Linux kernel, open-source, highly scalable, and used extensively in cloud stacks. Best performance when configured correctly.
4. XenServer Open-source Type 1 hypervisor with strong isolation and used by large cloud providers. Works well in scalable and cloud contexts.
5. Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Type 1 enterprise virtualization product built on KVM with centralized management, good for Red Hat environments.
6. Proxmox VE Open-source Type 1 hypervisor that combines KVM virtualization and LXC containers with an intuitive web interface, clustering/backup support. Popular for both labs and production when cost is a factor.
7. VMware Workstation Pro Free Type 2 desktop hypervisor with broader OS support and performance than many free alternatives.
8. Oracle VirtualBox Free, cross-platform, easy-to-use Type 2 hypervisor. Supports most guest OSes.
9. bhyve Lightweight Type 2 hypervisor on FreeBSD. Less common but useful for BSD-centric setups.

If you need to know more, explore our vendor highlight section just below, or skip to our detailed vendor reviews. 

Βest hypervisors highlights

Key points to consider before choosing a hypervisor

• Workload requirements: Start with your workloads. Production and performance-critical systems typically require a bare-metal hypervisor. However, if you’re focused on development, testing, and experimentation, consider more flexible options, such as hosted (Type 2) hypervisors and open-source platforms.
• Performance, hardware, and reliability: Check how well the hypervisor uses CPU, memory, storage, and networking. Make sure it supports modern requirements, including GPU pass-through for AI and high-performance workloads, high availability, and live migration.
• Licensing & TCO: Evaluate the long-term costs of new subscription-only models versus “free” open-source options that may require paid enterprise support or more specialized staff.
• Ecosystem Compatibility: Ensure the hypervisor integrates seamlessly with your existing “stack”, including your backup software, storage architecture (SAN/NAS), and your team’s current technical skill set.
• Long-term strategy and scalability: The hypervisor you choose should support future growth, automation, hybrid or cloud integration, and containerization (Kubernetes/Docker), not just current requirements.

To dive deeper into how we incorporate these into our research and review methodology, skip to our detailed methodology section.

The Best Hypervisors

The type of hypervisor that you need will dictate the best product for your situation, and the purpose that you will put your hypervisor to will direct you to which type of hypervisor you need.

1. VMware ESXi (vSphere)

Best For: Data centers and cloud service providers that require high-performance and scalable virtualization for production workloads

Price: Available through authorized partners

VMware ESXi (vSphere) VMware ESXi (vSphere) is a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor that installs directly on physical servers to run and manage virtual machines with minimal overhead. It virtualizes core hardware resources such as CPU, memory, storage, and networking so multiple workloads can run securely and efficiently on the same system.

vSphere is the broader VMware virtualization platform built around ESXi and managed through vCenter Server. Together, they provide enterprise features such as high availability, live migration (vMotion), resource scheduling, snapshots, and centralized management.

VMware is widely regarded as the largest player in the hypervisor market. Industry estimates indicate that VMware accounts for a dominant share of global hypervisor deployments. The company was acquired by Broadcom in 2023. The acquisition marks a major shift in its ownership, licensing model, and overall product strategy. After the acquisition, Broadcom shifted VMware’s business model to focus entirely on subscription and term licenses to generate predictable, recurring revenue. The traditional one-time purchase model that many enterprises previously relied on has changed. As a result, many customers are reassessing their virtualization strategies in light of long-term costs, compliance, and operational stability.

The subscription or term‑based model is now the standard across most enterprise software, including virtualization. Many VMware competitors, such as Microsoft, Citrix, and Red Hat, have already moved in this direction. In other words, VMware’s move aligns it with industry norms rather than breaking from them.

VMware ESXi (vSphere) Key Features:

• Live Migration Without Shared Downtime (vMotion): VMware’s vMotion enables running workloads to move between hosts without service interruption. Although others offer live migration, VMware’s implementation is exceptionally mature and more predictable at scale and under load.
• Automated Resource Management (DRS): Distributed Resource Scheduler continuously balances CPU and memory across clusters based on real-time demand. Many platforms rely on manual tuning or basic policies, whereas DRS actively optimizes placement and performance.
• Highly Resilient Clustering And Ha: VMware HA automatically restarts workloads on healthy hosts within a cluster after failures, with proven reliability in large environments. Competing solutions often lack the same depth of failure detection and recovery logic.
• Mature Storage Abstraction (vSAN + storage policies): VMware allows workload-specific storage behavior to be defined using policies, rather than relying solely on storage hardware configuration.
• Deep Networking Virtualization (NSX integration): VMware enables software-defined networking with microsegmentation, distributed firewalls, and advanced network services embedded at the hypervisor layer.
• Extensive Ecosystem and Third-Party Integration: VMware is the primary target platform for backup, security, monitoring, and automation vendors.
• Operational Tooling and Lifecycle Management: Features such as centralized patching, host profiles, lifecycle management, and API-driven automation are far more comprehensive than those offered by most alternatives out of the box.

