Side by side
KVM vs QEMU
Both stand on server virtualization software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted
KVM offers Linux-hosted virtualization with a broad set of documented VM features and integration options. Check that the host has the required processor extensions before choosing it.
Visit KVM
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2
QEMU covers whole-machine and cross-architecture process emulation, with disk-image utilities included. Note its platform requirements and the distinction between virtualization security use and TCG non-virtualization use.
Visit QEMUThe facts
| KVM | QEMU | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | linux-kvm.org | qemu.org |
| On server virtualization software | #1 of 22 | #3 of 22 |
KVM: what it does well
- Free and open-source software.
- Runs unmodified Linux and Windows guest images.
- Supports live migration between hosts.
- Includes snapshots, nested virtualization and GPU acceleration.
- Available through major community and enterprise Linux distributions.
What to know first
- Linux host requires Intel VT or AMD-V extensions.
- Windows guest drivers are available separately.
QEMU: what it does well
- Supports both system and user-mode emulation.
- Includes qemu-img disk-image utilities.
- Can work with KVM, Xen, and Hypervisor.Framework.
- Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Free and open source.
What to know first
- Windows support is limited to 64-bit.
- macOS requires the latest available version.
- TCG use does not provide guest-isolation guarantees.