What is VMware Workstation used for?

VMware Workstation is a desktop hypervisor for running virtual machines on Windows and Linux PCs, paired with Fusion for Mac. It is a good fit for testing software on multiple operating systems and running isolated lab environments locally.

Is VMware Workstation free?

Yes. VMware Workstation has a free plan.

Is VMware Workstation open source?

No. VMware Workstation is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to VMware Workstation include virt-manager, QEMU and VirtualBox.

What are some alternatives to VMware Workstation?

VMware Workstation competes with Parallels Desktop and OrbStack. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source VMware Workstation alternatives.

VMware Workstation: features, pricing and alternatives

About VMware Workstation

VMware Workstation is a desktop hypervisor that lets developers and IT staff run virtual machines on a Windows or Linux computer. VMware offers a companion product, Fusion, for the same purpose on Mac, and the two are presented together on one product page.

The vendor describes them as local virtualization tools for building, testing and delivering applications for any device or cloud. The page text available for this entry is minimal, so specific features, editions and supported guest systems are not listed here. Readers should check the vendor's site for current packaging.

Workstation is proprietary software installed on the user's own machine, and licensing information is on VMware's pricing page.

Key features

Desktop virtual machines on Windows and Linux
Companion Fusion product for Mac
Local build and test environments
Runs without a remote server

Good fit for

→Testing software on multiple operating systems
→Running isolated lab environments locally

Tags: virtualization; hypervisor; vmware; desktop; virtual-machines; development-environment

VMware Workstation: questions and answers

What is VMware Workstation used for?: VMware Workstation is a desktop hypervisor for running virtual machines on Windows and Linux PCs, paired with Fusion for Mac. It is a good fit for testing software on multiple operating systems and running isolated lab environments locally.
Is VMware Workstation free?: Yes. VMware Workstation has a free plan.
Is VMware Workstation open source?: No. VMware Workstation is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to VMware Workstation include virt-manager, QEMU and VirtualBox.
What are some alternatives to VMware Workstation?: VMware Workstation competes with Parallels Desktop and OrbStack. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source VMware Workstation alternatives.