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VMware Fusion Pro vs VMware Workstation comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

VMware Fusion Pro
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
4th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware Workstation
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
2nd
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
54
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of VMware Fusion Pro is 25.5%, up from 14.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware Workstation is 17.2%, up from 14.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
 

Featured Reviews

Christian Kyony - PeerSpot reviewer
Rapid OS launches with enhancement potential for command line and API features
VMware Fusion is good, especially for the graphical user interface. However, it would be beneficial to have a more developed command line interface to deploy solutions. This would allow scripting for launching specific Virtual Machines. Additionally, enhancing the API interactions could improve the ability to manage VS and deploy various kinds of guests.
Phanindar Ada - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers ease of deployment and use along with a comfortable configuration process to be handled
The tool's performance is really good, so I can rate it a ten out of ten. The product did meet my expectations by allowing me to run multiple operating systems simultaneously. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. The product is stable, very easy to deploy, easy to use, easy to configure, and easy to set up. I took care of the integration part of VMware Workstation with vSphere. I describe the product's documentation as a good area. My company gets complaints about technical notes from VMware. My company does face limitations with the product, and it is based on the licenses that we have purchased from VMware. I rate the overall product a ten out of ten.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"VMware Fusion Pro offers simplicity of use and stability."
"The whole point of it is to run Windows VMs on a Mac. This is the most valuable feature. There is snapshotting, but we don't really use that. The Pro version allows me to actually attach to the Windows ESXi infrastructure at the backend, and I'm able to create a session that I can attach to the VMware hooks at the backend, so one is running a VM, and the whole operating system is running on the actual Mac. The other one is literally a frontend to the VMs that are running in the infrastructure at the backend. These are the two main features I use."
"The most value that it provides is that it is versatile."
"The most important feature of VMware Fusion is that it helps me rapidly launch a new OS."
"VMware Fusion Pro offers simplicity of use and stability."
"The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface."
"It is a highly stable solution."
"We can undo some changes using the snapshot feature."
"The most valuable features of the VMware Workstation solutions are the ESXi and vCenter."
"VMware Workstation allows multiple operating systems in the same physical machine."
"VMware is incredible and is designed for simple use. They help with efficiency."
"It will not harm any of the computer settings to run a specific program. For example, if a program needs a specific security policy, we don't have to use the shared configuration. We have an individual copy of Windows installed on the virtual machine, so anybody can access that. It helps us a lot."
"The product is really easy to use."
"Technical support is very good."
"VMware Player's best feature is the ability to run different OS's simultaneously."
 

Cons

"VMware Fusion's licensing cost needs improvement."
"Fusion is not meant to be scalable as it runs on desktops and laptops."
"The way they handle snapshotting can be improved. One time, I moved a machine from one to another, and I tried to pull it up on the second machine, but it didn't work. This was because I had not cleaned up the snapshot before I deleted it and moved it across. So, when I tried to pull it up, it wouldn't let me bring it up. The backups for the VMs themselves can also be improved. I pretty much have to rely on Windows backups and not something on VMware. That's where it needs improvement. I am able to upload from my Fusion into the ESXi easily. I'm able to spin something up on Fusion and push it into the big arena, but the reverse is not as easy, that is, trying to pull something down from that. I would love to have a functionality where I could pull something from the VMware infrastructure into Fusion, but I'm not sure if I can take something from ESXi and pull it into Fusion."
"I would like to see newer and updated cloud functions."
"Its installation process could be simpler."
"Fusion is not meant to be scalable. It runs on desktops and laptops, indicating limitations in scalability."
"Additionally, enhancing the API interactions could improve the ability to manage VS and deploy various kinds of guests."
"It would be helpful if VMware Workstation included an in-built monitoring tool for monitoring things."
"They could add more integration between them, and compatibility with the standard virtualization format."
"It would be great if VMware Workstation had more networking options and compatibility, that would be great. I would like to deploy virtual switches and play around with networking a bit more. Otherwise, I have to deploy ESXi Virtual Edition and emulate it, which is painful and clunky."
"The tool can improve network storage technology."
"The price of VMware Workstation is an area of concern where improvements are needed."
"They could bring in many different features from VMware vSphere to Workstation."
"VMware Workstation could improve the export and import of virtual machines."
"I need to buy a newer version of the tool to support Windows Server."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the product's pricing a seven or eight. It is highly-priced."
"Starting with version 12, it is now free on a Mac for personal use. Fusion Pro has a cost."
"The cost varies depending on the season and whether it is scaled up or scaled down, but I would guess that it's approximately $1,000 per month."
"It has the best licensing modules."
"The product is expensive."
"The licensing costs are cheap. I pay approximately $100 per year."
"The tool is not the cheapest."
"VMware Workstation's costs are lifetime."
"With a VDI solution, there is always extra cost running a VDI solution but it's not for cost purposes anymore. In the beginning, it was to save money on hardware but at the moment it's other aspects that are more important why you should use a VDI solution."
"The cost differs depending on the customer's requirement."
"The solution’s pricing is moderate."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
University
12%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Educational Organization
8%
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about VMware Fusion?
The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Fusion?
The pricing for VMware Fusion was reasonable and not very expensive. The licensing costs were for a year or two, and although there are free alternatives, VMware Fusion offers value for the money.
What needs improvement with VMware Fusion?
VMware Fusion is good, especially for the graphical user interface. However, it would be beneficial to have a more developed command line interface to deploy solutions. This would allow scripting f...
Which VMware solution would you go with - Workstation or vSphere?
VM Workstation’s setup is so easy, you can use it almost instantly, it works well with Windows and Linux. We like VM Workstation primarily to test environments to determine how well a solution will...
What do you like most about VMware Workstation?
The product is stable, very easy to deploy, easy to use, easy to configure, and easy to set up.
What needs improvement with VMware Workstation?
The product's integration capabilities are an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required.
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

NetApp
Akademiska Hus
Find out what your peers are saying about VMware Fusion Pro vs. VMware Workstation and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
823,875 professionals have used our research since 2012.