EVERYTHING XIAOMI
Get listed
Xen Project Hypervisor logo

Xen Project Hypervisor

Xen Project Hypervisor is a free, open-source type-1 hypervisor that runs multiple operating systems in parallel on one host.

Place
#7 of 22
Score
6.2
Xen Project Hypervisor's website

What Xen Project Hypervisor is

Xen Project Hypervisor is a free, open-source type-1 hypervisor that runs multiple operating systems in parallel on one host. It is available for Linux and self-hosted use; Linux is the most common control stack, with NetBSD and FreeBSD also named as host alternatives. The project describes uses including server and desktop virtualization, IaaS, embedded systems, security applications and hardware appliances. Its microkernel design is intended to keep the memory footprint small and restrict the interface presented to guests. Xen can place a system’s main device driver inside a VM, allowing that VM to be restarted after a driver crash or compromise without affecting the rest of the system. On x86, fully paravirtualized guests can run without virtualization extensions. The separate XAPI toolstack supports management across multiple hosts, VM snapshots and migration, resource pools, storage migration, monitoring and other operations. Xen is a Linux Foundation collaborative project with open governance; software hosted on its site is licensed under GPL2.

Good

  • Runs multiple operating systems on one host.
  • Supports VM snapshots and nested virtualization.
  • Driver isolation can contain a driver failure.
  • Free and open source under GPL2.

Watch out

  • Xen artifacts are source releases for building and integration.
  • XAPI is a separate toolstack.
  • The downloads page lists source, not a ready-made package.

Who it suits

Xen may suit infrastructure, embedded, automotive, security-sensitive and safety-critical deployments. It is also relevant to teams building or managing virtualized Linux, Windows or other supported guest environments.

Verdict

Xen offers a free hypervisor foundation for virtualization and other listed system uses. Its source-release format and separate XAPI management layer are important to consider when planning deployment.

Plans and prices

From Xen Project Hypervisor's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.

All about pricing
PlanPriceWhat it gives you
Xen Project HypervisorFreeOpen-source hypervisor source releases for building, packaging, and platform integration

The facts

Each one read from Xen Project Hypervisor's own pages, with the date it was checked.

What it does

Audience
The project identifies infrastructure, embedded, automotive, security-sensitive, and safety-critical systems as areas Xen serves.checked 4 Oct 2026
Downloads
The downloads page lists Xen 4.22.0 source and describes the Xen artifacts as source releases for building, packaging, and platform integration.checked 4 Oct 2026
Driver isolation
Xen can run a system’s main device driver inside a VM so that VM can be restarted after a driver crash or compromise without affecting the rest of the system.checked 4 Oct 2026
GPU acceleration
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Guest architecture
bothchecked 20 Sep 2026
Guest support
XAPI provides built-in support and templates for Windows and Linux guests.checked 4 Oct 2026
Host operating systems
Linux is the most common control stack, and Xen also names NetBSD and FreeBSD as alternatives.checked 4 Oct 2026
License
The project says software hosted on XenProject.org is open source and licensed under GPL2.checked 4 Oct 2026
Management
The separate XAPI toolstack supports multiple hosts, VM snapshots and migration, resource pools, Open vSwitch, storage migration, event tracking, upgrades, patching, and monitoring.checked 4 Oct 2026
Microkernel design
Xen says its microkernel design has a small memory footprint and a restricted interface to guests.checked 4 Oct 2026
Nested virtualization
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Paravirtualization
On x86, Xen supports fully paravirtualized guests that can run on hardware without virtualization extensions.checked 4 Oct 2026
Project governance
Xen Project is a Linux Foundation collaborative project with an open governance process based on openness, transparency, and meritocracy.checked 4 Oct 2026
Purpose
Xen is a type-1 bare-metal hypervisor that runs multiple operating systems in parallel on one host.checked 4 Oct 2026
Release support
Xen 4.20 and later releases receive three years of full support and two additional years of security-only support.checked 4 Oct 2026
Security reporting
The security policy asks vulnerability reporters to contact [email protected] and describes private downstream notification followed by public disclosure.checked 4 Oct 2026
Use cases
The project describes Xen as a foundation for server virtualization, IaaS, desktop virtualization, security applications, embedded systems, and hardware appliances.checked 4 Oct 2026
VM snapshots
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026

Money

Free plan
Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026

Where it runs

Host platforms
Linux,NetBSD,FreeBSDchecked 20 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Xen Project Hypervisor

All alternatives
  1. 1oVirt logo

    oVirt

    Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWebAPI
    8.0Free plan
    Visit
  2. 2QEMU logo

    QEMU

    Free planOpen sourceAPILinuxmacOSSelf-hosted
    7.6Free plan
    Visit
  3. 3

    KVM

    Free planOpen sourceAPILinuxSelf-hosted
    7.2Free plan
    Visit
  4. 4

    Xen Orchestra

    WebAPISelf-hosted
    6.5From $1,000 a year
    Visit
  5. 5

    Firecracker

    Free planAPILinuxSelf-hosted
    6.3Free plan
    Visit
  6. 6

    Harvester

    Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted
    6.3Free plan
    Visit