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Cloud · head to head

Proxmox VE vs SST

Proxmox VE logo

Proxmox VE

Cloud

Open-source hypervisor combining KVM and LXC virtualisation

From
€120/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SST logo

SST

Cloud

Build full-stack apps on your own infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SST has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Proxmox VE per-socket licensing model: cost scales with CPU socket count, not vCore count, resulting in high costs for multi-socket servers; SST primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Proxmox VE and SST actually diverge.

Attributes where Proxmox VE and SST differ
AttributeProxmox VESST
Starting price€120/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsLinux, Web, API, Self-hostedAWS, Cloudflare, Node.js

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Proxmox VE

Nothing recorded that SST does not also cover.

Only in SST

  • Single config file
  • Resource linking
  • Local development
  • Multi-cloud support
  • Multiple deployment stages
  • VPC tunneling

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Proxmox VE

  • Open-source datacenter virtualisation for hosting providers and cloud platformsnot SST
  • Cost-sensitive enterprise virtualisation replacing commercial hypervisorsnot SST
  • High-availability clustering for disaster recovery and business continuitynot SST
  • Container deployments using LXC as lighter-weight alternative to Dockernot SST
  • Hybrid VM and container workloads in a single management interfacenot SST
  • Backup and archival infrastructure alongside primary virtualisationnot SST

SST

  • Deploying Next.js frontends with serverless backendsnot Proxmox VE
  • Managing databases and storage alongside application codenot Proxmox VE
  • Creating staging environments for feature testingnot Proxmox VE

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Proxmox VE

  • Per-socket licensing model: cost scales with CPU socket count, not vCore count, resulting in high costs for multi-socket servers
  • Linux-based host only; Windows hypervisors not supported, limiting adoption in Windows-focused organisations
  • Clustering and high-availability setup requires operational expertise and careful network configuration
  • Commercial support tiers limit advanced features (just-in-time access, network flow logs) to paid subscriptions
  • Smaller ecosystem of third-party plugins and integrations compared to VMware vSphere

SST

  • Primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with infrastructure concepts
  • Limited documentation for some advanced use cases

Pricing, plan by plan

Proxmox VE

€120/year
  • Community$120/year
    • Enterprise Repository access
    • Community forum support only
    • Per-socket subscription model
  • Basic$370/year
    • 3 support tickets per year
    • 1 business day response time
    • Stable updates and Enterprise Repository
  • Standard$550/year
    • 10 support tickets per year
    • 4-hour response time for critical issues
    • Remote SSH support and offline updates
  • Premium$1100/year
    • Unlimited support tickets
    • 2-hour response time for critical issues
    • Remote SSH support and offline updates

SST

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SST review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Proxmox VE if

  • You work on Linux, Web, API, Self-hosted.
Proxmox VE review

Choose SST if

  • You need single config file.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
  • You also want resource linking.
SST review

Questions people ask

Is Proxmox VE or SST better?
Neither clearly leads. Proxmox VE starts at €120/year and SST at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Proxmox VE or SST?
SST has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at €120/year for Proxmox VE and Free for SST.
Does Proxmox VE or SST run on more platforms?
Proxmox VE runs on Linux, Web, API, Self-hosted. SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
Can I use SST for free?
Yes. SST has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Proxmox VE starts at €120/year.
What is Proxmox VE best used for?
Proxmox VE is most often used for open-source datacenter virtualisation for hosting providers and cloud platforms, cost-sensitive enterprise virtualisation replacing commercial hypervisors, high-availability clustering for disaster recovery and business continuity, container deployments using lxc as lighter-weight alternative to docker. Of those, open-source datacenter virtualisation for hosting providers and cloud platforms and cost-sensitive enterprise virtualisation replacing commercial hypervisors are not what SST is typically brought in for.
What can Proxmox VE do that SST cannot?
SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multi-cloud support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Proxmox VE: What is the licensing model for Proxmox VE?

Proxmox VE is open-source and free to deploy. Optional subscription tiers provide technical support, priority response times, and access to the Enterprise Repository for stable update channels. All tiers include identical virtualisation features.

Source
SST: Is SST free?

Yes, SST is open source and free. You only pay for cloud resources from AWS and other providers.

Source
Proxmox VE: Can I run Proxmox VE without a support subscription?

Yes. Community Edition (€120/year per socket) provides Enterprise Repository access with community-based support through forums. The core Proxmox VE platform is fully functional without any subscription.

Source
SST: What cloud providers does SST support?

SST supports over 150 providers through built-in AWS and Cloudflare components, plus Pulumi and Terraform providers.

Source
Proxmox VE: What hypervisors does Proxmox VE support?

Proxmox VE includes both KVM for full virtualisation and LXC for Linux containers. It does not support Xen or Hyper-V. Workloads on those platforms must be migrated or reimplemented.

Source
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