Unique Buying Proposition

Early-mover advantage and sustained product leadership give VMware its edge over others in the industry. VMware entered the x86 virtualization market early and became the de facto standard as enterprises struggled with server sprawl and low utilization. That early foothold mattered, but it only translated into long-term dominance because it continued to invest heavily in reliability, performance, and operational tooling as environments grew more complex.

The core reason large customers continue to choose VMware is its operational maturity at scale. As a VMware-certified professional, I can testify to the platform’s performance and operational maturity. Its unique selling point is not just raw virtualization, but its ability to deliver stable, scalable, and operationally predictable infrastructure, which is what enterprise customers value most.

Feature-In-Focus: High-performance Virtualization with Live Workload Mobility

ESXi is designed to run virtual machines as close to bare metal as possible. Workloads can easily be moved, balanced, and recovered without downtime. This is embodied in capabilities such as vMotion (live migration), High Availability (HA), and Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS). Together, these capabilities allow you to treat computer infrastructure as a shared, resilient pool rather than fixed servers.

Why do we recommend VMware ESXi?

We recommend VMware ESXi because it consistently delivers performance, reliability, and operational maturity at scale. As a bare-metal hypervisor, it delivers near-native performance and enables advanced capabilities, such as live migration, high availability, and automated resource management, that reduce downtime and operational risk.

VMware has long-standing leadership in virtualization, an extensive ecosystem, large-scale enterprise deployments, and broad third-party integrations. I can attest to this firsthand, having experienced it directly at multiple VMworld events.

Who is VMware ESXi recommended for?

We recommend VMware ESXi for medium to large enterprises, data centers, and cloud service providers that require high-performance, reliable, and scalable virtualization for production workloads.

ESXi is also used by managed service providers and private cloud operators who rely on a mature hypervisor ecosystem to integrate storage, backup, monitoring, and security solutions at scale.

VMware ESXi (vSphere) is primarily sold through a network of authorized partners. In some regions and scenarios, customers can contact VMware sales directly; even then, the transaction typically involves a partner or channel reseller. Exact prices and quotes are also provided through authorized partners.

The software is licensed as part of VMware vSphere and is available only through paid subscription/term licensing. It can be deployed on‑premises or in supported cloud platforms where cloud partners provide VMware‑based infrastructure.

2. Microsoft Hyper-V

Best For: Public and private sector organizations that are invested in Microsoft software.

Price: Available through the Microsoft licensing channel.

Microsoft Hyper-V is also a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor. It virtualizes computers, memory, storage, and networking resources. The software is built directly into Windows Server and is also available in a limited form on Windows client editions for development and testing. In fact, its tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem (including Active Directory, System Center, and Azure) makes it a natural choice for organizations that already rely heavily on Windows-based infrastructure and Microsoft cloud services.

Microsoft Hyper-V has been available since 2008, when it was first released with Windows Server 2008. Despite Windows’ dominance on the desktop, Hyper-V has a smaller share of the hypervisor market. This is mainly because server virtualization decisions are driven by different factors than desktop OS adoption. Many organizations view Hyper-V as a strong option for Microsoft-centric environments. However, competitors such as VMware have positioned themselves as OS-agnostic infrastructure providers, enabling them to appeal more broadly to heterogeneous enterprise data centers.

Nonetheless, Hyper-V truly offers clear advantages for organizations already invested in Microsoft technologies. It lowers the total cost of ownership and provides a tightly integrated virtualization platform that aligns naturally with both on-premises and Azure-based strategies.

Microsoft Hyper-V Key Features:

• Windows Server integration: Built into Windows Server, enabling seamless use with Active Directory, Windows security models, and existing Windows management tools.
• Live Migration: Allows virtual machines to move between hosts with minimal to no downtime.
• High Availability and Failover Clustering: Automatically restarts VMs on healthy hosts in the event of hardware or host failure.
• Storage Virtualization: Supports Storage Spaces Direct, virtual hard disks (VHD/VHDX), and integration with SAN and SMB-based storage.
• Network Virtualization: Provides virtual switches, network isolation, and integration with software-defined networking for flexible VM networking.
• Hybrid Cloud Integration with Azure: Native support for Azure Arc, Azure Site Recovery, and Azure Backup enables smooth hybrid and disaster recovery scenarios.
• PowerShell and Automation support: Deep PowerShell integration allows scripting, automation, and infrastructure-as-code workflows.

