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

Citrix XenServer vs VMware vSphere Foundation comparison

Citrix and VMware are both solutions in the Server Virtualization Software category. Citrix is ranked #11 with an average rating of 7.3, while VMware is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.2. Citrix holds a 4.8% mindshare in SVS, compared to VMware’s 0.3% mindshare. Additionally, 82% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of VMware users who would recommend it.
Citrix XenServer
Read 55 Citrix XenServer reviews
  • 6,196 Views
  • 6,072 Comparison Views
82% willing to recommend
VMware vSphere Foundation
Read 14 VMware vSphere Foundation reviews
  • 242 Views
  • 242 Comparison Views
83% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report
Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 17, 2025

Citrix XenServer and VMware vSphere Foundation compete in the virtualization platform category. Citrix XenServer seems to have an advantage due to its cost-effective offerings and integration features, while VMware is praised for its reliability and comprehensive feature set.

Features: Citrix XenServer offers live migration, integration with Active Directory, and a robust management console for Windows. It also supports open-source development which enhances its functionality. VMware vSphere Foundation provides high availability, robust scalability, and comprehensive management tools for efficient virtualization.

Room for Improvement: Citrix XenServer lacks adequate Linux support, high-availability options in the free version, and has limited management tool functionality outside Windows environments. VMware faces pricing issues, with additional costs post-Broadcom acquisition causing concern. Both could improve third-party tool integration and offer better backup solutions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: XenServer is noted for easy deployment in on-premises environments, though technical support varies by region. VMware vSphere Foundation benefits from a well-established support network but has seen efficiency decreases post-Broadcom merger, affecting customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Citrix XenServer is cost-effective with free and competitively priced paid features, making it attractive to cost-conscious users. However, scaling can increase costs with additional features. VMware vSphere Foundation, while having high initial and ongoing licensing fees, provides robust performance and stability, offering substantial ROI.

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
To learn more, read our detailed Citrix XenServer vs. VMware vSphere Foundation Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Citrix XenServer vs. VMware vSphere Foundation
July 2025
Download the complete report
Helped 865,384 peers since 2012

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
5.3
Citrix XenServer is praised for reducing costs and enhancing efficiency through virtualization, offering stability and effective management features.
Sentiment score
6.2
VMware vSphere Foundation boosts scalability, manageability, and cost-efficiency, enhancing server consolidation and supporting on-prem and cloud architectures.
My clients generally maintain their Citrix infrastructure without shifting, suggesting stability and reliable operation as Citrix XenServer is fully established.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
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.
There is flexibility and interoperability with multi-mode architectures that accommodate both on-prem and cloud realities.
Server consolidation is one return on investment where we can use one server for multiple workloads.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
Tonatiuh Torres Zamorano - PeerSpot reviewer
JS
RB
reviewer2592888 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
3.9
Citrix XenServer support ranges in effectiveness, with concerns about response speed and access, often relying on community channels.
Sentiment score
6.3
VMware vSphere Foundation receives mixed reviews; some praise support, while others note service and pricing issues post-Broadcom management.
With valid licenses, we can access hotfixes, service packs, knowledge base, self-help tools, diagnostics, downloads, live chat, and phone support.
They do not provide adequate support for midsize businesses.
There appear to be very few engineers at Citrix who understand the problems.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
SP
Filip Fronczak - PeerSpot reviewerVivekKumar10 - PeerSpot reviewer
RC
reviewer2592888 - PeerSpot reviewer
HY
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.5
Citrix XenServer is highly scalable, easily integrates new hosts, and effectively manages virtualization with minor disk management concerns.
Sentiment score
7.9
VMware vSphere Foundation is praised for scalability and integrations, though opinions vary on its scalability ratings.
Familiarity with Linux can enhance its performance and usability.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
Tonatiuh Torres Zamorano - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2592888 - PeerSpot reviewer
AN
HY
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Citrix XenServer is stable and reliable, praised for minimal issues, good support, and consistent updates by users.
Sentiment score
7.7
VMware vSphere Foundation is stable with strong performance monitoring, though frequent updates are needed for security and improvement.
I haven't had any significant issues with Citrix XenServer installations over the last 10-15 years.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
Stability is optimal.
Frequent updates are required due to constant security challenges and attacks.
It is a standard tool and is considered very stable.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
Jörg Köhler - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2592888 - PeerSpot reviewerTonatiuh Torres Zamorano - PeerSpot reviewerAshutoshKumar4 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Room For Improvement

Citrix XenServer needs improved backup, storage, Linux support, UI, multi-language, third-party integration, and lower licensing for better accessibility.
VMware vSphere needs better accessibility, pricing clarity, regional support, and integration to address user dissatisfaction and improve appeal.
Although the product is technically competitive, it is not widely known or used due to poor marketing.
Citrix needs to improve the hypervisor, specifically in security and performance.
We can implement high availability and live migration with pools, along with security and backup to enable role-based access control for safer management.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
I highly recommend that continuous support for perpetual licenses be provided.
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
Filip Fronczak - PeerSpot reviewerTonatiuh Torres Zamorano - PeerSpot reviewer
SP
ErmiasGirma - PeerSpot reviewer
AN
HY
 

