VMware Workstation Player vs Portable Virtualbox

Struggling to choose between VMware Workstation Player and Portable Virtualbox? 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, Portable Virtualbox is a Os & Utilities product tagged with virtualization, virtual-machine, portable, open-source.

Its standout features include 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 it shines with pros like 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.

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


Portable Virtualbox

Portable Virtualbox

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.

Categories:
virtualization virtual-machine portable open-source

Portable Virtualbox Features

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

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

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