Unique Buying Proposition

Microsoft Hyper-V’s unique differentiator is its deep, native integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. Because it is built directly into Windows Server, Hyper-V works seamlessly with Active Directory, Windows security models, PowerShell, System Center, and Azure. This end-to-end integration across operating systems, management tools, and cloud services is what clearly sets Hyper-V apart from other hypervisors.

Feature-In-Focus: Native Integration with the Microsoft Ecosystem.

Hyper-V is built to work seamlessly with Windows Server, Active Directory, PowerShell, System Center, and Azure. Its core strength is its tight integration of virtualization into the broader Microsoft stack. You can manage on-premises and cloud resources using the same tools, policies, and workflows.

Why do we recommend Microsoft Hyper-V?

We recommend Microsoft Hyper-V because it provides an enterprise-grade virtualization platform that aligns well with how many organizations already operate their infrastructure. In real-world environments, this translates into simpler identity management, consistent security controls, and automation using native tools teams already understand.

Hyper-V also excels in hybrid scenarios through Azure Arc, Azure Site Recovery, and Azure Backup. From an operational standpoint, Hyper-V offers mature features such as live migration, failover clustering, storage virtualization, and strong PowerShell-driven automation. It is no doubt a pragmatic, low-friction hypervisor choice that balances capability, cost, and long-term strategic fit.

Who is Microsoft Hyper-V recommended for?

We recommend Hyper-V for small to large enterprises and public-sector organizations that are standardized on Microsoft technologies. This includes businesses running Windows Server, Active Directory, and Microsoft management tools. We also recommend it for hybrid environments that leverage Azure for backup, disaster recovery, or cloud extension.

Hyper-V can be deployed on-premises as part of Windows Server or in hybrid scenarios with Azure. If you intend to use it for production virtualization, you must license Windows Server Standard or Datacenter editions.

These servers are typically priced per physical core with a minimum requirement (e.g., 16 cores per server) and include rights to run a defined number of virtual machines. Pricing varies by edition and deployment, and you can obtain it through Microsoft licensing channels.

3. Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM)

Best For: Linux-centric environments and organizations with strong Linux expertise

Price: Free and open-source

KVM is a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor that is built directly into the Linux kernel. Once enabled, KVM allows each virtual machine to run as a standard Linux process. KVM’s architecture is fundamentally different from monolithic hypervisors. The Linux kernel handles the heavy, performance-critical work, such as CPU and memory management.

QEMU (Quick Emulator) for hardware emulation and virtualization runs as a standard application and provides virtual devices such as disks, network cards, and graphics. Because QEMU runs in user space (not inside the kernel), it can be updated, tuned, or restarted more safely without risking the whole system. This unique architecture makes KVM flexible, scalable, and fast when configured correctly.

The KVM hypervisor underpins major cloud platforms (including OpenStack-based private clouds and many public cloud providers) because it is open source, highly performant, and deeply scriptable. However, it expects you to have Linux expertise. Therefore, tasks like capacity planning, performance tuning, upgrades, and troubleshooting require a solid understanding of Linux internals.

KVM Key Features:

• VM Channel: Provides a communication path between the host and guest for coordination and control operations.
• Nested Virtualization: Allows virtual machines to run their own guest virtual machines, useful for testing, development, and cloud platforms.
• Near-Native Performance: Uses hardware virtualization extensions (Intel VT-x / AMD-V) and Linux kernel scheduling to deliver performance close to physical hardware.
• PCI Hotplug Support: Enables PCI devices, such as network or storage adapters, to be attached or detached while a VM is running.
• Qemu-Based Device Virtualization: Uses QEMU in the user space to provide virtual hardware (storage, networking, graphics), enabling flexibility and safe upgrades.
• Hardware Passthrough Support: Enables PCI and GPU passthrough for high-performance and AI workloads.
• Scalability: Proven at large scale in private and public cloud environments, including OpenStack-based deployments.

Unique Buying Proposition

Because KVM is built directly into the Linux kernel, it delivers enterprise-grade virtualization with full control, no vendor lock-in, and cloud-scale flexibility. It leverages decades of Linux maturity for CPU scheduling, memory management, security, and performance. In other words, it favors openness and control over bundled convenience. This, in a nutshell, is its unique buying proposition.

Feature-In-Focus: Integration with the Linux Kernel

KVM’s core strength is that it turns Linux itself into a hypervisor. Deep integration with the Linux kernel is important because it enables virtualization to directly benefit from decades of operating-system maturity. No need to reinvent core infrastructure inside a separate hypervisor layer.

Why do we recommend KVM?

We recommend KVM because it is a good choice when you want full control, no licensing lock-in, and the ability to automate at scale. It is trusted because it keeps the hypervisor layer simple and relies on the Linux kernel’s proven stability.

Who is KVM recommended for?

