Are you trying to build a new IT home lab or are you responsible for a small IT operation? Then you likely don’t have hundreds or thousands of dollars to spend on software, and free hypervisor solutions can come in super handy. 

But when it comes to your options, which is better? VMware vs. Hyper-V? Both are industry players in the enterprise environment, so which should you choose? Keep reading to find out. 

And if you know you’re ready to get started with either, checkout our VMware training or Hyper-V installation guides.

Which Hypervisor Supports More OSes?

VMware’s ESXi solution has been the standard in the enterprise environment for decades. Hyper-V was introduced in 2008, but given that it’s a native Microsoft solution, it quickly gained traction in many businesses. Various versions of Windows Server include roles for Hyper-V, so deployment and maintenance are streamlined compared to ESXi. 

That’s not to say ESXi is difficult to get up and running, and V-Sphere is a fantastic VM administrative dashboard. However, for many businesses, the simple fact that ESXi has broader OS support is worth the additional minor efforts of installing and configuring VMware’s ESXi solution. 

Do you need to run an old copy of BeOS for some reason? ESXi has you covered. If your small business uses Solaris, ESXi can host that, too. Do you have a team of developers creating the next greatest iOS app? VMware also runs Mac OS. Hyper-V isn’t as robust. It officially only runs Windows (et al.) and a select handful of Linux distros. While Hyper-V can host OSes not included in Microsoft’s support matrix, there’s a good chance you’ll run into various roadblocks installing and configuring them. 

VMware vs. Hyper-V: Which Free VM Host is the Best?

Both VMware and Hyper-V offer free versions. However, navigating the waters of online documentation for the free license restrictions of both hypervisors can be a bit difficult. Here is some background info for both VM hosts.

VMware Free License Limitations

The free license restrictions for ESXi are straightforward:

• No VMware support

• Limited to 480 logical processors

• No vSphere Server support

• Read-only VMware API support

The latest version of ESXi includes a 60-day trial of a fully unlocked version of ESXi. While the 60-day evaluation period is a nice way to see if you need specific features not included with the free license VMware offers, it is an easy way to start depending on features that will break the guest OS when disabled. 

The other downside is the lack of vSphere Server support. vSphere Server is a management application capable of interconnecting with multiple instances of ESXi. It’s a requirement in the enterprise environment. The lack of a centralized management center may not impact home labs and small business users, though. 

Hyper-V Free License Limitations

The free version of Hyper-V server is fully functional; however, managing it is challenging without Windows Server. Hyper-V GUI management solutions are only included with Windows. 

Windows Server includes server roles specifically for Hyper-V. If you have a license for Windows Server, deploying and configuring Hyper-V management solutions is a breeze. However, Windows Server is expensive. Hyper-V is included with all versions of Windows Pro, too. While Windows Pro is not free, it comes with many computers. Upgrading from Windows Home to Windows Pro isn’t very expensive either. 

Here is the biggest caveat. Microsoft is no longer releasing free versions of Hyper-V server. It’s only included with Windows now. Hyper-V Server 2019 can still be downloaded and used for free, but Microsoft’s strategy is shifting to the cloud. Hyper-V Server has been replaced with trial copies of Azure Stack HCI. 

Should I use VMware or Hyper-V? 

Ultimately, the hypervisor you should choose is the version you want to learn. ESXi is the gold standard in the on-prem enterprise space. Though Microsoft doesn’t offer any free versions of Hyper-V Server past 2019, most Hyper-V concepts from version 2019 transfer to newer versions. Hyper-V is also included with Windows Pro, so if you have a copy of that, you’re already halfway to hosting a local VM solution. 

Both ESXi and Hyper-V offer free versions, but both include limitations. Considering the free version of Hyper-V Server is no longer offered and ESXi has much broader OS support, ESXi will most likely be the go-to solution for home labs and small businesses. 

Wrapping up

Are you ready to learn everything there is to know about VMware? Take our ESXi tutorials, which will teach you how to manage small business and home lab environments, all the way to scaled enterprise solutions. Or, if you need to learn Hyper-V quickly, start with the CBT Nuggets Hyper-V Tutorial. The course will teach you to manage virtualized SANs and switches in no time flat. 

Not a CBT Nuggets subscriber? Test it out for free.