Hive Fabric vs Hydra
Hive Fabric
hiveio.com
Hydra
loginvsi.comSide by side
| Figure | Hive Fabric | Hydra |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $1/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 6 |
| Spec score · Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Software | 8.2 (#8) | 9.1 (#2) |
| Deployment | The software installs from a single ISO, and the maker says a cluster can be operational in less than an hour. | Hydra can be deployed from the Azure Marketplace into an Azure resource group and accessed through a web portal. |
| Headquarters | Hoboken, New Jersey, United States | Boston, Massachusetts, and Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Integrations | Hive Fabric supports cloud and network storage technologies, and the maker lists RADIUS as an access-gateway MFA standard. | Documented integrations include Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Intune, Azure Monitor and hybrid Hyper-V locations through Azure Arc and Hydra Proxy. |
| Purpose | Hive Fabric is an all-in-one virtualization platform for desktop and server workloads, aimed at deployments from edge sites to enterprise multi-site environments. | Hydra provides a management layer for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 environments. |
| Support | HiveIO lists technical support by email and says it can assist with technical evaluations or formal proofs of concept. | The free Community Edition includes knowledge base and support forum access; paid AVD and Windows 365 plans include dedicated email support, a knowledge base, and a support forum. |
Plans
Hive Fabric
- Hive Fabric Community EditionFree
- Hive Fabric CorePriced on request
- Hive Fabric EnterprisePriced on request
Hydra
- Hydra Community EditionPriced on request
- Hydra Annual Enterprise PlanPriced on request
- Hydra Community EditionFree
- Hydra for Windows 365$1 a month
- Hydra for AVD$5 a month
- Hydra Annual Enterprise PlanPrice not published
In their own words
Hive Fabric
Hive Fabric is a virtualization platform for Windows and Linux desktop and server workloads, designed for deployments from edge sites to multiple enterprise locations. Built on the open-source KVM hypervisor, it combines hyperconverged and RAM-based storage with support for network and cloud storage. A browser portal provides access to desktops, servers, and physical systems over RDP or an integrated HTML5 client. Administrators can manage multiple sites and clusters from one web interface, and desktop pools can span hosts without shared storage, with live migration between them. Access can use MFA through RADIUS or token-based two-factor authentication. Data Protection replicates VMs, User Volumes, and Templates to selected cloud or on-premises storage on daily, weekly, or monthly schedules. Hive Sense checks phone-home data hourly and may initiate support engagement when it detects anomalies. Installation uses a single ISO. Community Edition costs nothing and provides a perpetual license for one physical host and unlimited VMs; activation requires ClusterID registration.
Hydra
Hydra provides a management layer for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 environments. For AVD, it can scale capacity and manage power according to usage, helping reduce idle compute costs; image lifecycle management includes one-click rollback. An optional Hydra Agent measures session-host performance and shows user processes on a session or host. Documented integrations include FSLogix, Hybrid Active Directory, Microsoft Entra and Intune. Hydra can be deployed from the Azure Marketplace into an Azure resource group and accessed through a web portal. It can use a least-privilege Azure service principal, with activity auditable through Azure Activity Logs and Microsoft Graph. Tenant isolation uses Azure RBAC boundaries and tenant-specific credentials. The free Community Edition has limited tenants and host pools. Hydra for Windows 365 is listed at $1 a month, and Hydra for AVD at $5 a month, both billed month-to-month. Login VSI states that it is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant.