If you are planning to build a home lab, setup your own server, or try virtualization for the first time, you will surely hear about Promox and Unraid. Both are strong and useful tools, but they offer very different experience. Because of this, many people ask the same question: ''Promox vs Unraid - which one I choose?''
What are Promox and Unraid?
Promox
Promox is a free, open open source platform that helps you run virtual machines (VMs), Linux containers, and manage your storage all from and easy to use web dashboard. It gives strong control your server over your server and is trusted by many home lab users.
Unraid
Unraid is Popular for its excellent strong features. Its lets you use different hard drive sizes together, protect your data, and also run VMs and Docker containers with very little setup. It is simple to use and great for anyone who wants a flexible home server.
Both tools are powerful, but they are good at different things. That is why Promox vs Unraid is one of the most talked about topics in the home lab community.
Promox vs Unraid: Quick Comparison
Promox is moderately easy to use and works best for setups that rely heavily on virtualization. It offers excellent support for virtual machines and good support for Docker though LXC containers. Its storage system is standard, but its get the job done. Promox is free to use, with paid support available if you want it. The community is large and helpful.
Unraid is very easy to use, even for beginners, It is ideal for storage focused setups where you want flexible disk options and simple data protection. It supports Docker extremely well and also handles VMs smoothly. Unraid requires a paid license, but many users feel the features are worth it. Like Promox, it also has a large and active community.
Ease of Use
Proxmox: Made for Power Users
Proxmox becomes easy once you understand how it work, but beginners may feel a little confused in the beginning. It offers many features like virtual machines, networking options, LXC containers, GPU passthrough, clustering, and more.
If you enjoy learning new thing new things and want full control over your server, Promox is a great choice.
Unraid: Simple and Beginner Friendly
Unraid is know for being extremely easy to use. Its dashboard is clean, simple, and perfect for anyone starting their home server journey.
If you want a tool that gives a smooth and stress free user experience, Unraid clearly wins the Proxmox vs Unraid ease of use comparison.
Storage and File System
Proxmox Storage
Works with ZFS, LVM, and other file systems
Great for speed and data safety
Needs a bit more setup
Proxmox is very powerful in terms of storage performance, but beginners might need sometime to learn how everything works.
Unraid Storage
Mix any drive sizes
Add storage anytime
Saves space by not requiring RAID
Perfect for media servers
It is perfect for media servers and home labs where you want simple and flexible storage.
This is one area where Unraid clearly wins in the Proxmox vs Unraid comparison. Its storage flexibility is unmatched.
Virtual Machines and Containers
Proxmox: A Virtualization Powerhouse
Proxmox is made for strong and smooth virtualization. It can run Windows and Linux virtual machines, supports LXC containers, handles GPU passthrough, and even allows live migration between nodes.
If your main goal is to run powerful VM setup, Proxmox is the clear winner.
Unraid: Good, but Not as Strong
Unraid also supports virtual machines and Docker containers, but performance can slow down under heavy workloads. For light or medium use, it works very well and is easy to manage.
For advance or heavy VM tasks, Proxmox easily wins this part of the Proxmox vs Unraid comparison.
Docker and App Support
Unraid Docker Experience
Unraid has a huge app library called Community App Store.
You can install;
Plex
Nextcloud
Home Assistant
AdGuard
Game servers
All which one click. This makes Unraid amazing for home media and automation setups.
Proxmox Docker Experience
Proxmox does not support Docker directly, but you can still use it by running Docker inside an LXC container or installing it inside a virtual machine. It works fine, but the experience is not as smooth or simple as Unraid.
For people who love using Docker and want an easy setup, Unraid is the better choice.
Pricing
Proxmox
Free to use
Paid license
No licenses required
Unraid
Paid license
Price depends on number of drives
Lifetime license
Unraid costs money, but for many users ,the simplicity is worth the price .
Real- World Examples
Use Case 1 : Media server
Rohan wants a simple plex server with lots of storage .
He choose Unraid because it is easy and lets him mix old hard drives.
Use Case 2: Home Lab for Learning
Mehul wants to learn virtualization, experiments with Linux servers, and try feature like clustering. He chooses Proxmox because it is powerful, flexible, and completely free to use. For learning and testing, Proxmox is a great match.
Use Case 3: Small Business Server
A small office needs virtual machines as well as simple, reliable file storage. Both Proxmox and Unraid can do the job, but Unraid offers much easier file management, making it the more beginner friendly option for small business setups.
Performance and Speed Stats (General)
Proxmox usually delivers 10 - 20% faster VM performance in many tests, making it a strong choice for virtualization.
Unraid stands out for its excellent storage flexibility, which is why it is the top choice for media servers and home storage setups.
For Docker users, Unraid gives better performance because Docker support is built in and works smoothly right out of the box.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?
The Proxmox vs Unraid choice depends on what you want to do.
Choose Proxmox if you want:
Strong virtual machine performance
Free and open source software
Full control over every part of your setup
A powerful and flexible home lab
Choose Unraid if you want:
Easy storage expansion
A clean, simple dashboard
One click apps and smooth Docker use
A beginner friendly home server experience
Both platforms are great in 2025 - Just pick the one that fits your style and needs.
Ready to begin?
Start with the platform that feels right for you and enjoy building your home server with confidence!
FAQs About Proxmox vs Unraid
Q1. Is Proxmox free?
Yes, Proxmox is fully free to use. You can also buy paid support if you need extra help.
Q2. Does Unraid support Docker?
Yes, Unraid has excellent Docker support and even includes and easy app store for quick installs.
Q3. Which one is better for beginners?
Unraid is the better choice for beginners because it has a clean and simple interface.
Q4. Is Proxmox good for running Windows VMs?
Yes, Proxmox runs Windows virtual machines very well and offers strong performance.
Q5. Can I mix different drive sizes in Proxmox?
Not as easily as you can in Unraid. Mixing different drive sizes in one of Unraid is biggest strength.
