VMware Workstation Player vs VMware Fusion

Struggling to choose between VMware Workstation Player and VMware Fusion? 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, VMware Fusion is a Virtualization product tagged with virtualization, hypervisor, macos, windows, linux.

Its standout features include Run Windows, Linux, and other OS virtually alongside macOS, Seamless integration and full compatibility with macOS, 3D graphics support, Drag-and-drop file sharing between macOS and guest OS, Unity mode to run Windows apps seamlessly, Shared folders to access macOS files from guest OS, and it shines with pros like Easy to set up and use, Good performance, Lots of customization options, Supports many guest OS versions, Can create snapshots to revert VMs, Integrates well with other VMware products.

Feature	VMware Workstation Player	VMware Fusion
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Virtualization	Virtualization

Product Overview

VMware Workstation Player

Description: 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.

VMware Fusion

Description: VMware Fusion is a hypervisor that allows users to run virtual machines on Mac hardware. It enables running Windows, Linux, and other operating systems virtually alongside macOS on Apple silicon or Intel-based Macs.

Key Features Comparison

VMware Workstation Player Features

• 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

VMware Fusion Features

• Run Windows, Linux, and other OS virtually alongside macOS
• Seamless integration and full compatibility with macOS
• 3D graphics support
• Drag-and-drop file sharing between macOS and guest OS
• Unity mode to run Windows apps seamlessly
• Shared folders to access macOS files from guest OS

Pros & Cons Analysis

VMware Workstation Player

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

VMware Fusion

Pros

• Easy to set up and use
• Good performance
• Lots of customization options
• Supports many guest OS versions
• Can create snapshots to revert VMs
• Integrates well with other VMware products

Cons

• Requires a paid license after trial expires
• Can be resource-intensive
• Limited remote management capabilities
• No built-in collaboration tools
• Not compatible with older Macs

Pricing Comparison

VMware Workstation Player

• Free
• Freemium

VMware Fusion

• Subscription-Based