VMware Workstation is a full-featured virtual machine software that requires licensing. Training – Not sure how to manage VirtualBox, here’s my recommendation for VirtualBox training.ģ. Click Here To Learn More & Download VirtualBox (Oracle also has OVM which is not listed in my top ten)ģ. And will run most 32 and 64bit operating systems as a VM. Unlike VM Player this FREEWARE allows the creation of new virtual machines from ISO or importing. Great for lab testing and running from the desktop, VirtualBox installs on Windows, OS X, Solaris, and Linux. And it’s an excellent choice for beginners.

Oracle VM VirtualBox is another cool FREE virtual machine software if you’re looking for an alternative to VMware Workstation. There is also a VMware Player Plus version with enhanced features, but it will require purchasing a license. Though it cannot create new VMs from an ISO, it is still a powerful virtual machine software. VMware Player is a FREEWARE for personal use software that will allow you to mount and run VMs directly from a Windows or Linux desktop. Best Virtual Machines That Run on a Desktopġ. There is even free training for VirtualBox. This guide covers salary ranges, job skills, and online training options for beginners to learn how to set up, configure, and support virtual servers and desktops. Choose one software, or two, or three, or all 11 alternatives.īefore we get started with our list of virtual machine software products for you to review, I’d like to recommend reading my new guide to the best virtual software training. Listed below are 11 flavors of VM software.įive will install on a desktop and can run various operating systems seamlessly within the same pane of glass.Īnd then there are 6 more choices that are better suited for installing on server hardware. So I’m recommending anyone considering a career in virtualization, or businesses reviewing solutions for their new data center or private cloud, to test and evaluate more than just VMware products before deciding which is the best virtual machine for your future. Nowadays, VMs can run on smartphones and tablets and are even being used to mine cryptocurrency…Īnd though VMware is my favorite, I wanted to be fair to VM install readers and all the vendors who have virtual machine products. Today, every server, network, security, and storage vendor has gotten into the virtualization business. There was a time when you could Google “virtual machine software,” and only VMware and Java would come up.īut those days are long gone. Now It’s Easy to Build Virtual Machines Like a Pro…

Virtualbox alternative free