We recommend KVM for cloud service providers, large enterprises, and technology-driven teams that run Linux-centric environments and have strong in-house expertise in Linux and automation.

KVM is free and open-source. It is included in the Linux kernel and available under open-source licenses such as the GNU GPL. Anyone can install and use it on a Linux system at zero cost.

You can deploy KVM on-premises as part of a Linux host operating system, with no need for a hosted cloud service with separate pricing. You can also run KVM virtual machines on commodity hardware without paying hypervisor license fees.

4. XenServer

Best For: Citrix-centric environments and organizations

Price: Pricing is handled through Citrix authorized partners

XenServer (formerly Citrix Hypervisor) is a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor, similar in architecture to VMware ESXi and Microsoft Hyper-V. It is built on the open-source Xen Project and installs directly on physical hardware. XenServer has long been closely associated with Citrix’s desktop virtualization and application delivery solutions. It is well-suited for environments focused on virtual desktops, application publishing, and secure multi-tenant workloads.

Although Xen technology itself remains widely used by large public cloud providers, the commercial XenServer/Citrix Hypervisor product now holds a relatively small share of the enterprise on-prem hypervisor market, where VMware and Microsoft dominate. Nonetheless, XenServer’s tighter alignment with Citrix products is an advantage for you if Citrix workloads (such as Citrix VDI or application delivery) are the primary purpose of the platform.

Importantly, XenServer is no longer offered as a standalone or broadly free hypervisor. Under Citrix’s current licensing model, XenServer is available only as an entitlement included with specific Citrix subscription offerings. As a result, XenServer has shifted from being a general-purpose enterprise hypervisor to a platform component tightly aligned with the Citrix ecosystem. You are allowed to use XenServer only if you already have certain Citrix subscriptions, and only to run Citrix workloads (such as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops).

XenServer Key Features:

• Type 1 (bare-metal) Architecture: Installs directly on physical hardware, and provides strong isolation and near-native performance.
• Built on the Xen Project: Uses the mature, battle-tested Xen hypervisor technology that is also used by large cloud providers.
• Optimized for Citrix Workloads: Engineered and validated specifically for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, including VDI-focused VM patterns.
• Centralized Management: Managed through Citrix tooling designed for provisioning, lifecycle management, and VDI operations.
• Security and Isolation: Strong workload isolation suitable for multi-tenant and regulated environments.

Unique Buying Proposition

The unique selling point of XenServer as a Type 1 hypervisor is its purpose-built alignment with the Citrix ecosystem. If your primary goal is to run Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops or application delivery workloads, XenServer offers a tightly integrated, vendor-supported stack engineered, tested, and optimized for those use cases.

Platforms like VMware or Hyper-V aim to serve all workloads equally, but XenServer’s value comes from being a specialized hypervisor for Citrix-centric environments. It is therefore a practical choice when Citrix is the core of your virtualization strategy.

Feature-In-Focus: Close integration with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Workloads

XenServer is optimized specifically to run Citrix VDI and application delivery at scale, with predictable performance, simplified lifecycle management, and a single-vendor support model. Its core focus is delivering a stable, well-tested hypervisor layer that aligns closely with Citrix provisioning, graphics acceleration, session density, and multi-tenant VDI patterns.

Why do we recommend XenServer?

We recommend XenServer as a hypervisor because it reduces complexity and operational risk when Citrix workloads are central to your environment. XenServer earns its place not by competing feature-for-feature with general-purpose virtualization platforms, but by solving a specific problem extremely well. It therefore remains highly relevant for organizations where Citrix workloads are core to the business.

Who is XenServer recommended for?

We recommend XenServer for organizations whose virtualization strategy is centered on Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. If you operate a Citrix-centric environment and want to run Citrix workloads with predictable performance and simplified support, XenServer is your best bet.

XenServer 8.4 can be downloaded and automatically installed as a Trial Edition that includes nearly all features of the Premium Edition for testing. Licenses are term-based subscriptions that include maintenance. You can obtain them through a Citrix for Private Cloud, Citrix Universal Hybrid Multi-Cloud, or Citrix Platform License subscription. Pricing is handled through Citrix sales or authorized partners and is typically sold on an annual term, charged per CPU socket.

5. Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization

Best For: Companies that use Kubernetes as their core infrastructure platform

Price: Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA) is priced at $0.171 per hour per 4 vCPU used by worker nodes.

Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Red Hat Virtualization (RHV) is Red Hat’s traditional, VM-centric virtualization platform built on KVM. RHV runs and manages virtual machines in on-premises data centers with enterprise support and familiar virtualization workflows. Unfortunately, RHV is currently in its sunset phase. It is effectively being discontinued in favor of a new platform.

