If youve never used a virtual machine before, you might be a little confused. This is partly because using a virtual machine isnt like using other familiar applications. In reality, using a virtual machine is quite simple and extremely useful. The problem is that there are many virtual machine software options, including both free and paid versions, among which are VirtualBox and VMware Player. So, between VirtualBox and VMware Player, which virtual machine should you choose?
This article from TipsMake will focus on comparing VirtualBox and VMware Player to help you decide which virtual machine software is best suited for your needs.
Price difference between VirtualBox and VMware
Although VirtualBox and VMware are free virtual machine software, they are free for different purposes.
The VirtualBox core engine is licensed under GPLv2 and is open source; however, the 'extensions' are owned by Oracle and are free only for personal, educational, or evaluation use.
VMware Workstation Player is the free version of VMware Workstation Pro, meaning it's intended only for students, non-profit organizations, and personal or family use. However, users must register with their email address to receive regular VMware advertisements . VMware Workstation Pro is the paid version.
For home users who simply want to run older, unused software or test a new operating system, both VirtualBox and VMware Player meet the requirements.
Using VirtualBox and VMware
To compare VirtualBox and VMware Player and determine which virtual machine is better and easier to use, try installing Elementary OS for Linux 0.4.1 on both virtual machines and running them.
VirtualBox has a wizard window that guides users through creating a new virtual machine. This wizard window provides recommendations on how much RAM and hard drive space to use for setup based on your system hardware. Launching a virtual machine is also quite simple; just click Start and then follow the steps.
The VMware Workstation Player wizard window is much simpler, allowing users to fine-tune aspects that are only possible in VirtualBox. Unlike VirtualBox, VMware doesn't mention values, so you might feel unsure how to proceed. However, overall, VMware's interface is simpler and less complicated, allowing users to install virtual machines using VMware without too much difficulty.
VirtualBox and VMware performance
VirtualBox is one of the slowest virtual machine solutions available. Since VirtualBox was acquired by Oracle in 2010, the performance of this virtual machine software has gradually declined.
If you plan to run a virtual machine, you should run it on a high-performance computer because virtualization is very slow. And if your computer is powerful enough, you won't notice the relative lag of VirtualBox. It's not extremely slow, just not as fast as you'd like.
In contrast, VMware Workstation Player's performance can be described as 'excellent'. When running on the same guest operating system in both virtual machines with the same amount of allocated resources, VMware responds faster.
If you need to run virtual machines on a mid-range system, or if you plan to spend a lot of time running them each day, VMware is clearly the better choice. But if your system is top-of-the-line, you can choose either of these virtual machine software options.
Compatibility and reliability
One interesting use for virtual machines is the ability to clone an existing operating system and virtualize it on another computer. For example, programmers can clone their Linux development environment, virtualize it on a Windows computer, and continue working on the Windows computer. To do this, the virtual machines must be compatible with both systems.
This is one of the areas where VirtualBox surpasses VMware. You can set up an AOT machine , save snapshots , share data between the host and virtual machines , and instantly launch it on another computer. It will work exactly as you expect. Snapshots and cloning are not available in the free version of VMware.
When it comes to reliability, the situation is almost reversed. Using VirtualBox, you will encounter errors and problems. Many long-time VirtualBox users report that it has never run smoothly 100%. Conversely, VMware's stability and reliability are its main advantages as a virtual machine software.
Some other interesting points about VirtualBox and VMware.
Suppose after considering price, performance, compatibility, and reliability, you still haven't decided which virtual machine to choose. Here are some other interesting points to consider to help you make a quick decision.
VirtualBox:
- Snapshots: Taking a snapshot saves the entire state of the virtual machine at that moment. Think of it like saving a state in a game: at any time afterward you can "load" the snapshot and go back to see what it looked like when you took it.
- Extension pack : Combines more features, such as support for USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices, virtual disk encryption, remote desktop protocol, and many more.
VMware Workstation Player:
- Virtual machine encryption: In other words, password-protected virtual machines cannot be activated unless you have the correct credentials. You can also enable restrictions to prevent others from modifying the virtual machine's configuration.
Some common features of VirtualBox and VMware Workstation Player
- Folder sharing: Although it requires a few setup steps, this feature allows you to mount a folder on the host machine as a network share on the client machine, enabling the two machines to share data with each other.
- Data transfer and sharing: In addition to sharing folders, you can drag and drop files between the server and client. You can also copy files to the clipboard and then paste them elsewhere.
- Seamless Mode (on VirtualBox) and Unity Mode (on VMware): Drag windows from the client machine and drag them to the server, allowing you to continuously interact with both operating systems simultaneously. In VMware, such windows appear on the taskbar on the server.
VirtualBox and VMware Player: Which virtual machine should you choose?
It's difficult to choose between VirtualBox and VMware Player. Both virtual machine software programs have their own advantages and disadvantages.
In short:
Choose VirtualBox if your primary concern is 'price' (because you get full access to all features), or if you intend to move virtual machines between servers (because this virtual machine software has the best platform compatibility), or if you only support open-source software.
- Choose VMware if your primary concern is stability (VMware rarely crashes and doesn't have many bugs), or if you're using an older, low-spec computer where performance optimization is crucial, or if you're willing to pay a premium for the Pro version.
Between VirtualBox and VMware Player, which virtual machine do you think is better? Don't forget to share your opinion with TipsMake!