VMware Workstation Player vs KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

Struggling to choose between VMware Workstation Player and KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

VMware Workstation Player is a Virtualization solution with tags like virtualization, desktop-virtualization, vmware, virtual-machine.

It boasts features such as Run multiple operating systems simultaneously, Isolate applications and services, Test software in different environments, Snapshot and revert virtual machine states, Drag-and-drop files across virtual machines, Virtual networking and sharing, 3D graphics acceleration, Unity mode for running Windows apps seamlessly and pros including Free for personal non-commercial use, Easy to set up and use, Good performance, Feature-rich, Supports many operating systems and hardware configurations.

On the other hand, KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a System & Hardware product tagged with virtualization, vm, linux, open-source.

Its standout features include Kernel-level virtualization, Supports live migration of VMs between hosts, Built into Linux kernel, Leverages hardware-assisted virtualization, Open source and free, and it shines with pros like Good performance, Leverages hardware virtualization, Integrated into Linux, Active development community, Free and open source.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

VMware Workstation Player

VMware Workstation Player

VMware Workstation Player is a virtualization software that allows users to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical machine. It enables testing software, running different operating systems, and consolidating physical hardware.

Categories:
virtualization desktop-virtualization vmware virtual-machine

VMware Workstation Player Features

  1. Run multiple operating systems simultaneously
  2. Isolate applications and services
  3. Test software in different environments
  4. Snapshot and revert virtual machine states
  5. Drag-and-drop files across virtual machines
  6. Virtual networking and sharing
  7. 3D graphics acceleration
  8. Unity mode for running Windows apps seamlessly

Pricing

  • Free
  • Freemium

Pros

Free for personal non-commercial use

Easy to set up and use

Good performance

Feature-rich

Supports many operating systems and hardware configurations

Cons

Limited to non-commercial use

Less features than paid VMware Workstation Pro

No live migration of VMs

No remote management features


KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is an open-source virtualization technology that allows you to create and run virtual machines (VMs) on Linux. It makes use of hardware virtualization capabilities of modern CPUs for efficient virtualization.

Categories:
virtualization vm linux open-source

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) Features

  1. Kernel-level virtualization
  2. Supports live migration of VMs between hosts
  3. Built into Linux kernel
  4. Leverages hardware-assisted virtualization
  5. Open source and free

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Good performance

Leverages hardware virtualization

Integrated into Linux

Active development community

Free and open source

Cons

Linux-only

Less features than proprietary solutions

Steeper learning curve than alternatives

No centralized management