Here are Top Virtual Machine Applications as alternatives for VMware Workstation. To help casual and Pro users in creating Virtual machines of Windows, Linux and other operating systems as a guest.
QEMU is one of the most popular and free Virtual machine applications available on the Internet today. It is a short form for the quick emulator and is an open source software. It will work well on any version of Windows which is after Windows XP which is, sadly, no longer supported. Feb 23, 2020 Virtual machine software programs are very useful when you want to run different OS applications on the same device. Try one of these best virtual machine software discussed above and make your virtualization experience even more thrilling. Just make sure to check the compatibility of your VM software with your device before downloading it in 2020. Have been using Virtualbox and VMware (on Ubuntu hosts) for 3 years for Windows and Ubuntu guests. Virtualbox has issues with USB support, especialy flash drives, unless you predefine flshdrives and set them up like shared folders before starting. Sep 11, 2020 Virtual machines emulate additional operating systems, each in individual windows, on a computer. With VM software, you can run a Windows instance on macOS or vice versa, as well as other OS combinations that include Chrome OS, Linux, and Solaris. Here are some of the best virtual machine software programs available in 2020.
VMware Workstation is one of the most popular application as the Virtual Machine setup solution around the world. VMware is not only used by casual users but also used by many professionals even by many organizations as the only Virtual machine setup solution. But, sometimes even the most popular applications proved to be a bit hard to learn and difficult to use, and here comes the idea of alternative applications. As I always state in my articles, that looking for alternative applications to a popular app for any kind of solution is a good idea. As it gives you more knowledge about how the application works, as well as some best alternative applications, are really very good and even better in some aspects than the most popular apps. As an example, if you stick to the PUBG game for your life you may not experience some other alternative games like it which are even better, so for a better experience always try some alternatives to popular ways and in the world of technology there are endless alternatives to try and know about.
In this article, we will discuss the alternatives to VMware Workstation for all the OS out there for both casual and professional usages and we will discuss both the free and commercial type of applications. But first, we are about to discuss the necessity of the Virtual Machine solution applications as there are many people who do not know why they should use such apps.
Why do we use Virtual Machine Setup?
There are three most used PC OSs out there Windows, Linux and Mac. Most of the professional users and organizations use Linux or Mac for their everyday usage, while most of the casual users and gamers go for the Windows OS for their versatility. But, now a day while you have to work with many other people from different parts of the world and with using various types of applications and file formats, many needs arise where you need to opt for using more than one OS for better productivity.
Now for using the dual OS in a single PC many of the users would be opting for dual boot system. But, the main problem with dual boot system is it makes your HDD response slow as well as it jeopardises the backup feature of the OS itself as there are lots of system files from the other OS is lying around. Apart from that, many Laptop producers also do consider as the warranty on the system is void if you use the dual boot in that system.
So, to stay away from the warranty related problems and also to stay away from all the complex start-up issue related problems of dual boot system, using some application to configure the second OS from within the pre-installed OS is a very good idea. Here comes the need for a dedicated application which can be used to set up a secondary OS on HDD as a Virtual system environment.
Using Virtual Machine one can also configure multiple OS on a single machine like you can install multiple version of Linux, Chrome OS, Android OS, or even older Windows OS in a single PC, and can switch to anyone, anytime as you need it. Virtual Machine is also a good idea for learning multiple OS and multiple domains, so considering the use of Virtual Machine instead of dual boot configuration is an all-round good idea.
Kamera filter app. Here are some best alternatives to VMware Workstation for all kind of users:
Contents
VirtualBox
VirtualBox is one of the best VMware Workstation alternatives to be used for Virtual machine setup. It features a powerful core with x86 architecture, which is supported by both AMD64 bit and Intel64 bit CPUs. VirtualBox is not just a good enough application for individual users but also it is a very good option for professionals and enterprises. It is a feature-rich application with an easy to use interface.
- VirtualBox is an Open source GNU GPL licensed application, so it's completely free.
- It is supported by MS Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris and BSD operating system.
- VirtualBox is supported by some of the oldest OS like Windows NT 4.0, XP, Server 2003; Linux 2,4, 2.6; OS/2 etc.
- It supports 28 languages and has an average of fewer crash reports than some other popular virtualization apps.
QEMU (Quick Emulator)
QEMU works as flawlessly alternative as VirtualBox to VMware Workstation work. QEMU is actually a hosted hypervisor for the works of virtual machine monitoring. Its internal algorithm works very simply and allows CPU to be emulated through the dynamic binary translation which enables it to run a variety of guest operating system in full version manner. For advanced users, QEMU also supports accelerated mode that supports the mixed execution of binary translation code native user based execution code for both kernel-based usages and user-level usages.
