Link copied to clipboard

# Apache CloudStack vs OpenStack Comparison - What are their main differences?

Share
[
Export
](/compare/apache-cloudstack/openstack/export.csv)

CloudStackOpenStack[+ Add Product](#)

Reviews

**Apache CloudStack** [

4.4/5(27)

](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-cloudstack/reviews#reviews)

**OpenStack** [

4.2/5(53)

](https://www.g2.com/products/openstack/reviews#reviews)

Pricing

**Apache CloudStack**
No pricing available

**OpenStack**
No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**Apache CloudStack**
3 months

Based on 7 responses

**OpenStack**
2 monthsFaster

Based on 5 responses

Return on Investment

**Apache CloudStack**
Not enough reviews yet

**OpenStack**
16 months

Based on 8 responses

Perceived Cost

**Apache CloudStack**
$$$$$

**OpenStack**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**Apache CloudStack**
Not enough reviews yet

**OpenStack**
Not enough reviews yet

Pros & Cons

**Apache CloudStack**
Not enough data

**OpenStack**
Not enough data

Screenshots

**Apache CloudStack**
 ![Apache CloudStack screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/41704/uploads_2Fec665f54-8734-46b4-98f8-53116bc51595_2FApache_CloudStack_.png)

**OpenStack**
 ![OpenStack screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/41430/uploads_2F2add3f04-3b29-4ebd-9b6f-55e192f51a1a_2FOpenStack.png)

Ratings

Meets Requirements

**Apache CloudStack**

8.1

8.125

**OpenStack**

8.5

8.547

Ease of Use

**Apache CloudStack**

8.4

8.425

**OpenStack**

6.8

6.848

Ease of Setup

**Apache CloudStack**

8.1

8.121

**OpenStack**

4.6

4.633

Ease of Admin

**Apache CloudStack**

8.1

8.122

**OpenStack**

6.2

6.233

Quality of Support

**Apache CloudStack**

7.2

7.223

**OpenStack**

7.0

7.046

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**Apache CloudStack**

8.6

8.617

**OpenStack**

7.0

7.030

Product Direction (% positive)

**Apache CloudStack**

7.2

7.225

**OpenStack**

8.3

8.348

Features

Cloud Management Platforms[Hide 49 FeaturesShow 49 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

8.7

7

Functionality

Cloud Consolidation

Not enough data

8.6(won by default)

6

Cloud Orchestration

Not enough data

9.0(won by default)

7

Cloud Optimization

Not enough data

9.0(won by default)

5

Management

Cloud Security

Not enough data

8.1(won by default)

6

Security Management

Not enough data

8.6(won by default)

7

Cloud Backup and Recovery

Not enough data

8.9(won by default)

6

Cloud Cost Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Capacity Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Compliance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Configuration Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Workflow Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Application Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Cost Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Storage Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Change Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Disaster Recovery

Not enough data

Not enough data

Multi-Cloud Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Patch Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Inventory Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Agentic AI - Cloud Management Platforms

Autonomous Task Execution

Not enough data

Not enough data

Cross-system Integration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Decision Making

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Integration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Performance Analysis

Not enough data

Not enough data

Service Catalog

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anomaly Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Visualization

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Multitenancy

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Self Service Portal

Not enough data

Not enough data

Network Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting & Statistics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Import/Export

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

Search/Filter

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Database Support

Not enough data

Not enough data

Cloud Encryption

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Migration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Event Logs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)[Hide 64 FeaturesShow 64 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

8.9

6

Infrastructure Provision

Public Cloud

Not enough data

7.7(won by default)

5

Private Cloud

Not enough data

9.4(won by default)

6

Hybrid Cloud

Not enough data

8.3(won by default)

5

Bare Metal

Not enough data

9.2(won by default)

6

High-Performance Computing (HPC)

Not enough data

9.0(won by default)

5

Virtual Machines (VMs)

Not enough data

9.2(won by default)

6

Virtual Networks

Not enough data

9.3(won by default)

5

Edge Computing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Cloud Computing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Management

Performance Tracking

Not enough data

8.7(won by default)

5

Pay by Usage

Not enough data

Not enough data

Usage Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Functionality

Resource Auto-Scaling

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Version Control

Not enough data

Not enough data

Database Support

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

SSL Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

Configurable Workflow

Not enough data

Not enough data

Performance Metrics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Performance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Server Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting/Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Compliance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Single Sign On

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Escalation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Storage Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

Resource Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Scheduling

Not enough data

Not enough data

Load Balancing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Backup and Recovery

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Role-Based Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Login

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting & Statistics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Network Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Task Scheduling

Not enough data

Not enough data

Application Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Resource Allocation & Planning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Migration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Configuration Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Log Access