Red Hat’s strategic focus has shifted toward Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, which reflects the broader industry move toward Kubernetes as the primary infrastructure control plane. OpenShift Virtualization is a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor that uses KVM and abstracts it through Kubernetes. You can run and manage virtual machines alongside containers on OpenShift, using Kubernetes-native APIs, automation, and GitOps practices.

Red Hat now positions OpenShift Virtualization as the long-term path for customers who want to modernize VM workloads, unify operations on a single platform, and gradually transition to cloud-native architectures.

Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Key Features:

• VMs and Containers on One Platform: Run traditional virtual machines alongside containerized applications on the same OpenShift cluster.
• Kubernetes-native Management: Virtual machines are managed as Kubernetes objects, using the same APIs, policies, and tooling as containers.
• KVM-based Type 1 Hypervisor: Uses KVM under the hood to deliver strong performance, isolation, and hardware support.
• Unified Security and Networking Model: Applies Kubernetes-native security, networking, and RBAC consistently across VMs and containers.
• Automation and GitOps support: Enables VM lifecycle management through CI/CD pipelines, GitOps, and declarative configuration.
• Hybrid and Multi-cloud Support: Runs consistently on-premises, in public clouds, and in hybrid environments using OpenShift.

Unique Buying Proposition

The unique selling point of Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization is that it allows you to run and manage traditional virtual machines and modern containerized workloads on a single, Kubernetes-native platform. OpenShift Virtualization uses Kubernetes as the control plane, which means you can manage VMs with the same APIs, automation, security models, and CI/CD workflows you already use for containers.

Feature-In-Focus: Managing VMs and Containers on the same Kubernetes Platform

OpenShift Virtualization’s core focus is on unifying VM and container workloads under a single control plane. This shifts the focus from traditional hypervisor features to simpler operations and a gradual modernization approach that enables virtual machines to be managed directly within Kubernetes.

Why do we recommend Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization?

We recommend OpenShift Virtualization because it reflects where enterprise infrastructure is headed, not where it has been. You can run existing virtual machines and new cloud-native applications on a single platform. OpenShift Virtualization uses Kubernetes and KVM to manage virtual machines and containers through the same APIs, security controls, and operational processes.

From a business perspective, this approach enables you to achieve faster delivery and lower risk. Automation, policy enforcement, and scaling operate the same way across all your workloads.

Who is Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization recommended for?

We recommend Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization for organizations adopting Kubernetes as their core infrastructure platform. It enables them to support both traditional virtual machines and modern containerized workloads on the same platform. The software is also suitable for enterprises, service providers, and DevOps-driven teams that want to unify operations under Red Hat OpenShift.

Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization is included as a native feature of Red Hat OpenShift editions. The core virtualization capability is bundled with OpenShift subscriptions. A 60-day free trial is available for those who want to evaluate it before committing.

Licensing is term-based and tied to the OpenShift environment you deploy. You can deploy on-premises (self-managed) or in the cloud via AWS, Microsoft, IBM, or Red Hat OpenShift Dedicated cloud services, using standard Red Hat OpenShift editions and pricing.

6. Proxmox VE

Best For: SMBs, home labs, and teams in need of a cost-effective solution

Price: Free and open-source

Proxmox VE (Proxmox Virtual Environment) is an open-source Type 1 (bare-metal) virtualization platform. It is built on KVM for full virtualization and Linux Containers (LXC) for lightweight containers. LXC containers share the host’s Linux kernel, which makes them lightweight and fast.

KVM has effectively become the foundation for many modern virtualization platforms. Some of the platforms we discussed, such as Red Hat Virtualization, Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, and even Proxmox VE, all use KVM under the hood. It has become the de facto standard hypervisor engine in the Linux and cloud ecosystem.

Proxmox VE uses KVM to run virtual machines and installs directly on physical hardware. Although it includes a Linux operating system, that Linux system is the hypervisor layer, which is why Proxmox VE is considered a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor.

Proxmox VE Key Features:

• Open-Source, Enterprise-Grade Platform: Proxmox VE is built on Debian GNU/Linux with a custom Linux kernel and released under the GNU AGPLv3 license.
• KVM-Based Full Virtualization: Proxmox VE uses Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) for full virtualization. You can run both Linux and Windows virtual machines with fully isolated virtual hardware.
• Centralized Web-Based Management: All virtualization, storage, networking, backup, migration, and HA tasks are managed through a built-in web interface.
• CLI and REST API for Automation: Proxmox VE provides a full-featured command-line interface with tab completion and documentation, as well as a RESTful API using JSON and JSON Schema.
• Advanced Networking and Storage Flexibility: Proxmox VE supports software-defined networking (SDN), VLANs, VXLAN, EVPN, bonding, and Linux bridges for scalable network designs.

