Proxmox vs VMware

I am evaluating using Proxmox instead of VMware (free license) for my VMs. I am writing down some of my thoughts for later reference. I have not used Proxmox so these thoughts are based on my research.

Proxmox pros and cons

• Comes with backup and restore even for the free license
• Easier management
• Supports zfs, and some support for zfs encryption
• Can be configured to support LUKS (some work involved)
• Does not work with Synology Active Backup for Business
• ZFS or BTRFS is more performant in terms of snapshots (but the snapshots cannot be backed up)

VMware pros and cons

• Can run off USB drive (deprecated in future versions)
• Difficult to set up backup in free version
• Does not support encryption

My current pain points with VMware

• Web GUI is a pain
• I am worried about screwing up the VMs while using the Web GUI (such as forgetting to enter/exit maintenance mode)
• Difficult to back up the USB flash drive
• Setting up backup (changed block tracking, SSH, etc.) for a new host is a pain and error prone
• Less confidence the restore would work
• No encryption

Summary

For my use case, I already have VMware set up and working, with integrated Active Backup. I like the fact I can install an ESXi host on a USB drive, which makes restoring to a new host easier. Also, if I migrate to Proxmox I might have to reconfigure my Windows VM, etc. On the other hand, the VMware GUI is a pain, and I am always worried I might make a mistake and screw up my VMs. Also my VMs are not encrypted.