# Proxmox VE, VMware ESXi, OpenNebula vs VirtualBox Comparison

| | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.6 out of 5 | 4.7 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 36 | 21 | 10 | 293 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (62.9% of reviews) | Mid-Market (50.0% of reviews) | Mid-Market (70.0% of reviews) | Small-Business (43.6% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | € 4,99 month (per CPU) | No pricing available | No pricing available | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Proxmox VE

Pros:
- Scalability (2 reviews)
- Cost-Effective (1 reviews)

Cons:
- Steep Learning Curve (2 reviews)
- Network Issues (1 reviews)

### VMware ESXi

Pros:
- Virtualization Management (6 reviews)
- Ease of Use (4 reviews)

Cons:
- Expensive (2 reviews)
- Limited Features (1 reviews)

### OpenNebula

**Not enough data**

### VirtualBox

Pros:
- Virtualization Management (4 reviews)
- Ease of Use (3 reviews)

Cons:
- Performance Issues (3 reviews)
- Communication Clarity (1 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (32 reviews) | 9.6 (20 reviews) | 8.3 (7 reviews) | 9.1 (255 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.7 (32 reviews) | 9.1 (20 reviews) | 9.0 (7 reviews) | 9.0 (260 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.1 (27 reviews) | 9.4 (20 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.0 (80 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.6 (25 reviews) | 9.1 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.4 (69 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 7.0 (22 reviews) | 9.0 (18 reviews) | 6.9 (6 reviews) | 7.9 (188 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.6 (18 reviews) | 8.2 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.3 (52 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 10.0 (30 reviews) | 7.7 (20 reviews) | 10.0 (7 reviews) | 8.7 (251 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Proxmox VE

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: COMMUNITY

Price: € 4,99 month (per CPU)

Key Features:
- Access to Enterprise repository
- Support via community forum

[Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/proxmox-ve/pricing)

#### Free Trial

No

### VMware ESXi

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### OpenNebula

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

Yes

### VirtualBox

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Proxmox VE** | N/A | N/A |
| **VMware ESXi** | N/A | N/A |
| **OpenNebula** | N/A | N/A |
| **VirtualBox** | N/A | N/A |

#### Infrastructure Provision

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Public Cloud** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Private Cloud** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Hybrid Cloud** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Bare Metal** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **High-Performance Computing (HPC)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Virtual Machines (VMs)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Edge Computing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Virtual Networks** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Management

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Pay by Usage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Usage Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Performance Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Resource Auto-Scaling** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Proxmox VE** | N/A | N/A |
| **VMware ESXi** | N/A | N/A |
| **OpenNebula** | N/A | N/A |
| **VirtualBox** | 8.3/10 | 42 |

#### Functionality

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Desktop Virtualization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (39 reviews) | 
| **Application Virtualization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (29 reviews) | 

#### Desktop Management

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Desktop Provisioning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.1 (33 reviews) | 
| **Image Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (32 reviews) | 
| **Load Balancing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.3 (24 reviews) | 

#### Support

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Multi-Device Portability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (27 reviews) | 

#### Security

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Two-Factor Authentication** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.4 (17 reviews) | 
| **Single Sign-On (SSO)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.5 (19 reviews) | 
| **Encryption** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.8 (27 reviews) | 
| **Access Controls and Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (27 reviews) | 

### Server Virtualization

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Proxmox VE** | 9.0/10 | 13 |
| **VMware ESXi** | 9.1/10 | 19 |
| **OpenNebula** | N/A | N/A |
| **VirtualBox** | 8.2/10 | 15 |

#### Performance

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Scalability** | 9.2 (13 reviews) | 9.5 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.2 (13 reviews) | 
| **Portability** | 8.5 (12 reviews) | 8.8 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.5 (13 reviews) | 
| **Data Recovery** | 8.8 (10 reviews) | 8.5 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.1 (11 reviews) | 