Unique Buying Proposition

Proxmox VE’s unique buying proposition is that it delivers enterprise-level virtualization capabilities with no licensing fees, no vendor lock-in, and a simple, unified management experience.

Most open-source virtualization solutions (for example, raw KVM or Xen) give you powerful building blocks, but you are expected to integrate management, clustering, backups, storage, and HA yourself. Proxmox VE is unique because it integrates KVM and LXC, clustering, live migration, backups, high availability, and software-defined storage into a single platform. All of this is managed through a single, production-ready web interface.

Feature-In-Focus: Unified Virtualization Platform

The unified virtualization platform feature enables management of virtual machines, containers, clustering, storage, backups, and high availability through a single system and interface. Proxmox VE integrates KVM virtual machines and LXC containers with core infrastructure capabilities on an easy-to-deploy, easy-to-operate platform.

Why do we recommend Proxmox VE?

Proxmox VE delivers advanced virtualization capabilities and features typically associated with enterprise platforms. These features are delivered through a single, intuitive web interface, so you don’t need to assemble or maintain multiple tools just to run a stable environment.

And from a cost perspective, Proxmox VE avoids expensive licensing and vendor lock-in. You can scale your infrastructure predictably while maintaining full control over its operation. Undoubtedly, Proxmox VE is a practical alternative to larger proprietary platforms.

Who is Proxmox VE recommended for?

We recommend Proxmox VE for SMBs, labs, and teams looking for a flexible, cost-effective virtualization solution. Proxmox VE is also popular for home labs, testing environments, and cost-sensitive production deployments. However, you must be comfortable operating Linux-based systems to maximize their potential.

As an open-source software, Proxmox VE can be downloaded and used for free on-premises with no feature restrictions. However, Proxmox VE offers optional annual subscriptions per CPU socket to provide access to the Proxmox Enterprise Repository (the most stable update channel) and professional support.

7. VMware Workstation Pro

Best For: Professional and enterprise-oriented users

Price: Free for all users

VMware Workstation Pro is a desktop-focused type-2 (hosted) hypervisor. The software has been in existence since 1999, when VMware released it as one of the first commercially successful desktop virtualization products for x86 systems. For many years, it required a paid license for professional and commercial use. However, VMware changed its licensing model in 2024, which made Workstation Pro free for all users, including commercial use.

It is widely regarded as the product that popularized hosted virtualization on commodity hardware and proved it could be reliable, performant, and practical for everyday use. Its early ability to run multiple unmodified operating systems on a standard desktop was a breakthrough at the time. That breakthrough helped establish the type-2 hypervisor model, which others, including VirtualBox, later adopted and expanded.

You can run Windows, Linux, and other supported guest operating systems with strong performance and advanced virtual networking. It also supports snapshots, cloning, and better graphics acceleration than most free desktop hypervisors.

VMware Workstation Pro Key Features:

• Strong Performance and Hardware Acceleration: Offers advanced CPU, memory, and graphics virtualization, including better DirectX and OpenGL support than most free desktop hypervisors.
• Broad Guest OS Support: Supports modern versions of Windows, Linux distributions, and other common operating systems.
• Snapshots and Cloning: Enables snapshots, snapshot trees, and VM cloning for safe testing, rollback, and experimentation.
• Advanced Virtual Networking: VMware Workstation supports complex IPv4 and IPv6 virtual network configurations, including the ability to simulate network latency and bandwidth constraints.
• Professional Tooling and UI: Includes a polished user interface, VM debugging tools, and integration with other VMware products.
• Container and Kubernetes Development: The platform allows developers to build and run containers and Kubernetes clusters within virtual machines.

Unique Buying Proposition

The unique value proposition of VMware Workstation is that it delivers the highest performance and most polished experience available in a type-2 hypervisor at no cost. VMware Workstation’s performance, stability, and feature maturity are the result of decades of hands-on experience building virtualization technology at scale.

That experience feeds directly into VMware Workstation through proven virtualization engines. You benefit from software that has been refined over many years, tested across countless configurations, and aligned with enterprise-grade virtualization standards.

Feature-In-Focus: High-performance Desktop Virtualization

The key feature of VMware Workstation, a type-2 hypervisor, is its high-performance, production-grade desktop virtualization. This feature is important because it allows you to replicate real-world, production-like behavior on a desktop or laptop.

When performance, graphics handling, networking behavior, and system stability closely resemble production environments, you can develop, test, troubleshoot, and validate workloads with much higher deployment confidence. However, it usually demands more system resources than most Type 2 hypervisors, so your system must be relatively high-end to fully benefit from its capabilities.

Why do we recommend VMware Workstation Pro?