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Visualization

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Data

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Trail

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Data Storage

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Capture and Transfer

Not enough data

Not enough data

Workflow Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Performance Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Search/Filter

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Insights

Reviewers' Company Size

[![Apache CloudStack](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_2dcff27693fcb91849f632f81448fc0d/apache-cloudstack.png "Apache CloudStack")](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-cloudstack/reviews)

Apache CloudStack

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

32.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

28.0%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

40.0%

[![OpenStack](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_19e8cd430b2746ccfa11314df4186e06/openstack.jpg "OpenStack")](https://www.g2.com/products/openstack/reviews)

OpenStack

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

19.2%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

32.7%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

48.1%

Small-Business

(50 or fewer emp.)

32.0%

19.2%

Mid-Market

(51-1000 emp.)

28.0%

32.7%

Enterprise

(\> 1000 emp.)

40.0%

48.1%

Reviewers' Industry

[![Apache CloudStack](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_2dcff27693fcb91849f632f81448fc0d/apache-cloudstack.png "Apache CloudStack")](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-cloudstack/reviews)
Apache CloudStack

Information Technology and Services

28.0%

Higher Education

16.0%

Computer Software

16.0%

Broadcast Media

8.0%

Telecommunications

4.0%

Other

28.0%

[![OpenStack](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_19e8cd430b2746ccfa11314df4186e06/openstack.jpg "OpenStack")](https://www.g2.com/products/openstack/reviews)
OpenStack

Information Technology and Services

34.6%

Computer Software

17.3%

Telecommunications

11.5%

Internet

9.6%

Research

7.7%

Other

19.2%

FAQs

## CloudStack vs OpenStack FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 14, 2026

### What is the difference between OpenStack vs CloudStack?

CloudStack is rated higher for ease of setup and support, while OpenStack is noted for its flexibility and control.

| [OpenStack](https://www.g2.com/products/openstack/reviews) | [CloudStack](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-cloudstack/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| G2 Rating: 4.2/5 (53 reviews) | G2 Rating: 4.4/5 (27 reviews) |
| Largest Segment: Enterprise | Largest Segment: Enterprise |
| Ease of Setup: 4.6 | Ease of Setup: 8.1 |
| Quality of Support: 7.0 | Quality of Support: 7.2 |
| Top Reviewer-Cited Strength: Full control, flexibility, and integration with multiple hypervisors | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength: User-friendly GUI and robust, turnkey orchestration |

### How do the pricing models of OpenStack and CloudStack compare?

CloudStack is favored by reviewers for value, with higher satisfaction on cost-related dimensions.

- **OpenStack:** Reviewers highlight that OpenStack is open source and free to use, but note the complexity and potential need for paid support or professional services for larger deployments.
- **CloudStack:** Reviewers describe CloudStack as a low-cost, open-source solution that is easy to implement and administer, with frequent mentions of its cost-effectiveness for both private and public cloud use cases.

### What are the best alternatives to OpenStack and CloudStack?

DigitalOcean, Akamai Cloud Computing, and VMware vCloud Director are the top alternatives to OpenStack and CloudStack.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [OpenStack](https://www.g2.com/products/openstack/reviews) | 4.2/5 (53) | Enterprise | Free, open source; cost-effective at scale | Full control, flexibility, and integration with multiple hypervisors |
| [CloudStack](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-cloudstack/reviews) | 4.4/5 (27) | Enterprise | Low-cost, open source; easy to implement | User-friendly GUI and robust, turnkey orchestration |
| [DigitalOcean](https://www.g2.com/products/digitalocean/reviews) | 4.6/5 (756) | Small-Business | — | Simple setup and developer-friendly platform |
| [Akamai Cloud Computing](https://www.g2.com/products/akamai-cloud-computing/reviews) | 4.6/5 (406) | Small-Business | — | High performance and reliability |

### Which Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) features should I prioritize when comparing OpenStack and CloudStack?

Buyers should prioritize ease of setup, ease of administration, quality of support, integration flexibility, and cost-effectiveness when comparing OpenStack and CloudStack.

- **Ease of Setup:** OpenStack 4.6, CloudStack 8.1
- **Ease of Admin:** OpenStack 6.2, CloudStack 8.1
- **Quality of Support:** OpenStack 7.0, CloudStack 7.2
- **Integration Flexibility:** OpenStack is frequently cited for integration with multiple hypervisors and third-party tools; CloudStack is noted for robust orchestration but less extensibility.
- **Cost-Effectiveness:** Both are open source, but CloudStack is more often described as low-cost and easy to implement.

### What are the pros and cons of OpenStack vs CloudStack?

OpenStack's headline strength is flexibility and control, while CloudStack's is ease of setup and administration.

