VMware vs Cozystack — 5-year TCO and exit cost
Last updated: · dataset v0.2.0 · FX pinned 2026-07-01 · prices as of Q3 2026 · methodology & sources
Cozystack 5-year TCO for 200 VMs is $342,915 vs VMware VCF $1,124,837, at typical negotiated prices, Q3 2026 (including one-time migration costs).
VMware VCF vs Cozystack at default assumptions
| Scenario | VMware VCF 5-yr TCO | Cozystack 5-yr TCO* | Savings | Cozystack unit cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMB — 50 VMs | $460,712 | $141,606 | $319,106 (69%) | $47 / VM / mo | month 4 |
| Mid-size — 200 VMs | $1,124,837 | $342,915 | $781,922 (70%) | $29 / VM / mo | month 1 |
| Enterprise — 1,000 VMs | $5,002,441 | $1,514,562 | $3,487,878 (70%) | $25 / VM / mo | month 1 |
* Cozystack total includes the one-time migration from VMware VCF (a fixed setup plus a marginal $/VM — owner estimate, Ænix field data). Estimates only — not a quote.
Break-even
Cozystack becomes cheaper than VMware VCF when VMware VCF $/core/yr exceeds $42 (current: $250) — it already does at the current value. One-time migration costs pay back in month 1.
Key facts
- VMware VCF licensing: $350/core/yr list, ~$250/core/yr typical negotiated (street/negotiated (Commercial platforms research (research/02)) — street $185–275; as of 2026-Q3).
- VMware VCF bills a minimum of 16 cores per socket (Broadcom licensing minimum 16 cores/socket).
- VMware VCF renewal uplift modeled at +30% after a renewal event — renewal uplift default +30% (documented cases up to 10×: AT&T 1050%, CISPE 800–1500%, SMB 350–450%).
- Contract term default: 36 months (3yr prepaid is the norm (research/02 §1)).
When to choose VMware VCF
- Hard vendor-ecosystem dependencies (ISV certifications, existing tooling and runbooks) that outweigh the cost delta.
How this is calculated
Three cost articles — software (licenses + vendor support), one-time migration and personnel. Hardware and facilities are identical on both sides and excluded; an internal sizing chain (CPU oversubscription 3:1, RAM target 85%, per-platform storage replication, N+1 HA headroom) only produces the node/core/socket counters that licenses bill against. Renewal uplifts apply only after a real renewal event inside the horizon. Default pricing basis is realized (typical negotiated) — conservative against our own headline. Every default carries a source, date and source nature; owner estimates (migration setup and $/VM, personnel days) are labeled as Ænix field data. Full methodology, formulas and the complete source list.
Frequently asked questions
How much does VMware VCF cost for 200 VMs over 5 years?
At default assumptions (EU region, typical negotiated prices, Q3 2026) the model puts VMware VCF at $1,124,837 over 5 years across the three cost articles: software (licenses + vendor support), migration (one-time, target platform only) and personnel (a days-per-month staffing model).
Is Cozystack cheaper than VMware VCF?
At 50 VMs: Cozystack is $319,106 cheaper (69%). At 200 VMs: Cozystack is $781,922 cheaper (70%). At 1000 VMs: Cozystack is $3,487,878 cheaper (70%). Cozystack becomes cheaper than VMware VCF when VMware VCF $/core/yr exceeds $42 (current: $250) — it already does at the current value.
What does migration from VMware VCF to Cozystack cost?
For 200 VMs the model estimates $36,000 one-time: $8,000 of fixed setup — discovery, standing up the target, cutover design, runbook — plus 200 × $140/VM marginal (owner estimate — Ænix field data: 50 VMs ≈ $15K total). Most of a small migration is the setup, which is why cost does not scale with the estate. Professional services or training can be added via the "migration extras" input (default $0). One-time migration costs pay back in month 1.
What is included in the estimate — and what is not?
Exactly three articles: software (licenses + vendor support), one-time migration and personnel. Hardware and facilities are identical on both sides and excluded; backup, guest-OS licensing, DR/second site, GPU and security tooling are excluded uniformly. Full formulas and every source are on the methodology page.
What happens to VMware pricing at renewal under Broadcom?
The model applies a +30% default uplift only after a contract renewal event inside the horizon (documented cases range far higher: renewal uplift default +30% (documented cases up to 10×: AT&T 1050%, CISPE 800–1500%, SMB 350–450%)). On the default 5-year horizon a 3-year prepaid contract renews once (at year 3), so the uplift applies to years 4–5; on a 3-year horizon the renewal lands exactly at the boundary and the uplift is zero — the timeline is honest in both directions.
Is Cozystack ready for regulated industries (banking) compared to VMware?
Partially. The calculator lists capability gaps in both directions — Cozystack has no vSphere-HA-style auto-restart out of the box (fencing + Node Health Check setup is priced into implementation), and NSX micro-segmentation vs Cilium network policies are different security models that need a zoning review. Turn on "Regulated industry" in the calculator to float compliance gaps to the top.