| Machina | Proxmox VE | |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Yes. KVM/libvirt, Rust services, React UI | Debian, KVM, LXC, ZFS, Ceph |
| Built-in storage | Partial. Atlas for Ceph/NFS/ZFS; local and NFS pools | ZFS and Ceph integrated in the installer |
| Containers | Partial. Podman/Docker (Vessel); no LXC | LXC built in |
| Multi-host scale | Yes. Controller fleet with DB (SQLite or PostgreSQL) | Corosync cluster; Datacenter Manager for multiple clusters |
| API | Yes. REST, EC2-compatible, Terraform | REST API |
| Network security | Yes. eBPF security groups and microsegmentation | Firewall and SDN features |
| Migration from Proxmox | Yes. Transiva has a Proxmox provider; h2kvm converts disks and GuestKit fixes the guest | N/A |
| Cost | Yes. Per-host subscription | Free; optional support subscriptions |
Status: Yes = shipped; Partial = part of the capability ships; Planned = on the roadmap, not available; No = not offered. Each statement traces to the claims ledger.
Choose Machina when
- You need a fleet view, audit trail and an EC2 API.
- You want AI-assisted operations with approvals.
Choose Proxmox VE when
- You want the lowest cost and a large community.
- You rely on LXC or integrated ZFS/Ceph.
Test it on your own workload
The 30-day evaluation runs on one host and is the only comparison that counts.
Proxmox is a trademark of Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH. The Proxmox VE column reflects public documentation at the time of writing; check the vendor's current documentation and pricing before you decide.