Best Virtual Machine Software Programs – Virtual machine software emulates additional operating systems on a computer to run programs and deploy apps in other windows. With VM software, you can run a Windows instance on macOS or vice versa, as well as different operating system combinations, including Chrome OS, Linux, and Solaris.
These programs offer users more features and performance capabilities than a single computer’s operating system can deliver all at once.
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Some virtual machine companies offer free versions of their software for personal use, while others include free trials, before committing to a purchase. Here, we’ve rounded up the best virtual machine software programs available to take the guesswork out of what system best suits your needs.
The computer’s current operating system is commonly referred to as the host. The secondary operating system that runs in the VM interface is often called the guest.
Best Virtual Machine Software Programs
- Best Overall: VMware Workstation
- Best for Mac Users: VMware Fusion
- Best Free Option: Oracle VM VirtualBox
- Best for Running Windows and macOS: Parallels Desktop
- Best for (Some) Windows 10 Users: Hyper-V Manager
- Best for Linux Users: QEMU
Best Overall: VMware Workstation
Key Specs
- Cost: Free (base version)
- Platform: Windows and Linux
- Free Trial: N/A
Why We Chose It
With almost 20 years on the market, VMware Workstation is considered the industry standard of virtual machine applications. Its robust set of functions covers many virtualization needs.
Pros & Cons
- Offers an evaluation version
- Easy to use once it is set up
- Widely used and well-regarded
- Free for personal use
- Consumes a lot of computer resources
- Not all programs work in the emulation
- Default configuration may require changes
Overview
VMware Workstation software allows for virtual machine open standards, providing the ability to create and run VMs from competing vendors within the VMware product. It is compatible with the following host platforms: most 64-bit Linux distributions, Windows 10 and above (64-bit only), and Windows Server 2012 and above.
The software permits advanced 3D solutions by supporting DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1, and its advanced networking features let you set up and administer elaborate virtual networks. You can use VMware snapshots to set rollback points for testing. And its cloning system makes deploying multiple instances of a similar VM a breeze.
The package integrates seamlessly with vSphere, the VMware enterprise server virtualization product, resulting in the easy administration of all VMs in a company’s data center remotely from the local machine.
There are two versions of the application: Workstation Player and Workstation Pro. Player (the home version) is free and allows you to create new VMs, supporting over 200 guest operating systems.
It also allows for file sharing between the host and guest and supports 4K displays. Pro (the business version) takes things up a notch by allowing you to run more than one VM at a time and accessing abilities like cloning, snapshots, and complex networking.
Best for Mac Users: VMware Fusion
Key Specs
- Cost: Free (base version)
- Platform: Mac
- Free Trial: N/A
Why We Chose It
Created by the same people who created VMware Workstation for Linux and Windows, Fusion ports the same Workstation experience to the Mac platform.
Pros & Cons
- Brings VMware emulation to macOS
- Base version (Fusion Player) is free
- Supports a range of macOS displays
- Uses the same virtual machines as non-Mac VMware
- Doesn’t have some of the features that other products offer
- Can be sluggish
Overview
Similar to VMware Workstation, Fusion Player is free for personal use and works with macOS/OS X 10.13 systems and above. Fusion Pro can be purchased for business purposes or by individuals who require access to advanced features.
This software has some Mac-specific functionality, as well. It supports 5K iMac displays, as well as mixed retina and non-retina configurations. Fusion includes Unity Mode, which hides the Windows desktop interface and lets you launch Windows applications from the Dock as if the apps are regular apps on macOS.
The free and paid versions of Fusion can run Windows from a Boot Camp partition as a guest VM instance, eliminating the need for a reboot when you switch back and forth.
Best Free Option: Oracle VM VirtualBox
Key Specs
- Cost: Free (base version)
- Platform: Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris
- Free Trial: N/A
Why We Chose It
Oracle’s VM VirtualBox is available for home and business use at no charge. (However, the extensions pack—which includes USB support and other basic features—is only free for personal use.)
Pros & Cons
- Base version is free
- Offers an intuitive interfacing and operation system
- Stable
- Requires a hardware setup that has ample RAM
- Some features require Guest Additions software
Overview
VirtualBox supports several guest operating systems, including all Windows versions ranging from XP to 10, Windows NT, and Windows Server 2003. It can run VMs with Linux 2.4 and above, Solaris, OpenSolaris, and OpenBSD.
You also can turn back the clock and run OS/2 or DOS/Windows 3.1, whether for nostalgic purposes or to play your favorite games, like Wasteland or Pool of Radiance.
VirtualBox runs several guest windows simultaneously and provides a level of portability. A VM created on one host can be transferred to another host with a different operating system.
It also runs on older hardware, recognizes most USB devices, and offers a library of Guest Additions that are free and easy to install. These added features include the ability to transfer files and clipboard contents between the host and guest operating systems, 3D virtualization, and video support.
