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Proxmox Review

Depends

Should I use Proxmox?

Proxmox develops powerful and efficient open-source server solutions like the Proxmox VE platform, Proxmox Backup Server, and Proxmox Mail Gateway. - proxmox.com

· 1 month ago

Buy if you have in-house Linux and virtualization skills and want to escape VMware pricing — the core is free, stable, and proven at scale. Skip it if you need turnkey vendor support, lack sysadmin capacity, or want a Windows-first, click-and-done stack.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 50+ public sources reviewed; review snippets were partially truncated, so quotes are verbatim thread titles.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo direct support-quality evidence found.
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

No subscription

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Community~$133/socket/yr
Basic / Standard / PremiumPer CPU socket, quoted on site

Best for

  • Homelabbers and self-hosters
  • Linux-savvy SMB IT teams
  • VMware refugees after Broadcom price hikes
  • Hosting providers running clusters

Not for

  • Teams without Linux sysadmin skills
  • Buyers needing turnkey, vendor-backed support
  • Windows-only shops wanting GUI-only management
  • Guess: orgs needing vendor compliance certifications

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Auth-bypass CVEs had public PoCs and in-the-wild exploitation; patch the management interface fast

medium

Subscriptions are per CPU socket; multi-host clusters multiply costs quickly

medium

No-subscription users get community repo and forum support only — no vendor SLA

low

Guess: leaving Proxmox later is more DIY than VMware-to-Proxmox migrations are today

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free, open-source core; subscriptions optional
  • Dramatically cheaper than VMware; SMB comparison crowns Proxmox
  • Clustering and HA features praised by reviewers
  • Proven enterprise VMware migrations at scale
  • Stable in year-long side-by-side testing vs VMware

Cons

  • Demands real Linux and virtualization expertise
  • Per-socket subscription costs annoy users at scale
  • Auth-bypass CVEs, some exploited in the wild
  • Little name recognition with non-technical executives
  • Backup Server subscription is a separate cost

Sources & method

- 12 sources - Active CVE history — including auth-bypass issues exploited in the wild; prompt patching and hardening required.

official x2review x5security x2news x3
  • Proxmox VE 7 auth bypass with public PoC, exploited in the wild, Vendor advisory after attackers could log in without a password; PoC was public.
  • CVE-2026-51083 — incomplete auth bypass in Proxmox VE, Listed in SentinelOne's vulnerability database as an incomplete authentication bypass.
  • CVE-2024-21545 — HIGH severity, High-severity vulnerability flagged in community security bulletins.
  • Dirty Frag universal Linux LPE affects Proxmox, Discussed on the vendor's own forum as an in-the-wild local privilege escalation.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free core; dramatically cheaper than VMware.
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Good web UI, but assumes Linux skill.
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Clustering, HA, backup, mail gateway included.
  • Support quality. No direct support-quality evidence found.
  • Security posture: 2/5. Auth-bypass CVEs exploited in the wild.
  • 4+/5 G2 rating 37 reviews on G2
  • Yes Free tier Full Proxmox VE, no subscription required
  • $0 Starting price Optional subscriptions priced per CPU socket
  • Bootstrapped Funding No external funding raised (Tracxn)

Pricing

No subscription

$0

  • Full Proxmox VE features
  • Community repo and forum support

Community

~$133/socket/yr

  • Enterprise package repository access
  • Cheapest paid tier

Basic / Standard / Premium

Per CPU socket, quoted on site

  • Vendor support with escalating SLAs
  • Premium tier is highest support level

Security

Active CVE history — including auth-bypass issues exploited in the wild; prompt patching and hardening required.

  • Proxmox VE 7 auth bypass with public PoC, exploited in the wildVendor advisory after attackers could log in without a password; PoC was public.⁷
  • CVE-2026-51083 — incomplete auth bypass in Proxmox VEListed in SentinelOne's vulnerability database as an incomplete authentication bypass.⁸
  • CVE-2024-21545 — HIGH severityHigh-severity vulnerability flagged in community security bulletins.
  • Dirty Frag universal Linux LPE affects ProxmoxDiscussed on the vendor's own forum as an in-the-wild local privilege escalation.

What users say

Users praise stability, clustering/HA, and value versus VMware, while griping about per-socket subscription costs and the Linux expertise required.

“Why everyone loves Proxmox at home, but many pros do not even know about it?”
Reddit, r/selfhosted
“Interested in community thoughts on proxmox VE as enterprise solution”
Reddit, r/Proxmox
“Is Proxmox pricing for home users st $133/socket justified in 2025?”
Hacker News

Alternatives

Compare Proxmox with each alternative.

  • XCP-ng

    Open-source Xen hypervisor with a similar free, subscription-optional model.

    Proxmox vs XCP-ng

  • VMware vSphere

    Industry standard, but far pricier after Broadcom licensing changes.

  • Microsoft Hyper-V

    Bundled with Windows Server; fits Windows-centric shops better.

  • Plain KVM or Docker

    Simpler option for single-host needs without a full platform.

Companies that use it

  • HorizonIQ
  • CodiLime11
Full analysis

Based on 50+ public sources reviewed; review snippets were partially truncated, so quotes are verbatim thread titles.

Free, capable VMware alternative — but only with Linux skills; per-socket subs and active CVEs demand upkeep.

Methodology

Based on 50+ public sources reviewed; review snippets were partially truncated, so quotes are verbatim thread titles.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Proxmox Products | G2g2.com
    review
  2. Proxmox VE Reviews | Gartner Peer Insightsgartner.com
    review
  3. Proxmox VE Reviews | TrustRadiustrustradius.com
    review
  4. Proxmox Reviews | Trustpilottrustpilot.com
    review
  5. Pricing for Subscriptions Plans — Proxmox VEproxmox.com
    official
  6. Proxmox Community pageproxmox.com
    official
  7. Proxmox VE 7 Auth Bypass: PoC Public, Exploited in the Wildsecurityonline.info
    security
  8. CVE-2026-51083: Proxmox VE Auth Bypasssentinelone.com
    security
  9. Proxmox vs VMware 2026: Free vs $45K/Yeartech-insider.org
    news
  10. A Year Running Proxmox and VMware Side by Sidevirtualizationhowto.com
    news
  11. Enterprise VMware to Proxmox migration case study (CodiLime)codilime.com
    news
  12. Subscription costs (rant) — Proxmox forumforum.proxmox.com
    review

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