We recommend VMware Workstation because it delivers the most capable and reliable desktop virtualization experience in the Type-2 category. When deployment confidence, advanced graphics and networking, and professional-grade tooling matter, VMware Workstation consistently outperforms other desktop hypervisors.

Who is VMware Workstation Pro recommended for?

We recommend VMware Workstation for professional and enterprise-oriented users who need high-performance, production-aligned virtualization on a desktop or laptop.

VMware Workstation is available as a free desktop hypervisor for all users, including commercial, educational, and personal use. You can download and use the full version of the software without a license key. Support is provided through documentation and community resources.

8. Oracle VirtualBox

Best For: students, researchers, individual and home users

Price: Free and open-source

Oracle VirtualBox VirtualBox is a free, cross-platform desktop virtualization tool. As a Type-2 (hosted) hypervisor, VirtualBox runs on top of an existing host OS such as Windows, macOS, or Linux. The software was created to make running multiple operating systems on a single desktop or laptop simple, accessible, and low-cost.

Before tools like VirtualBox, you’ll often need multiple physical machines, dual-boot configurations, or risky system changes to experiment with different operating systems. VirtualBox addressed this by allowing you to run isolated virtual machines side by side on your existing computer, safely and efficiently.

One of the things I love about VirtualBox is its broad platform support, unrestricted accessibility, and ease of use. It is fully usable for personal, educational, and commercial purposes without any financial or legal friction. However, graphics-intensive workloads in VirtualBox remain a weakness. This is usually due to limited DirectX and OpenGL support, strict video memory limits, and the lack of advanced GPU acceleration. Similarly, USB performance is also relatively weak.

These limitations are not accidental or the result of neglect. They reflect deliberate architectural trade-offs made to keep the platform portable, host-OS-agnostic, and easy to deploy across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Oracle VirtualBox Key Features:

• Broad Guest OS Compatibility: Supports a wide range of guest operating systems, including Windows (up to Windows 11), most Linux distributions, and BSD variants.
• Snapshots and Cloning: You can take snapshots, roll back changes, and create full or linked clones, which is essential for testing, experimentation, and safe iteration.
• Virtual Networking Options: Provides NAT, bridged, host-only, and internal networking modes for flexible networking and lab simulations.
• Hardware-assisted Virtualization: Uses Intel VT-x and AMD-V when available to improve performance and isolation.
• USB Device Passthrough: Allows virtual machines to access USB devices connected to the host, including support for USB 2 and USB 3 (with noted performance and compatibility limits).
• Command-line and Automation Support: Includes a full command-line interface (VBoxManage) for scripting, automation, and integration with development workflows.

Unique Buying Proposition

VirtualBox’s unique advantage is its true cross-platform accessibility, zero cost, and broad guest OS support. VirtualBox runs consistently on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris hosts, and supports a wide range of guest OSs, including recent Windows versions, most Linux distributions, BSD variants, and others. It does not charge for essential features such as snapshots, cloning, shared folders, and virtual networking. All core capabilities are available without subscription.

Feature-In-Focus: Host-OS-agnostic, Desktop-first Virtualization

The host-OS-agnostic, desktop-first virtualization feature of VirtualBox is its ability to run consistently on multiple host operating systems. The value this brings is portability and low friction. You can standardize on one virtualization solution regardless of the host OS. This is why VirtualBox remains widely used despite not being optimized for high-performance or production workloads.

Why do we recommend Oracle VirtualBox?

We recommend VirtualBox because it enables you to run, test, and share multiple OSs safely on your everyday hardware at no cost. Its long track record, stability, and continued relevance in modern workflows justify why we include it among the top hypervisors, even with its intentionally limited scope.

Who is Oracle VirtualBox recommended for?

We recommend VirtualBox for developers, students, researchers, individuals, and teams who need easy, low-cost virtualization on everyday computers.

VirtualBox is fundamentally free and open-source software. You can download, install, and use it for personal, educational, evaluation, or commercial purposes. An optional Extension Pack adds features, including enhanced device support. However, commercial use of the Extension Pack requires a separate Oracle license, which is provided through VirtualBox Enterprise, the commercial licensing option for the VirtualBox Extension Pack.