Apple doesn’t allow macOS to function on non-Apple hardware. You cannot legally run macOS in a virtual machine unless the host environment is macOS.
Oracle VM VirtualBox has an expanding developer community that publishes new releases regularly and an active user forum with almost 100,000 registered members. VirtualBox’s track record assures it will continue to improve and serve as a long-term VM solution.
Best for Running Windows and macOS: Parallels Desktop
Key Specs
- Cost: $99.99 to $149.99 per year
- Platform: macOS
- Free Trial: Yes
Why We Chose It
Parallels is a long-time favorite of Mac enthusiasts who occasionally need to run Windows and Mac applications side by side.
Pros & Cons
- Runs Windows, Chrome OS, Linux, and second instance of macOS
- Offers three versions to suit different applications
- Gives you the ability to monitor and adjust memory usage
- MacBook Pro Touch Bar works in Windows
- Requires considerable resource consumption
- Adjustments aren’t always intuitive
- Users must upgrade subscriptions yearly.
Overview
Parallels can run both Windows and Mac applications at the same time on macOS/OS X 10.13 and above. This software optimizes system and hardware resources for a Windows experience that feels like an actual PC, yet on a Mac.
Parallels offers most of the features found in a paid VM product and many features specific to Mac, like opening websites in a Safari browser and displaying Windows alerts in the Mac Notification Center. Files and clipboard content can be dragged between the two operating systems. And a dedicated cloud storage space is included that can be shared across macOS and Windows.
A common misconception about Parallels is that it can only be used for Windows in a guest VM. It permits you to run Chrome OS, Linux, and another instance of macOS.
There are three versions of Parallels, each suited for a particular audience. The Standard edition works best for those switching from a PC to a Mac for the first time or using Windows applications on a regular basis.
The Pro edition is best for software developers, testers, and other power users, as it integrates with Microsoft Visual Studio and well-known developer and QA tools. And the Business edition includes all of the above, along with centralized administration and management tools.
Best for (Some) Windows 10 Users: Hyper-V Manager
Key Specs
- Cost: Free
- Platform: Windows
- Free Trial: N/A
Why We Chose It
Hyper-V Manager is a full-featured, powerful hypervisor that works for Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education, or Windows 8 (and 8.1) Pro or Enterprise.
Pros & Cons
- Free
- Installed in supported versions of Windows 10
- Robust performance with deep hooks into the host OS
- Not available on Windows 10 Home
- Other VM solutions can’t run at the same time
Overview
Microsoft offers Hyper-V Manager professional, enterprise, and academic versions for Windows 10. As a built-in feature, it supports deep linking within the Windows 10 host operating system and a range of guest OS systems, including various versions of Windows, Linux, and older systems like MS-DOS.
Microsoft offers a free developer version of Windows 10 for Hyper-V Manager, fully licensed for use within the virtual environment.
Best for Linux Users: QEMU
Key Specs
- Cost: Free
- Platform: Linux
- Free Trial: N/A
Why We Chose It
QEMU is the hypervisor of choice for Linux users, based on its zero-dollar price tag and easy-to-perfect, full-system emulation tools.
Pros & Cons
- Free
- Functions as a VM host and machine emulator
- Emulates a range of machines
- Dated and confusing interface
Overview
QEMU’s open-source emulator simulates a range of hardware peripherals using dynamic translation for ideal performance. It is compatible with most Linux distributions, macOS 11.7.4 (through the Homebrew package manager), and 32-and 64-bit Windows (newer versions no longer work with Windows XP).
Running KVM virtual machines when using QEMU as a virtualizer can result in nearly the same performance as the host system—given the right hardware—making you almost forget that you’re using a VM.
Administrative privileges are only required in certain scenarios with QEMU, like when you need to access USB devices from within a guest VM. And this offering is a rare occurrence with VM software, adding some flexibility to the ways you can use this specific hypervisor.
Custom builds of QEMU are available for macOS and Windows. However, the majority of its user base tends to have Linux computers as the host.
Final Verdict
VMware Workstation is our best overall choice for virtual machine software programs. This software is considered the industry standard and boasts robust features, like cloning systems, deploying multiple VMs at once, and administering elaborate networks.
The company offers a free home version with basic features, as well as a paid business version that allows users to manage encrypted virtual machines across a network.
Compare the Best Virtual Machine Software Programs
| Company | Cost | Platform | Free Trial |
| Best Overall VMware Workstation | Free (base version) | Windows and Linux | N/A |
| Best for Mac Users VMware Fusion | Free (base version) | Mac | N/A |
| Best Free Option Oracle VM VirtualBox | Free (base version) | Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris | N/A |
| Best for Running Windows and macOS Parallels Desktop | $99.99 to $149.99 per year | macOS | Yes |
| Best for (Some) Windows 10 Users Hyper-V Manager | Free | Windows | N/A |
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