- As QEMU is a hosted application; you can use QEMU from a cloud, so you do not need to install the whole QEMU application in your pc, just a client app for QEMU is enough.
- For a heavy and professional level usage, QEMU can be installed in your local drives for better response time.
- QEMU is an Open source application, hence free to use for all kind of users.
- QEMU is supported by MS Windows, Linux, Mac and BSD.
KVM (Kernel-Based Virtual Machine)
KVM another open-source VMware Workstation Alternative. It is a complete virtualization solution for anyone with the need for virtual machine configuration. KVM uses x86 architecture to process the emulation algorithm. It contains virtualization extension for both Intel-VT and AMD-V. KVM features a loadable kernel module called kvm.ko, which provides the infrastructure for virtual system processing for Intel and AMD systems.
- KVM is a free program, so anyone can enjoy KVM without any license.
- Using KVM you can use multiple virtual machines at a single pc having different OS images, like one in Linux and the other one in Windows.
- The user can even configure the virtual hardware setups for each of the virtual machines differently, so each virtual machines will have separate RAM, HDD, GPU & VRAM, Network access port etc.
- KVM is supported by Linux and Android only, but in the virtual setup, you can install Windows, Chrome OS, BSD, Android, Linux etc.
- You can also download some plugins separately for more extensive usages.
Microsoft Hyper-V Server
Hyper-V server is an application from the IT giant Microsoft themselves. Hyper-V server was launched in 2008 and with time it proved itself as a reliable virtualization application for many professional organizations to improve the resource utilization and effective cost control. With the help of Hyper-V Server as an alternative to VMware Virtualization platfrom, the user can install multiple instances of different OS which can be used and accessed differently as well as all of the OS can be defined with a specific amount of processing power, RAM availability, HDD usage etc. With the help of the live migration feature, these kinds of systems can be used for both development and testing related jobs.
- Hyper-V Server has extensive support from Microsoft, as well as the server security system works at its best, so handling files within multiple OS through a single server also can be kept save.
- It is a commercial application (not free) and designed as a professional application, which is meant for enterprises and organizations only though it can be used for personal usages also.
- Hyper-V is supported by Windows and Linux only, not supported by Mac.
Parallels Desktop
Parallel Desktop is an alternative virtualization solution for the Mac users to run Windows and Linux OS on the same pc for running the crucial applications of other OS.
- Only available for Mac users.
- Parallel Desktop is an application with freemium license, with free full version trial usage for 14 days. For seamless usage, the user has to buy the licensed version of the application and need to renew the application every year.
- With the full version subscription, the user will also have an add on service called Parallels Toolbar with 30+ one-touch tools related to the PC virtualization.
- The user can download the Parallel Desktop from the official website as well one can opt for the Parallels Desktop Lite from the Mac App Store too.
- We can install Windows or Linux on Mac using Parallel Desktop, even multiple instances of Mac OS itself can be launched by using Parallel Desktop.
- To install Windows on Parallel Desktop you need to buy windows separately while to use Mac on the virtual setup you do not need to buy it again as you already have the license for it and the same license can be used.
VMware Fusion
Another virtualization application for Mac runs seamlessly, but lack some features as compared to Parallel Desktop. VMware Fusion features the easiest user interface and is a very user-friendly application.
- VMware Fusion is a completely commercial application, so not available for free usage or trial.
Portable VirtualBox
Just like VirtualBox, Portable VirtualBox is also a reliable and dependable virtual machine solution, but with a different kind of use. As Portable VirtualBox a virtualization solution which can work even from a USB drive, and do not need a separate installation in the local drive at all. By adjusting the paths and configuration Portable VirtualBox becomes a portable OS package in the pocket which can be used anywhere in any PC with supporting OS.
- VMware Fusion is a completely commercial application, so not available for free usage or trial.
Portable VirtualBox
Just like VirtualBox, Portable VirtualBox is also a reliable and dependable virtual machine solution, but with a different kind of use. As Portable VirtualBox a virtualization solution which can work even from a USB drive, and do not need a separate installation in the local drive at all. By adjusting the paths and configuration Portable VirtualBox becomes a portable OS package in the pocket which can be used anywhere in any PC with supporting OS.
- Portable VirtualBox is a free and open-sourced application for all kind of users.
- Unlike VirtualBox, Portable VirtualBox is only available for Windows OS only though in the virtual setup you can install, Linux, Debian, BSD, Android ore even Chrome OS.
OpenVZ
OpenVZ is a container-based VMware Workstation Alternative application which works on the pre-defined contained system environment also known as the VE or VPS on a physical server, for better response time and secure data handling. Using a container-based system ensures that the same application in the physical OS and in the virtual OS does not conflict in anyways as well as the accessing the physical drives do not expose the files secured in the virtual system.
- Any container or any Virtual path can be restarted and rebooted separately without turning the whole pc off.