9. bhyve

Best For: Businesses that already run FreeBSD

Price: Free and open-source

bhyve is a Type-2 hypervisor that provides hardware-assisted virtualization using modern CPU features such as Intel VT-x and AMD-V. The software is released under the BSD license, which allows you to use, modify, and distribute it at no cost, including for commercial purposes.

bhyve is commonly used in FreeBSD-based platforms and storage or networking appliances. You can deploy it to run multiple VMs, such as FreeBSD, Linux, and Windows, on a single FreeBSD host. Each VM has its own virtual CPU, memory, storage, and network interfaces. Any costs you may incur are optional and indirect, such as vendor-provided enterprise support, hardware, or management tooling built on top of bhyve.

bhyve Key Features:

• Broad Guest OS Support: bhyve supports virtualization of multiple operating systems, including FreeBSD (9+), OpenBSD, NetBSD, Linux, illumos, DragonFly BSD, and Windows.
• UEFI and Modern Virtualization Interfaces: bhyve supports UEFI-based virtual machines and VirtIO emulated devices.
• Efficient Resource Utilization: Built on a modern codebase, bhyve uses fewer system resources than many competing hypervisors.
• Strong I/O Performance: Running bhyve on FreeBSD benefits from FreeBSD’s well-known disk and network I/O performance.
• Peripheral and Device Support: bhyve supports a range of virtualized and passthrough devices, including xHCI USB controllers, NVMe controllers, High Definition Audio controllers, AHCI storage, PCI passthrough, and framebuffer-based video output via VNC.
• VirtIO-based Networking and Storage: Networking and storage performance are optimized through VirtIO drivers.

Unique Buying Proposition

Because bhyve is tightly coupled to FreeBSD, its value proposition is strongest in environments that already standardize on FreeBSD or deliberately choose it for specific reasons such as storage, networking, or security appliances.

Outside that ecosystem, the benefits of bhyve’s simplicity and performance are often outweighed by practical considerations, including a smaller user community, fewer third-party management tools, and less familiarity among administrators. As a result, bhyve is best viewed as a highly optimized, purpose-built hypervisor for FreeBSD-centric environments.

Feature-In-Focus: Lightweight, Kernel-native Virtualization

The lightweight, kernel-native virtualization feature of bhyve means it is built directly into the FreeBSD kernel. This allows it to deliver virtualization with minimal overhead, efficient resource management, and strong I/O performance. A kernel-native, lightweight hypervisor reduces resource consumption, improves I/O efficiency, and limits the number of components that can fail or require patching.

Why do we recommend bhyve?

We recommend bhyve as a type 2 hypervisor because it delivers a focused, high-value virtualization option for organizations that value architectural simplicity, low overhead, and long-term control over their infrastructure. You should use it if your organization already relies on FreeBSD. It eliminates the need for additional hypervisor layers and licensing.

Even though it targets a smaller audience, bhyve earns its place by providing a vendor-neutral virtualization platform that aligns directly with your need for transparency and technical autonomy.

Who is bhyve recommended for?

We recommend bhyve for organizations or teams that already run FreeBSD in production and want native virtualization without introducing Linux or a separate hypervisor stack.

There is no cost to download, install, or use bhyve on-premises. Furthermore, there is no official cloud-hosted edition. Any support beyond community resources depends on third-party providers or your own internal expertise.

Our Methodology for Choosing the Best Hypervisors

We evaluated tools across several key areas to ensure they provide comprehensive, actionable insights for your organization:

1. Use-case Alignment First

We started by defining clear use cases (Type 1/Type 2, server or desktop virtualization, development/testing, infrastructure workloads, learning, or production-adjacent scenarios) and evaluated hypervisors based on how well they met those specific needs.

2. Architecture and Design Intent

We assessed whether each hypervisor’s architecture (Type-1 vs. Type-2, hosted vs. kernel-native) matched its stated purpose and whether that design created strengths or limitations that matter in practice.

3. Performance and Efficiency

We considered real-world performance characteristics such as CPU, memory, graphics, and I/O behavior relative to the hypervisor’s category, not just theoretical benchmarks.

4. Maturity and Stability

Preference was given to platforms with a proven track record, long-term maintenance, predictable release cycles, and evidence of sustained use in real environments.

5. Target Audience Clarity

We evaluated how clearly each hypervisor serves a defined audience (e.g., developers, IT professionals, FreeBSD users, enterprise teams) and avoided tools that try to be all things to all people.

Broader B2B Software Selection Methodology

We evaluate B2B software using a consistent, objective framework that focuses on how well a product solves meaningful business problems at a justified cost. This includes assessing overall performance, scalability, stability, and user experience quality. We examine real-world feedback from practitioners to understand how the software behaves in non-controlled demos.

We also review vendor transparency, roadmap clarity, support responsiveness, and the pace at which meaningful improvements are released. We follow this approach to ensure each of our recommendations is grounded in practical value, long-term viability, and operational impact, not in marketing claims.

Check out our detailed B2B software methodology page to learn more.

Why Trust Us?

Our work is produced by a team of IT and business software professionals with extensive hands-on experience evaluating, deploying, and managing enterprise technology. We analyze software independently, using evidence-based methods and industry best practices to ensure our assessments remain unbiased and technically sound.

Our goal is to provide you with clear, reliable insights that help reduce risk, shorten evaluation cycles, and support confident decision-making when selecting complex business technology.