VMware vs. VirtualBox...

Desktop virtualization can be extremely useful. The ability to run multiple, simultaneous operating systems on a single device can be possible.

Here are some of the reasons: - 

1. Evaluate new apps and systems in a safe, partitioned environment
2. Deploy and test your own software on multiple operating systems without needing multiple devices
3. Set up and regulate encrypted corporate desktops for remote employees or employees using their own devices
4. Run legacy programs that require an older OS on a machine with a newer OS
5. Transfer virtual machines between devices and servers  

If you’re comparing VMware vs. VirtualBox, you’re looking for a tool that will help you create virtual machines (VMs) on desktop devices running an x86-based platform.

These two solutions, although both are reliable, bear some distinct differences that make a comparison complicated.

Overview

VMware isn’t a single product as much an ecosystem of connected tools and applications. You can use VMware to set up a private cloud, to manage mobile devices in your corporate network, to protect endpoints, and of course, to virtualize stuff.

It would be an understatement to call VMware the market leader. In fact, they were the first to virtualize the x86 architecture and make the technology available as a commercial product.

VirtualBox is Oracle’s answer to host-based virtualization — a purchase they made from Sun Systems in 2010 to (hopefully) compete in the same market with VMware’s Workstation. VirtualBox is a free and open-source solution that works with all x86 platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Solaris. The latest version (5.1.6) was released September 12, 2016.

It’s important to note that not all features of VirtualBox are free (only the core product). The extension pack that adds USB functionality, Remote Desktop Protocol, and Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) is available under a license, free for personal or educational use. If you plan to deploy for commercial use on more than one device, you’ll need to buy a license from Oracle.

VMware vs. VirtualBox Comparison

VMware’s Workstation offers a wide array of features for desktop virtualization, with slight variations between the “Player” and “Pro” editions, that you can’t run multiple VMs at the same time, create encrypted VMs, or share VMs as servers.

Workstation Pro is free during the trial evaluation period. After that, you’ll need to buy a license and enter the product key. Workstation Player (the basic edition) is permanently free for non-commercial use, although paid licensing and support are available.

Here’s a summary of some of Workstation’s most features:

1. Mass deployment
2. Host/guest file sharing
3. USB smart card reader support
4. USB 3.0 support
5. Snapshots
6. VM sharing
7. Integration w/ vSphere/ESXi server
8. Integration w/ vCloud Air
9. 3D graphics with DX10 and OpenGL 3.3 support

In addition to the basic feature set, Workstation has a few capabilities that you might not find mission-critical. Networking and printing, for example, require no additional setup. You can connect to the same devices and servers in your network from either the host machine or the VMs running on top of it. Another example is Workstations ability to create “linked clones” that let you create the same VM over and over again without exhausting disk space.  

Speaking of space and power, Workstation can support up to 16 vCPUs, 8TB virtual disks, and 64GB of memory in a single, virtual environment.

As previously mentioned, the core, open-source VirtualBox package is free under general public use (GPU) license, and its proprietary extension package is free indefinitely under a personal use and evaluation license (PUEL).

Despite hitting the market much later than Workstation, VirtualBox offers many of the same features:

1. Cross-platform compatibility (installs on Mac, Linux, Windows, Solaris computers)
2. Command line interaction
3. Shared folders and clipboard
4. Special drivers and utilities to facilitate switching between systems
5. Snapshots
6. Seamless mode (lets you run virtual applications next to normal ones)
7. Limited support for 3D graphics (up to OpenGL 3.0)
8. Can exchange disk images with VMware
9. VM video capture
10. VM disk image encryption (with extension pack)
11. Virtual USB 2.0/3.0 support (with extension pack)

You may notice a couple of drawbacks here, compared with VMware’s feature set. For one thing, VirtualBox doesn’t offer the same level of support for 3D graphics, which could be an issue if you plan to be a heavy user (i.e. have more than one or two VMs running at the same time). Furthermore, while VirtualBox can exchange disk images with VMware, it doesn’t integrate with vSphere, ESXi, or vCloud Air, which may prevent you from enjoying a truly seamless hypervisor experience.

That said, VirtualBox’s cross-platform capabilities tip the scales back in its favor. Unlike VMware, which offers separate editions specific to one OS, the core version of VirtualBox can install and function on any x86 computer.

Conclusion

Choosing the right solution for your needs, in this case, is highly difficult. A lot will depend on your preference — for the security and assurance of tools, or the flexibility and customization of open-source. If you prefer one over the other, you may already have your answer.