Software Alternatives & Startups

Proxmox VE VS CloudLinux

Compare Proxmox VE VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Proxmox VE

Proxmox is an open-source server virtualization management solution that offers the ability to manage virtual server technology with the Linux OpenVZ and KVM technology.

Rating
0 reviews
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Proxmox VE seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 9 times since March 2021.

social mentions
9 vs 0
Cloud Computing popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Proxmox VE
CloudLinux
Website proxmox.com cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Proxmox VE 6 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Open-Source
    Proxmox VE is completely open-source, allowing users to inspect, modify, and distribute the software as needed. This fosters a large community and encourages collaboration and transparency.
  • Cost-Effective
    There are no licensing fees for Proxmox VE, making it a cost-effective solution for enterprises, small businesses, and home labs.
  • Comprehensive Feature Set
    Proxmox VE offers a wide range of features, including clustering, KVM and LXC virtualization, high availability, backups, and integrated disaster recovery.
  • Integrated Web-Based GUI
    It provides a powerful and user-friendly web interface for managing VMs, containers, storage, and network configurations, which reduces administration complexity.
  • Enterprise Support Options
    While the software itself is free, Proxmox VE offers paid support plans that provide professional assistance, updates, and enhancements.
  • Scalability
    Proxmox VE supports clustering, allowing users to scale their virtualized environments across multiple physical servers with ease.

Possible disadvantages

  • Learning Curve
    For users new to virtualization or Linux-based systems, there may be a significant learning curve to fully utilize Proxmox VE’s features.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Though generally broad, some specific hardware might not be fully supported, requiring additional configuration or workarounds.
  • Community-Based Support
    Free support is generally community-based, which can sometimes lead to less timely or reliable assistance compared to paid, vendor-provided support.
  • Updating and Upgrading
    While updates and upgrades are regular, they might occasionally introduce compatibility issues or require manual intervention.
  • Feature Gaps with Proprietary Solutions
    Even though Proxmox VE is feature-rich, there might be specific advanced features available in proprietary solutions (like VMware vSphere) that Proxmox VE lacks.
  • Integration with Third-Party Tools
    Integrating Proxmox VE with certain third-party tools and systems can sometimes be challenging, necessitating custom solutions or additional configurations.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Proxmox VE
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Proxmox VE is a strong choice for businesses and individuals seeking a versatile and reliable virtualization solution, especially in environments that can benefit from open-source flexibility and active community support.

Why this product is good

  • Proxmox VE is considered good for several reasons. It provides a robust virtualization environment with support for both KVM for virtual machines and LXC for containers, enabling flexible and efficient deployment of diverse workloads. The platform offers comprehensive enterprise-ready features such as live migration, high availability clustering, and backup solutions. Its web-based management interface simplifies administration and monitoring, while the extensive community and commercial support options enhance its reliability and usability. Furthermore, it's open-source, allowing for transparency, community contributions, and reducing costs associated with licensing.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized businesses looking for cost-effective virtualization solutions
  • Enterprises needing high availability and data protection features
  • Developers and IT professionals requiring a robust test and development environment
  • Organizations leveraging both containerization and virtual machines

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Proxmox VE 4 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

Proxmox Virtual Environment 5.2 - Review and Installation

More videos

  • - Homelab / Office Lab Open Source Virtualization XCP-NG & Proxmox Compared
  • - Virtualize Everything! - Proxmox Install Tutorial
  • - Proxmox VE Full Course: Class 1 - Getting Started

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Proxmox VE
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Proxmox VE and CloudLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Proxmox VE no reviews yet
CloudLinux no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of CloudLinux yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Proxmox VE 9 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Adventures in Homelabbing: From Cloud Obsession to Self-Hosted Shenanigans
    Now that I know I do enjoy homelabbing, I have moved forward with purchasing the last computer parts I need for a basic home server before these tariffs skyrocket the prices even further. For that machine, I will most likely set up... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Setting up the home lab: Terraform
    When I worked for CBS, I discovered Terraform, which is tool that allows you do define infrastructure as code ("IaC"). I just recently purchased a home lab server (the details of how I have that set up will be discussed in a future... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • VMware Kills Off 56 Products
    Proxmox [1] will see a boost in popularity, good. I'm using the free version in combination with the backup server on both small (several RasPi 4's spread over several countres running the 'PiMox' [2] port) as well as medium (DL380)... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago

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Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Proxmox VE and CloudLinux

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