Proxmox VE is often the most recommended free alternative for homelab users seeking ESXi-like features without licensing costs.
, is available for free download via the Broadcom Support Portal. Broadcom support portal Overview of Free Licensing Vmware Esxi 8 License Key Free
After initially discontinuing it post-acquisition, Broadcom has reintroduced the free version of VMware ESXi 8.0 starting with . Unlike previous versions that required you to manually register for a unique serial number, the new free edition uses an embedded license key that is automatically applied during installation. How to Get Your VMware ESXi 8 Free License Proxmox VE is often the most recommended free
If you have been following the VMware saga since the Broadcom acquisition, you know it’s been a roller coaster. After initially killing off the free version in February 2024, Broadcom has officially . Unlike previous versions that required you to manually
There are generally three tiers of licensing:
: Visit the Broadcom Support Portal and sign in with your account (or register a new one).
: Ideal for learning, home labs, and small test/dev environments. Limited vCPU : Maximum of 8 virtual CPUs (vCPUs) per virtual machine. Performance : Near-native speed for virtualized workloads. Read-Only API