Portable Virtualbox vs Parallels Workstation

Struggling to choose between Portable Virtualbox and Parallels Workstation? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Portable Virtualbox is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like virtualization, virtual-machine, portable, open-source.

It boasts features such as Runs VirtualBox virtual machines directly from a USB drive, Does not require VirtualBox to be installed on the host computer, Supports importing and exporting VMs in OVF format, Includes VirtualBox Extension Pack for added functionality, Open source and free to use and pros including Portable and self-contained, Does not clutter host computer with VirtualBox installation, Easy to carry VMs between different computers, Good for testing software across different OS environments.

On the other hand, Parallels Workstation is a Os & Utilities product tagged with virtualization, multios, windows, macos, linux.

Its standout features include Run multiple operating systems on one machine, Seamless integration between host and guest OS, Easy switching between virtual machines, Resource optimization for virtual machines, 3D graphics support, Drag-and-drop files between host and guest OS, Virtual networking and sharing options, Snapshotting and cloning of VMs, Remote access to VMs, and it shines with pros like Good performance, User-friendly interface, Powerful customization options, Integration with macOS, Ability to run Windows on Mac, Cost-effective compared to buying multiple computers.

Feature	Portable Virtualbox	Parallels Workstation
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Os & Utilities	Os & Utilities

Product Overview

Portable Virtualbox

Description: Portable Virtualbox is a free, open-source virtualization software that allows you to run multiple virtual machines on your Windows computer without needing to install Virtualbox. It runs directly from a USB drive for easy portability.

Parallels Workstation

Description: Parallels Workstation is a virtualization software that allows users to run multiple operating systems on a single physical computer. It provides an easy way to switch between Windows, macOS, Linux, and other operating systems without rebooting.

Key Features Comparison

Portable Virtualbox Features

• Runs VirtualBox virtual machines directly from a USB drive
• Does not require VirtualBox to be installed on the host computer
• Supports importing and exporting VMs in OVF format
• Includes VirtualBox Extension Pack for added functionality
• Open source and free to use

Parallels Workstation Features

• Run multiple operating systems on one machine
• Seamless integration between host and guest OS
• Easy switching between virtual machines
• Resource optimization for virtual machines
• 3D graphics support
• Drag-and-drop files between host and guest OS
• Virtual networking and sharing options
• Snapshotting and cloning of VMs
• Remote access to VMs

Pros & Cons Analysis

Portable Virtualbox

Pros

• Portable and self-contained
• Does not clutter host computer with VirtualBox installation
• Easy to carry VMs between different computers
• Good for testing software across different OS environments

Cons

• Limited feature set compared to full VirtualBox
• No guest additions or shared folder support
• Potential USB performance bottlenecks
• Not officially supported by Oracle

Parallels Workstation

Pros

• Good performance
• User-friendly interface
• Powerful customization options
• Integration with macOS
• Ability to run Windows on Mac
• Cost-effective compared to buying multiple computers

Cons

• Can be resource intensive
• Limited support for Linux guests
• Steep learning curve for advanced features
• Occasional bugs or crashes
• Lacks features of paid competitors like VMWare

Pricing Comparison

Portable Virtualbox

• Free
• Open Source

Parallels Workstation

• Subscription-Based