Since Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, licensing for has undergone significant structural changes, including the removal and subsequent "quiet" return of the free version. 1. Free Version (vSphere Hypervisor)
Conclusion
This official VMware blog post provides an overview of the licensing changes in ESXi 8, including the new per-CPU licensing model. It also offers guidance on how to get started with ESXi 8 licensing. vmware esxi 8 license key