#### Functionality

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **OS Integration** | 9.4 (12 reviews) | 9.4 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.9 (14 reviews) | 
| **Resource Saving** | 9.2 (12 reviews) | 9.2 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.2 (13 reviews) | 
| **Performance Management** | 9.3 (12 reviews) | 9.2 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.6 (14 reviews) | 
| **Security** | 8.3 (11 reviews) | 9.3 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.1 (14 reviews) | 

#### Agentic AI - Server Virtualization

| Feature | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories

**Unique to Proxmox VE (1):** [Server Virtualization Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/server-virtualization)

**Unique to VMware ESXi (1):** [Server Virtualization Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/server-virtualization)

**Unique to OpenNebula (1):** [Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/infrastructure-as-a-service-iaas)

**Unique to VirtualBox (2):** [Server Virtualization Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/server-virtualization), [Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/virtual-desktop-infrastructure-vdi)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Proxmox VE | VMware ESXi | OpenNebula | VirtualBox | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 62.9% | 30.0% | 10.0% | 43.6% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 28.6% | 50.0% | 70.0% | 34.6% | 
| **Enterprise** | 8.6% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 21.8% | 

### By Industry

#### Proxmox VE

- **Information Technology and Services:** 41.2%
- **Computer Software:** 11.8%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 11.8%
- **Oil & Energy:** 5.9%
- **Internet:** 5.9%
- **Consumer Goods:** 5.9%
- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 2.9%
- **International Affairs:** 2.9%
- **Higher Education:** 2.9%
- **Financial Services:** 2.9%
- **Other:** 5.9%

#### VMware ESXi

- **Information Technology and Services:** 50.0%
- **Telecommunications:** 10.0%
- **Food Production:** 10.0%
- **Accounting:** 10.0%
- **Manufacturing:** 5.0%
- **Luxury Goods & Jewelry:** 5.0%
- **Insurance:** 5.0%
- **Computer Software:** 5.0%

#### OpenNebula

- **Computer Software:** 30.0%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 20.0%
- **Telecommunications:** 10.0%
- **Religious Institutions:** 10.0%
- **Internet:** 10.0%
- **Higher Education:** 10.0%
- **Computer Networking:** 10.0%

#### VirtualBox

- **Information Technology and Services:** 23.5%
- **Computer Software:** 22.1%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 7.3%
- **Telecommunications:** 4.8%
- **Internet:** 4.5%
- **Education Management:** 3.8%
- **Higher Education:** 2.1%
- **Computer Networking:** 2.1%
- **Program Development:** 1.7%
- **Food & Beverages:** 1.4%
- **Other:** 26.6%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Proxmox VE

- [VMware vSphere](https://www.g2.com/products/vmware-vsphere/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (761 reviews)
- [Azure Virtual Machines](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-virtual-machines/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (393 reviews)
- [Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI)](https://www.g2.com/products/nutanix-cloud-infrastructure-nci/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (325 reviews)
- [Oracle VM](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-vm/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (73 reviews)
- [SUSE Linux Enterprise Server](https://www.g2.com/products/suse-linux-enterprise-server/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (72 reviews)
- [Virtuozzo](https://www.g2.com/products/virtuozzo/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (55 reviews)
- [XenServer](https://www.g2.com/products/xenserver/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (49 reviews)
- [SQL Server on Virtual Machines](https://www.g2.com/products/sql-server-on-virtual-machines/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (18 reviews)
- [antsle Private Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/antsle-private-cloud/reviews) — 4.8/5 stars (18 reviews)
- [Red Hat Virtualization](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-virtualization/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (15 reviews)

### Alternatives to VMware ESXi

- [Xen Project](https://www.g2.com/products/xen-project/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (5 reviews)
- [XenServer](https://www.g2.com/products/xenserver/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (49 reviews)
- [Azure Virtual Machines](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-virtual-machines/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (393 reviews)
- [Oracle VM](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-vm/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (73 reviews)
- [Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI)](https://www.g2.com/products/nutanix-cloud-infrastructure-nci/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (325 reviews)
- [Google Compute Engine](https://www.g2.com/products/google-compute-engine/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (952 reviews)
- [Virtuozzo](https://www.g2.com/products/virtuozzo/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (55 reviews)
- [Vultr](https://www.g2.com/products/vultr/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (286 reviews)
- [Ubuntu](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2391 reviews)
- [Red Hat Enterprise Linux](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-enterprise-linux/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (975 reviews)

