Yes, it’s FREE — but only starting from version 8.0U3e!

After months of speculation following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, we now have clarity — VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 8.0U3e is officially available for free, directly from Broadcom.

This is massive news for:

• Homelab enthusiasts
• IT professionals training on their own hardware
• vExperts testing integrations and new features
• Small businesses who need a reliable virtualisation platform

Let’s break it down…

What’s New: Free ESXi 8 is Now Real (But ONLY 8.0U3e and Above)

Broadcom has released VMware vSphere Hypervisor 8.0U3e as a free ISO download, complete with a free license key for standalone use.

This version is the first and only one under the new licensing model to be offered for free.
Download File: VMware-VMvisor-Installer-8.0U3e-24677879.x86_64.iso
Build Number: 24677879
Size: 618.34 MB

Previous ESXi 8 builds (like 8.0U1 or U2) are not available with a free license anymore. Make sure you download 8.0U3e or later.

How to Access the Free ESXi 8.0U3e ISO from Broadcom

Follow these exact steps to access and download:

Step 1: Go to Broadcom’s Support Portal

https://access.broadcom.com/

Step 2: Register for an Account

• Click Sign Up if you’re not already a member.
• After registration, verify your email address before proceeding.

Step 3: Log In and Navigate to “My Downloads”

• Once signed in, click on your profile dropdown and go to My Downloads.

Step 4: Click on “Free Software Downlaod avaliable HERE”

• In the Downloads section, locate and click on Free Software on the left panel.

Step 5: Select “VMware vSphere Hypervisor”

• You will see the latest versions listed here.

Step 6: Download the ISO

• Look for:
• tick on the I agree the Teams and Condictions
• Click into VMware vSphere Hypervisor Relese (ESXi 8.0U3e)
  VMware-VMvisor-Installer-8.0U3e-24677879.x86_64.iso
• Click download and save it locally.

Step 7: Retrieve Your Free License Key

• Once downloaded, you’ll see a free license key provided on the same page.
• Apply this license after ESXi is installed to unlock the full functionality for a standalone host.

Ideal Use Cases for ESXi 8.0U3e Free Edition

• Studying for VMware certifications (VCP/VCAP)
• Building a home lab to test vSphere 8’s latest features
• Small, non-clustered virtual environments
• Integration and testing by vExperts and developers

Note: This version does not support vCenter Server integration under the free license. It’s designed for standalone ESXi hosts only — perfect for labs or basic setups.

Special Shoutout to the vExpert & Homelab Community

To all the VMware vExperts, bloggers, and tech YouTubers — thank you for continuously sharing updates, workarounds, and guides. Your insights have helped keep the community informed through the Broadcom transition.

This free version is a huge win for us all.

Whether you’re:

• Setting up a low-power Intel NUC or Supermicro node
• Building out a multi-node lab
• Just getting started with virtualisation…

You now have access to VMware’s powerful hypervisor at zero cost.

Final Thoughts

Broadcom has finally provided the community what many feared would disappear — a free tier of ESXi, now under version 8.0U3e. It’s perfect for labs, learning, testing, and lean deployments.

If you’re a CloudBunch customer or a fellow IT pro and want help installing or managing your ESXi lab — from ISO to VM creation to patching and VM backups — we’ve got your back.

Quick Links

• Register or Login: Broadcom Support Portal
• Download Page: After login, go to My Downloads > Free Software > VMware vSphere Hypervisor

Over to You

Are you running a homelab?
Are you planning to upgrade from an older ESXi version?
Tag your favourite #vExpert and let the community know:
ESXi 8.0U3e is FREE — go get it!

Hi All,

In this post i am going to take you through the steps in installing and configuring the ESX host once the installation is completed I will show you how to add it to the vCenter Server.

for the purpose of the post i have done a nested ESX installation ( which is ESX running on a VM) below you will see a quick YouTube video on the installation. dont for get to subscribe to my YouTube channel as stay tuned for new videos.

I have also taken screenshots on for the installation process. I know sometime its quick to follow the screenshots as appose to going through the video.

At this point the installation starts and you will the progress of the installation.

Thats all you can now press F2 to login to the esx using the password you have set.

You will need to setup the Network configuration to static then add it to the vCenter. If you dont have a vCenter you can deploy one on this ESX server as this is the first one.

I will be posting about how to installing vCetner server in the coming days. however if you have got a vCetner installed this is how you can quickly add the new build host to the vCenter Server.

Login to the vCenter and right click on the Cluster or the datacenter then click on Add Host

After a few seconds you will see the vSphere ESX host appering in the cluster. you can put it on Maintenance Mode if you want to do further configuration on the Host.

Hope you enjoyed by post feel free to command and let me know if you have any questions. I will love to hear back from my users.

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