Best Free Hypervisors of 2025

VirtualBox is a robust virtualization tool compatible with x86 and AMD64/Intel64 architectures, designed for both corporate and personal use. This software not only boasts an extensive array of features and high performance tailored for business clients but also stands out as the sole professional-grade option that is freely accessible as Open Source Software under the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2. For those looking for a comprehensive introduction, refer to the section labeled "About VirtualBox." Currently, VirtualBox operates on various host systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, and Solaris, while offering compatibility with a wide range of guest operating systems, such as multiple versions of Windows (from NT 4.0 to Windows 10), DOS/Windows 3.x, various Linux distributions, Solaris, OpenSolaris, OS/2, and OpenBSD. The development of VirtualBox is ongoing, with regular updates contributing to an expanding catalog of features and supported guest operating systems. Additionally, it is the result of a collaborative effort within a vibrant community, supported by a committed company, ensuring its continuous improvement and relevance in the virtualization landscape.

QEMU serves as a versatile and open-source machine emulator and virtualizer, allowing users to operate various operating systems across different architectures. It enables execution of applications designed for other Linux or BSD systems on any supported architecture. Moreover, it supports running KVM and Xen virtual machines with performance that closely resembles native execution. Recently, features like complete guest memory dumps, pre-copy/post-copy migration, and background guest snapshots have been introduced. Additionally, there is new support for the DEVICE_UNPLUG_GUEST_ERROR to identify hotplug failures reported by guests. For macOS users with Apple Silicon CPUs, the ‘hvf’ accelerator is now available for AArch64 guest support. The M-profile MVE extension is also now integrated for the Cortex-M55 processor. Furthermore, AMD SEV guests can now measure the kernel binary during direct kernel boot without utilizing a bootloader. Enhanced compatibility has been added for vhost-user and NUMA memory options, which are now available across all supported boards. This expansion of features reflects QEMU's commitment to providing robust virtualization solutions that cater to a wide range of user needs.

KVM, which stands for Kernel-based Virtual Machine, serves as a comprehensive virtualization solution for Linux systems operating on x86 hardware equipped with virtualization capabilities (such as Intel VT or AMD-V). It comprises a loadable kernel module, known as kvm.ko, that underpins the essential virtualization framework, along with a processor-specific module, either kvm-intel.ko or kvm-amd.ko. By utilizing KVM, users can operate several virtual machines that run unaltered Linux or Windows operating systems. Each virtual machine is allocated its own set of virtualized hardware components, including a network interface card, storage, graphics adapter, and more. KVM is an open-source project, with its kernel component integrated into the mainline Linux kernel since version 2.6.20, while the userspace aspect has been incorporated into the mainline QEMU project starting from version 1.3. This integration enables widespread deployment and support for various virtualization applications and services.

Proxmox VE serves as a comprehensive open-source solution for enterprise virtualization, seamlessly combining KVM hypervisor and LXC container technology, along with features for software-defined storage and networking, all within one cohesive platform. It also simplifies the management of high availability clusters and disaster recovery tools through its user-friendly web management interface, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking robust virtualization capabilities. Furthermore, Proxmox VE's integration of these functionalities enhances operational efficiency and flexibility for IT environments.