- Every container provides the root access along with the IP addresses, memory, files, applications, libraries and user configurations within it.
- OpenVZ is an application which is free to use and open source.
- OpenVZ is available for Linux users only.
Bochs
Bochs is a very much portable application, which is also an open-source program with IA-32 (x86) PC emulator engineered in C++, which runs most of the popular OS out there.
- Bochs includes emulation processing system of the Intel x86 architecture, also features a custom BIOS.
- Bochs is supported and can run on most Operating Systems including Linux, DOS, Windows 95/98, Windows NT/2000/XP or even Windows Vista and later.
- Bochs also allows the user to run OS and as well as the Applications within the emulator on your PC itself, just like the user has a machine inside of a machine.
- Bochs is supported by the Windows, Linux, AmigaOS, Morph-OS etc.
- Bochs is an open-sourced project hence free to use.
ASG-Remote Desktop
This is a Virtualization alternative program is a bit different as it designed for a different type of job-set in mind. ASG-Remote Desktop works as an indispensable tool-set for administrative level access to any remote computers connected to the network. You can even consider the ASG-Remote app as a paid service more than a mere application on the system.
- This tool-set comes with an integrated connection protocol, which allows the users to manage MS Windows, Linux, UNIX and Mac OS on virtual setup efficiently, even from a USB stick or from other system connected to the network.
- In turn, ASG-Remote Desktop ensures a speedy job done on a daily basis while it let you access the admin tools and serves as a central control system.
- There are more than 200000 users around the world who uses ASG-Remote desktop for fast intra-networking and node to node connection around the world, so do not worry you will have a big community supporting by.
- The Asg-remote desktop is a commercial application, so not available for free.
- ASG-Remote Desktop is only available to MS Windows users with good quality community support and customer service.
Other Popular Alternatives:
Windows operating system and Mac OS each have their own pros and cons. It is really handy to be able to keep our hands on both of the operating systems. If you are a regular user, using both the operating system simultaneously can be a hassle. Today we'll see some of the best virtual machine for mac and Windows.
This article has been divided into two parts. One being the best virtual machine for windows to run Mac OS and other best virtual machine for mac to run other windows based applications.
First, let's get into some of the best mac osx virtual machine. .
Best Virtual Machine for Mac OS
Best Virtual Machine App For Mac
If you are looking to use windows applications in Mac OS X, there are lots of good options out there.
Parallels
Best Virtual Machine Applications
Parallels is by far, hands down the best way to use windows applications on a mac OS laptop/system. I you are looking to visualize your windows based software, parallels got your back.
Best Virtual Machine App For Mac
Parallels take it to a whole new level when it comes to run dual operating systems on your PC. With parallels, you do not have to install the operating system primarily. What you do is, you run a windows operating system within your MAC's desktop without rebooting the laptop.
The applications run as they are native to the operating system without any glitch or any issues. If you are looking for the best virtual machine for Mac OS X for running windows or windows applications, Parallels is your answer.
- Gone are the days to reboot to switch between OS.
- Windows 10 and macOS Sierra optimized
- You get 500 GB of free online backup
- Convert your existing PC or install a new one.
VMware Fusion
vmware-fusion-mac-os
Vmware Fusion provide a similar feature but the biggest down side of Vmware Fusion is Gaming performance/3D performance. There are lots of users that recommend Vmware Fusion because it provides some extra configurations/customization options that Parallels does not provide. So, if you are not much into gaming, that you cannot go wrong with Vmware Fusion, but we insist you stick with Parallels.
Now let's see how you can do the same (in other way) on a Windows Computer
Best Mac OSX Virtual Machine For Windows
Yes, you can install or use Mac OS x on your windows computer or hardware. There are two ways you can do it.
- You can use a virtualization software for MAC OS and use Mac os inside windows
- Either you can install Mac OS as a primary operating system which requires in-depth knowledge of your hardware and other stuffs. So we recommend you to stick with the first option.
Using Mac OS inside windows
I have already written a How To guide on all the installation and configuration process for using Mac OS on your windows PC. Check it out.
Virtual Box
Virtual Box is a free virtualization software provided by oracle. Since it is a free software, there are some limitations to the usability and advanced features you get on other applications.
Vmware Workstation
Vmware workstation is the best application to install mac OS on windows PC. It provided advanced configurations and customization options. There is so much you can do with Vmware Workstation.
- High end, powerful virtual machines can be created with Vmware Workstation
- Performance is unbeatable like suspending, pausing the state of virtual machines.
- Workstation supports 4k displays and high resolution.
- Setting up networking is a piece of cake.
So, there you have it these were some of the best virtual machine for Mac and windows. These are the best and tried applications among thousands of other applications.
If you face any issues, do let us know in the comments below.
