OpenShift vs VMware: key differences and how to choose in 2026

Broadcom's acquisition of VMware led to significant price hikes in renewals, prompting many enterprise customers to explore alternatives, with Red Hat OpenShift emerging as a popular choice. VMware, now under Broadcom, remains a dominant virtualization platform ideal for traditional VMs and legacy applications, while OpenShift, Red Hat's enterprise Kubernetes platform, is suited for organizations transitioning to containers and modernizing their application portfolios. Both platforms involve considerable operational complexity and costs, with VMware's pricing switch to subscription models post-acquisition causing many to reassess their options. Northflank presents a modern alternative, offering managed Kubernetes with a full developer platform, reducing the operational burden associated with both VMware and OpenShift. For organizations containerizing workloads, Northflank provides enterprise-grade hosting without the need for a dedicated platform engineering team, making it a compelling option for those moving away from VMware's traditional virtualization model.