Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Oracle VM VirtualBox vs VMware vSphere Foundation comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 6, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
4.0
Organizations using Oracle VM VirtualBox achieved quick ROI by reducing hardware costs and speeding up software deployment and testing.
Sentiment score
7.3
VMware vSphere Foundation enhances server consolidation, scalability, and manageability, though some users haven't fully explored its available features.
In an environment where the infrastructure has to be up for monitoring and controlling physical infrastructure like water plants, it has absolutely returned on its investment.
Server consolidation is one return on investment where we can use one server for multiple workloads.
While the return on investment is not clearly defined, the manageability of multiple servers without needing additional personnel or specialists is beneficial.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.7
Oracle VM VirtualBox users often prefer community resources over official support, though some praise Oracle's knowledgeable assistance.
Sentiment score
7.1
VMware vSphere Foundation's customer service sees mixed reviews, praised for speed but criticized for language and response issues.
There is nonstop support available around the world, which allows issues to be resolved continuously without interruption, regardless of whether the problem occurs in the USA, India, or another location.
Now, with Broadcom's management, I would rate it a three out of ten.
Most of the time, VMware operates smoothly without requiring support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Oracle VM VirtualBox scalability receives mixed reviews, with some praising efficiency while others cite hardware constraints and resource management challenges.
Sentiment score
8.8
VMware vSphere Foundation is praised for efficient scalability, seamless integration, and maximizing server usage, with diverse scalability opinions.
The return on investment is high because we can maximize the use of one server for multiple workloads.
It's straightforward to procure additional licenses, install them on the host and add them to the same cluster.
You can simply add more hosts to your VMware stack seamlessly, scaling up vertically or horizontally.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Oracle VM VirtualBox is generally stable, with Linux favored for reliability, and users rate it highly for functionality.
Sentiment score
8.4
VMware vSphere Foundation is highly stable and efficient, consistently scoring high ratings with 90% user endorsement for performance.
The snapshot functionality in Oracle VM VirtualBox is effective for management purposes.
Stability is optimal.
Frequent updates are required due to constant security challenges and attacks.
It is a standard tool and is considered very stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Users find Oracle VM VirtualBox challenging due to outdated UI, networking issues, and required command-line configurations, seeking improvements.
VMware vSphere Foundation faces challenges with pricing, procurement, and support, worsened by Broadcom acquisition and Oracle compatibility issues.
VMware needs to improve cost efficiency, especially in Pakistan, as customers often seek more affordable solutions.
Recently, VMware shifted its licensing models, and they should streamline it.
It is not legally compliant to use an Oracle database on VMware, which does not support Oracle core-based licensing.
 

Setup Cost

Oracle VM VirtualBox is favored for free access, appealing to smaller users, with variable costs for larger enterprises.
Enterprises find VMware vSphere Foundation costly post-Broadcom merger, prompting interest in cheaper alternatives and open-source solutions.
In the enterprise scenario, all software solutions, including Oracle VM VirtualBox, are expensive.
It's expensive, however, the stability it offers is optimal.
In Brazil, we are increasingly using open-source alternatives like Proxmox due to their lower prices in comparison.
vSphere Foundation is considered very expensive, especially when compared to competitive Chinese products.
 

Valuable Features

Oracle VM VirtualBox provides cost-free, multi-platform virtualization, offering ease of use, high performance, and versatile open-source features.
VMware vSphere Foundation provides scalable, reliable infrastructure management with high availability, enhancing hardware visibility and IT efficiency.
Its snapshot functionality helps with backup management.
vSphere Foundation is valuable due to its scalability, reliability, and ease of management.
VMware provides the tools needed to move environments between private and public clouds seamlessly.
The virtual stack of vCenter, its distributed resources system, high availability engines, and the ability to move VM workloads from one host to another are outstanding.
 

Categories and Ranking

Oracle VM VirtualBox
Ranking in Server Virtualization Software
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
64
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware vSphere Foundation
Ranking in Server Virtualization Software
13th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

Kopano  Ramaphoi - PeerSpot reviewer
A flexible and easy-to-deploy product that provides a great user experience
The product should improve its scalability. It should be more flexible to be used with desktops with different capacities. We do not have much storage on our desktops, and we must allocate a certain amount of memory to install the product. When we install a virtual machine, we have a limit that we cannot exceed 80% of RAM.
AshutoshKumar4 - PeerSpot reviewer
Licensing issues and lack of support but manageability is appreciated
I find the manageability and interface of vSphere Foundation to be very good, more understandable, and futuristic compared to open-source alternatives. It provides me with a lot of features that I am comfortable using for virtualization. I manage multiple servers with ease, which is a significant benefit for my organization's virtualization needs.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Server Virtualization Software solutions are best for your needs.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does KVM compare to Oracle VM VirtualBox?
KVM is easy to use, stable and flexible. It is mature and very fast. It is an affordable open-source solution that is easy to set up and manage. It offers very good security. It has a virtual manag...
What do you like most about Oracle VM VirtualBox?
The product’s most valuable feature is the ability to manage multiple operating systems through one application.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle VM VirtualBox?
The pricing is flexible. When Oracle bought VirtualBox, they introduced some licensing issues. However, it did not affect the terms of licenses and additional costs. The price is okay. I rate the p...
What needs improvement with VMware vSphere Foundation?
The licensing model is an area for improvement. Recently, VMware shifted its licensing models, and they should streamline it. Now they have time-based and core-based licensing, which may or may not...
What is your primary use case for VMware vSphere Foundation?
I work for a data center as a system administrator. I oversee production and analyze systems. We host our workloads on VMware and virtualized infrastructure.
 

Comparisons

No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Airbus, Colorado State University, SCS Africa, Wolf Medical Systems.
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle VM VirtualBox vs. VMware vSphere Foundation and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.