Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VMware ESXi VS XCP-ng

Compare VMware ESXi VS XCP-ng and see what are their differences

VMware ESXi logo VMware ESXi

VMware ESXi is a bare metal hypervisor that installs easily on to your server and partitions it into multiple virtual machines. Discover what it can do for you today

XCP-ng logo XCP-ng

A fully open source and community backed alternative, with all current commercial features enabled...
  • VMware ESXi Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-22
  • XCP-ng Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-04

VMware ESXi features and specs

  • Stability and Reliability
    VMware ESXi is known for its stability and reliability in managing virtualized environments, ensuring consistent performance and minimal downtime.
  • Bare-Metal Hypervisor
    As a bare-metal hypervisor, ESXi runs directly on server hardware without needing an additional operating system, which enhances performance and resource management.
  • Resource Efficiency
    ESXi offers efficient resource allocation and management, allowing for high levels of resource utilization and scalability in virtual environments.
  • Advanced Features
    VMware ESXi supports advanced features such as vMotion, High Availability (HA), and Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), which contribute to better management and optimization of resources.
  • Large Ecosystem
    Being widely adopted, ESXi benefits from a large community and ecosystem, offering extensive support and a wide range of third-party integrations.

Possible disadvantages of VMware ESXi

  • Cost
    While ESXi is available as a free version, many advanced features require paid licenses, which can be expensive for small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Complexity
    Managing and configuring ESXi environments can be complex, particularly for those who are new to virtualization, potentially increasing the learning curve for administrators.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    ESXi has strict hardware compatibility requirements, meaning it may not run on all hardware configurations, requiring careful planning and possible hardware investment.
  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of ESXi has limitations that can restrict access to some features and scalability options, potentially necessitating an upgrade to a paid version for full functionality.
  • Support and Maintenance
    While community support is available, organizations may need to invest in formal support contracts from VMware for more reliable and dedicated service.

XCP-ng features and specs

  • Open Source
    XCP-ng is an open-source virtualization platform, allowing for transparent access to its source code, fostering community collaboration and reducing vendor lock-in.
  • Enterprise Features
    It offers advanced virtualization features such as live migration, resource pooling, and snapshots, which are comparable to proprietary solutions.
  • Active Community
    XCP-ng has a vibrant community and effective peer support, providing regular updates, rapid troubleshooting, and a wealth of shared knowledge.
  • Xen Hypervisor
    Built on the Xen hypervisor, XCP-ng benefits from the robust security and stability that Xen is known for, making it suitable for both small and large-scale deployments.
  • Cost-Effective
    Being open source with enterprise-grade features, XCP-ng provides a cost-effective alternative to other virtualization platforms, eliminating the need for expensive licensing fees.
  • Compatibility
    XCP-ng supports multiple operating systems and is compatible with a variety of hardware configurations, offering flexibility for diverse infrastructure setups.

Possible disadvantages of XCP-ng

  • Learning Curve
    For users not familiar with Xen-based virtualization, XCP-ng can present a steep learning curve, potentially requiring time and effort to become proficient.
  • Limited Official Support
    While there is a strong community, official support options from XCP-ng developers can be limited compared to some enterprise virtualization solutions.
  • Third-Party Tool Dependence
    Certain advanced functionalities may require third-party tools or additional configuration, adding complexity to the setup and management process.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Although generally compatible, XCP-ng may face issues with certain niche or very new hardware, potentially requiring workarounds or driver updates.
  • GUI Limitations
    Some users may find the graphical user interface less intuitive or lacking in features compared to more mature proprietary solutions, leading to a preference for command-line management.

VMware ESXi videos

AMD Ryzen with VMware ESXi 6.5 - Ultimate Homelab? We Tried It

More videos:

  • Review - VMware ESXi Quick Review

XCP-ng videos

Homelab / Office Lab Open Source Virtualization XCP-NG & Proxmox Compared

More videos:

  • Review - XCP-NG / Xen Orchestra VS Vmware and Why We Choose It For Our Clients

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VMware ESXi and XCP-ng)
Cloud Computing
40 40%
60% 60
Cloud Management
100 100%
0% 0
Virtual Machine Management
Cloud Storage
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare VMware ESXi and XCP-ng

VMware ESXi Reviews

8 Free & Best Open source bare metal hypervisors (Foss)
Note: VMware ESXi is not a FOSS project but free to download and use. It is here just for knowledge…

XCP-ng Reviews

We have no reviews of XCP-ng yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, XCP-ng seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 37 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

VMware ESXi mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of VMware ESXi yet. Tracking of VMware ESXi recommendations started around Mar 2021.

XCP-ng mentions (37)

  • Seeking Community Feedback: Help Shape Vates' Partner Program
    Our developments include a Hypervisor (XCP-ng) and a Cloud Automation solution (XenOrchestra). Combined, these, alongside excellent first-party support and various tooling, form the Vates Virtualization Management Stack (or VMS). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Moved a VM between nodes - I'm buzzing!
    Check out xcp-ng, a free and open source version of xenserver. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Found this group and I have a home lab :-)
    You might be interested in XCP-NG. You can easily spin up Windows and Linux VMs. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What are your self hosted apps you're using for your business?
    OPNsense - Firewall XCP-ng - Host System for VMs Rport - Remote Management/Access Wahzu - Security Platform Xen Orchestra - Webinterface for XCP. I use the open source variant. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Revamping HomeLab - Can you Help?
    Whatever you're most comfortable with. There's proxmox (Debian Linux), xcp-ng (Xenserver), vmware esxi, Hyper-V (Windows), harvester (SUSE Linux), or even just plain ol linux with cockpit (Linux) installed for easy management. If you're asking what I'm using, I'm actually trying to use them all, so I currently don't have a preference myself. But I would use these hypervisors to manage the VM. I would run Docker in... Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing VMware ESXi and XCP-ng, you can also consider the following products

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.

vSphere - Get started with VMware vSphere editions, the world’s leading server virtualization platform and the best foundation for your apps, your cloud, and your business.

OpenNebula - OpenNebula is an Open Source Cloud & Edge Computing Platform to build & manage Enterprise Clouds. OpenNebula provides unified management of IT infrastructure, avoiding vendor lock-in & reducing complexity, resource consumption, & operational costs 🚀

c12n.cloud - 100% Open Source based cloud solution for your own private IaaS based on OpenStack, Kubernetes and Ceph

Inuvika OVD Enterprise - A cost-effective alternative to Citrix or Omnissa/VMware Horizon for virtualized apps and desktops. Requires less infrastructure and fewer Microsoft licenses. Lower your TCO by up to 60%. Easy admin and great user experience.

oVirt - oVirt is a virtualization management application.