Setup Cost

Citrix XenServer offers cost-effective licensing with strong support, making it a popular low-cost alternative to VMware.
VMware vSphere Foundation is costly, with pricing and support challenges post-Broadcom merger, prompting users to seek affordable alternatives.
It is cheaper compared to its competitors.
Organizations save substantial money because competing solutions, such as VMware, cost double or triple.
The pricing and licensing policy of Citrix XenServer is not transparent and quite confusing.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
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.
During one project, the price doubled or even tripled before implementation, causing issues with clients.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
Tonatiuh Torres Zamorano - PeerSpot reviewerVivekKumar10 - PeerSpot reviewerFilip Fronczak - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2592888 - PeerSpot reviewer
RC
ErmiasGirma - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

Citrix XenServer is a secure, cost-effective virtualization platform offering user-friendly, efficient resource management with robust features and scalability.
VMware vSphere Foundation enhances IT efficiency with scalable, reliable virtualization, offering intuitive management and seamless integration for enterprise infrastructure.
The most valuable feature is transferring and sharing applications that allow users to move files between devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers without needing USB cables, internet connections, or data usage.
It provides secure access to applications and resources, which is crucial for us and our clients.
It is user-friendly and easy to deploy, making it an attractive option.
For more quotes and insights, download the Citrix XenServer report
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the VMware vSphere Foundation report
SP
Filip Fronczak - PeerSpot reviewerTonatiuh Torres Zamorano - PeerSpot reviewer
AN
RC
HY
 

Categories and Ranking

Citrix XenServer
Ranking in Server Virtualization Software
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware vSphere Foundation
Ranking in Server Virtualization Software
12th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Server Virtualization Software category, the mindshare of Citrix XenServer is 4.8%, up from 4.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware vSphere Foundation is 0.3%. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Server Virtualization Software
 

Featured Reviews

Jörg Köhler - PeerSpot reviewer
Consulting benefits from robust consulting while also recognizing the need for improved disk management
When it comes to optimization, that's one of the weaker points of Citrix XenServer, especially regarding disk management, which is somewhat clumsy. Backup-related issues and disk management should be improved. Especially concerning backup, as discussions with Veeam engineers about Citrix XenServer backup strategy indicate there might not be a solution from Veeam soon. License optimization is not such a significant problem, but licenses are quite complicated. Vendors constantly invent new license models, making it difficult to order the correct licenses needed. There is not a big difference between Citrix and VMware products because Citrix can implement Windows and Linux anyway.
Read full review
ErmiasGirma - PeerSpot reviewer
Virtualization enhances management and utilization in enterprise environments
In the past, we faced challenges with VMware's transition to Broadcom, which caused a lot of frustration. Issues like not being able to upgrade to version eight without support and the end-of-life of perpetual licenses were concerning. Pricing fluctuation and increased licensing costs were also significant challenges. I highly recommend that continuous support for perpetual licenses be provided.
Read full review
report
See which vendors are best for you
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Server Virtualization Software solutions are best for your needs.
See recommendations
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

VL
Jan 13, 2015
vSphere vs. RHEV vs. Hyper-V vs. XenServer
We have used the following functions: 1. Hypervisor: to ensure that the virtual server provide web and email services to the company, thus providing a stable operation a with single sign-on integration of an AD server and vCenter. 2. Network and Storage: centralized data server…
Read full review
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Citrix Hypervisor?
The core function enables multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical server. This maximizes hardware utilization and efficiency.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Hypervisor?
Licensing with Citrix XenServer is very cost-effective. Organizations save substantial money because competing solutions, such as VMware, cost double or triple. If you are using Citrix load only, t...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Citrix Hypervisor?
When it comes to optimization, that's one of the weaker points of Citrix XenServer, especially regarding disk management, which is somewhat clumsy. Backup-related issues and disk management should ...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware vSphere Foundation?
I don't know the exact pricing for the VMware vSphere Foundation, but I think the last license model to upgrade is three or four times more expensive.
See all answers
What needs improvement with VMware vSphere Foundation?
The impact of VMware vSphere Foundation performance monitoring capabilities is somewhat limited; therefore, you have to look at the additional components built around it. They can always use some i...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for VMware vSphere Foundation?
My team runs VMware Aria Operations, but I have limited experience. I'm most familiar with the VMware vSphere Foundation solutions, specifically the virtual, the enterprise, and the vCenter compone...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Proxmox VE vs Citrix XenServer Logo
Proxmox VE vs Citrix XenServer
Compared 31% of the time
VMware vSphere vs Citrix XenServer Logo
VMware vSphere vs Citrix XenServer
Compared 21% of the time
Hyper-V vs Citrix XenServer Logo
Hyper-V vs Citrix XenServer
Compared 16% of the time
Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs Citrix XenServer Logo
Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs Citrix XenServer
Compared 9% of the time
KVM vs Citrix XenServer Logo
KVM vs Citrix XenServer
Compared 6% of the time
More Citrix XenServer Competitors
Red Hat OpenShift vs VMware vSphere Foundation Logo
Red Hat OpenShift vs VMware vSphere Foundation
Compared 43% of the time
VMware vSphere vs VMware vSphere Foundation Logo
VMware vSphere vs VMware vSphere Foundation
Compared 34% of the time
Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs VMware vSphere Foundation Logo
Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs VMware vSphere Foundation
Compared 22% of the time
More VMware vSphere Foundation Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Citrix XenServer
August 2025
Citrix XenServer reportDownload Citrix XenServer product report
Buyer's Guide
VMware vSphere Foundation
July 2025
VMware vSphere Foundation reportDownload VMware vSphere Foundation product report
 