### Alternatives to OpenNebula

- [OpenStack](https://www.g2.com/products/openstack/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (53 reviews)
- [Apache CloudStack](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-cloudstack/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (27 reviews)
- [DigitalOcean](https://www.g2.com/products/digitalocean/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (749 reviews)
- [VMware Cloud Foundation](https://www.g2.com/products/vmware-cloud-foundation/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (625 reviews)
- [Azure Virtual Machines](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-virtual-machines/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (393 reviews)
- [Akamai Cloud Computing](https://www.g2.com/products/akamai-cloud-computing/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (406 reviews)
- [Amazon EC2](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-ec2/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1194 reviews)
- [Google Compute Engine](https://www.g2.com/products/google-compute-engine/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (952 reviews)
- [Hostwinds](https://www.g2.com/products/hostwinds/reviews) — 4.9/5 stars (438 reviews)
- [Automation Anywhere Agentic Process Automation](https://www.g2.com/products/automation-anywhere-agentic-process-automation/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (5562 reviews)

### Alternatives to VirtualBox

- [Citrix DaaS](https://www.g2.com/products/citrix-citrix-daas/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (546 reviews)
- [VMware vSphere](https://www.g2.com/products/vmware-vsphere/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (761 reviews)
- [VMware Workstation Pro](https://www.g2.com/products/vmware-workstation-pro/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (138 reviews)
- [VMware Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/vmware-fusion/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (126 reviews)
- [Amazon WorkSpaces](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-workspaces/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (108 reviews)
- [Vagrant](https://www.g2.com/products/vagrant/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (32 reviews)
- [Azure Virtual Machines](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-virtual-machines/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (393 reviews)
- [V2 Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/v2-cloud/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (247 reviews)
- [Google Compute Engine](https://www.g2.com/products/google-compute-engine/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (952 reviews)
- [Ubuntu](https://www.g2.com/products/ubuntu/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (2391 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Proxmox VE

- Title: [Possibility of importing virtual machines from other platforms](https://www.g2.com/discussions/12585-possibility-of-importing-virtual-machines-from-other-platforms) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "While the answer is yes, unfortunately at the time of writing importing ova files for example isn't a gui based thing.  An example is here:..."
- Title: [What operating system is proxmox?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-operating-system-is-proxmox) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Proxmox VE is a complete operating system based on Debian Linux"
- Title: [Is proxmox still free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-proxmox-still-free) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Its still free and great!"

### VMware ESXi

No discussions available for this product.

### OpenNebula

No discussions available for this product.

### VirtualBox

- Title: [How do I create a virtual machine in VirtualBox?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-i-create-a-virtual-machine-in-virtualbox) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Install Virtual Box on virtual box site.
after installation click on #New option
then get a name what types of os you want to install like Centos
then..."
- Title: [Is VirtualBox free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-virtualbox-free) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Yes it is"
- Title: [How easy is it to install VirtualBox and what is it used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/10403-que-ta-facil-es-instalar-virtual-box-y-para-que-nos-sirve) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "It is relatively easy to install, you just need to run its installer and follow the quick installation steps. It helps us to simulate different operating..."
- Title: [What is VirtualBox software virtualization?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-virtualbox-software-virtualization) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "You can run an OS virtually inside the software (virtualbox) without affecting the local OS.
The services of the virtualized OS could be limited but you can..."
- Title: [How does virtual box work?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-does-virtual-box-work) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "It uses the machine resources to allocate and run another machine. It's like having another pc, that shares your resources with the main one."

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/proxmox-ve-vs-vmware-esxi-vs-opennebula-vs-virtualbox)