- **OpenStack strengths:** Full control over cloud infrastructure, highly flexible and customizable, supports multiple hypervisors, strong community support, and open source with no licensing fees.
- **OpenStack trade-offs:** Complex setup and steep learning curve, requires significant expertise to deploy and maintain, documentation can be overwhelming, and stability may be challenging at large scale.
- **CloudStack strengths:** User-friendly GUI, turnkey orchestration, easy and fast setup, robust for both private and public cloud, and cost-effective for enterprise and university use cases.
- **CloudStack trade-offs:** Less flexible than OpenStack for custom infrastructure design, fewer third-party integrations, and some advanced features may lag behind OpenStack.

### Is OpenStack or CloudStack better for small businesses?

CloudStack is the better fit for small businesses, with a stronger presence in ease of setup and administration.

- **OpenStack:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers note that while OpenStack is free and open source, its complexity and steep learning curve make it less ideal for small businesses without dedicated technical resources.
- **CloudStack:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers consistently highlight CloudStack's simplicity, quick setup, and ease of administration, making it accessible for organizations with limited IT staff.

### Which Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform has better integrations?

OpenStack is favored for integration flexibility, with frequent mentions of third-party integrations and hypervisor support.

- **OpenStack:** Reviewers cite integration with multiple hypervisors and third-party vendor software, including Kubernetes clusters and major cloud providers.
- **CloudStack:** Reviewers mention integration with billing and management solutions such as WHMCS, HostBill, and Blesta, as well as support for various hypervisors, but note fewer third-party integrations overall.

### How do OpenStack and CloudStack compare on customer support?

CloudStack and OpenStack are rated at parity on Quality of Support, with CloudStack at 7.2 and OpenStack at 7.0.

- **OpenStack:** Reviewers describe strong community support, active forums, and helpful documentation, but note that professional support may be needed for complex deployments.
- **CloudStack:** Reviewers highlight a dedicated and accessible community, frequent updates, and reliable support experiences, especially for university and enterprise environments.

### Which is easier to implement, OpenStack or CloudStack?

CloudStack is significantly easier to implement than OpenStack, with a 3.5-point higher Ease of Setup score (8.1 vs 4.6).

- **OpenStack:** Reviewers frequently mention a steep learning curve, complex architecture, and the need for significant expertise to deploy and maintain, with setup scores ranging from 2.0 to 7.0.
- **CloudStack:** Reviewers consistently describe CloudStack as quick to set up, easy to administer, and straightforward for both small and large environments, with setup scores as high as 7.0.

Alternatives

**Apache CloudStack Alternatives**

 ![DigitalOcean](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/6028813119dc32d698afd6e25ff33d5b/digitalocean.svg "DigitalOcean")

[
DigitalOcean
](/products/digitalocean/reviews)

 ![Google Compute Engine](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_aeae116c52945fdecd7ed16d621cb315/google-compute-engine.png "Google Compute Engine")

[
Google Compute Engine
](/products/google-compute-engine/reviews)

 ![VMware vSphere](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/62d35cb2345645716e2f1cf7c8fc97fb/vmware-vsphere.svg "VMware vSphere")

[
VMware vSphere
](/products/vmware-vsphere/reviews)

 ![Akamai Cloud Computing](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/88a10113936d5d26cc5455decf5a8817/akamai-cloud-computing.svg "Akamai Cloud Computing")

[
Akamai Cloud Computing
](/products/akamai-cloud-computing/reviews)

**OpenStack Alternatives**

 ![DigitalOcean](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/6028813119dc32d698afd6e25ff33d5b/digitalocean.svg "DigitalOcean")

[
DigitalOcean
](/products/digitalocean/reviews)

 ![Akamai Cloud Computing](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/88a10113936d5d26cc5455decf5a8817/akamai-cloud-computing.svg "Akamai Cloud Computing")

[
Akamai Cloud Computing
](/products/akamai-cloud-computing/reviews)

 ![Google Compute Engine](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_aeae116c52945fdecd7ed16d621cb315/google-compute-engine.png "Google Compute Engine")

[
Google Compute Engine
](/products/google-compute-engine/reviews)

 ![Amazon EC2](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1528476475/amazon-ec2.svg "Amazon EC2")

[
Amazon EC2
](/products/amazon-ec2/reviews)

## Apache CloudStack vs OpenStack

When assessing the two solutions, reviewers found Apache CloudStack easier to use, set up, and administer. Reviewers also preferred doing business with Apache CloudStack overall.

- Reviewers felt that OpenStack meets the needs of their business better than Apache CloudStack.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Apache CloudStack is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of OpenStack over Apache CloudStack.