Also Known As

Hypervisor
No data available
 

Overview

Citrix XenServer provides virtualization with high availability and robust security, offering seamless VM migration and centralized management through XenCenter. Its expansive compatibility and integration enhance its appeal, particularly for SMBs.

Citrix XenServer is recognized for its user-friendly virtualization capabilities, facilitating dynamic scalability and efficient resource management. It supports a wide range of operating systems and integrates with Citrix solutions for improved operations. Businesses benefit from its affordability and ease of deployment. Despite its strengths, users seek improvements in third-party tool integration, network and backup management, and storage flexibility. High costs, limited Linux support, system complexity, technical support, and hardware compatibility remain challenges. An updated and intuitive interface is in demand for more seamless operations across platforms.

What are the key features of Citrix XenServer?
  • User-Friendly Virtualization: Simplifies virtualization operations with efficient management tools.
  • High Availability: Ensures continuous access to virtualized resources.
  • Robust Security: Protects virtual environments with comprehensive security protocols.
  • Seamless VM Migration: Facilitates easy migration of virtual machines across environments.
  • Centralized Management: XenCenter provides centralized control for resource management.
  • Dynamic Scalability: Supports scaling of resources as per business requirements.
  • Real-Time Performance Monitoring: Enables monitoring and optimizing of system performance actively.
  • Unlimited Virtual Machines: Offers the capacity for deploying numerous virtual machines without limitations.
What benefits and ROI can users expect?
  • Cost Efficiency: Competitive pricing model reduces virtualization costs.
  • Comprehensive Virtualization: Complete solution for desktop and server virtualization needs.
  • Ease of Deployment: Quick and straightforward setup process minimizes downtime.
  • Integration with Citrix Solutions: Enhances functionality with existing Citrix technologies.

In diverse industries, Citrix XenServer is leveraged for server and desktop virtualization, cloud automation, and infrastructure management. Many deploy it for virtual desktop infrastructure, application delivery, on-premises data centers, and to support Citrix application delivery like XenApp and XenDesktop. Enterprises migrating from VMware often find Citrix XenServer cost-efficient for these applications, serving as a main computing platform for enterprise applications including ERP systems and SQL Servers.

Citrix

VMware vSphere Foundation is designed for businesses seeking virtualization management capabilities. It offers essential features to optimize IT operations and improve server utilization, providing a solid infrastructure for managing virtual environments.

VMware vSphere Foundation supports efficient resource management in virtual environments, delivering a robust platform for businesses to streamline their IT processes. It enhances system reliability and offers scalable options for growing business needs. By leveraging virtualization, it reduces hardware dependency while ensuring consistent system performance.

What are the key features of VMware vSphere Foundation?
  • VMware vCenter Server: Centralized platform for managing VMs and hosts.
  • High Availability: Ensures minimal downtime for critical applications.
  • Data Recovery: Provides backup and restore options for enhanced data protection.
  • Resource Manager: Allocates resources efficiently between VMs to maximize performance.
What benefits or ROI should users consider?
  • Cost Reduction: Decreases hardware expenses by maximizing server usage.
  • Improved Scalability: Facilitates easy expansion of IT infrastructure.
  • Enhanced Reliability: Offers consistent uptime and minimized outages.
  • Efficiency Gains: Streamlines operations, reducing manual IT management tasks.

VMware vSphere Foundation is implemented effectively across industries like healthcare, finance, and retail. It supports crucial workloads, allowing these sectors to maintain operational efficiency while handling sensitive data. Its flexibility and robust capabilities make it suitable for diverse operational demands.

VMware
 

Sample Customers

U.S. Army Shared Services Center, SoftLayer, Educational Services of America, Independent Bank, and SK Telecom.
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Citrix XenServer vs. VMware vSphere Foundation
July 2025
Free Report: Citrix XenServer vs. VMware vSphere Foundation
Find out what your peers are saying about Citrix XenServer vs. VMware vSphere Foundation and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
DOWNLOAD NOW
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.
See our Citrix XenServer vs. VMware vSphere Foundation report.
See our list of best Server Virtualization Software vendors.

We monitor all Server Virtualization Software reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.