10 Best Virtual Machine Software for Windows

Virtualization has gained the status of an indispensable tool in the work of developers, IT specialists, and various companies and enterprises. Virtual Machine (VM) is a software that allows an individual to host several Virtual environments on one physical environment to save a lot of costs and at the same time improve on efficiency.

This technology is most suitable for operating different operating systems, testing of software or developing applications in an environment that is separate from the production environment.

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What is Virtual Machine Software?

Hypervisor or virtual machine software enables one physical computing system to provide operative capacity to multiple VM. Each VM acts as an independent computer with its own operating system, applications, and resources.

This setup is very useful because it constrains each virtual machine and makes it independent of the other to avoid having activities of one virtual machine interfere with the other.

Some of the goals of VM software are as follows: Facilitating the utilization of different resources on the hardware as well as improving testing and development processes.

Key Features to Consider in VM Software

These issues should be taken into consideration by anyone seeking to sign up to VM software:

Compatibility: Confirm that the VM software in use can suit the operating systems you would wish to deploy.
Performance: When selecting software, consider the software’s ability to use the available hardware resources in its operation to the optimum.
Ease of use: Available interfaces and tools that do not cause difficulties in their management are very important for work.
Security: Considering the fact that there are numerous data that would be stored and accessed over the internet, the latter must possess tight security features that would guarantee the inviolability of each of the virtual environment.
Scalability: Expanding the resources that are needed in an organization fits properly in the growth strategy of any business.
Networking features: There has always been an ability to create networking work and improve its compatibility to fit existing networks.
Data safety: In the current generation, backup and restore functions are crucial since they offer safety to data.
Integration: If integrated with an existing software system and infrastructure then it can lead to effective integration.
Cost: Look at the costs to obtain the license for the software besides other expenses.

List of the Best Virtual Machine Software for Windows

There are several virtual machine software available with various and amazing functionalities. Let us go through various virtual machine and their functionalities that will help you to choose the best virtual machine software.

VMware Workstation Pro

Using VMware workstation is considered as one of the most efficient and best virtual machine software since long. This software has an amazing group of functionalities which makes it easier to use. That is the reason most of the users consider using it to fulfill their need for virtualization.

This VM supports OpenGL 3.3 and DirectX 10 which allows applications used with GPU and CAD to work with its virtualization. VMware also enables a different set of functions under which various virtualization products can be picked. A combination of a workstation player and an Apple Mac can be done.

Multiple versions are differentiated with numbers. As the number goes higher, the efficiency and maturity go on increasing. The combination workstation player and Apple Mac provide a huge range of functionalities. With the help of Unity mode, it becomes easier for MacOS to launch Windows applications and combine them as if they are part of the host OS.

Key Features

Enhanced Virtualization: It allows the supports a number of guest operating systems such as Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.
Hardware Compatibility: Provides excellent support for modern hardware and virtual GPU capabilities.
Snapshot and Cloning: It enables the creation of snapshots as well as cloning of virtual machines for, for example, backup and testing purposes.
Integration with VMware Products: Seamless integration with vCenter Server and ESXi for enterprise-level management.

Ideal Use Cases

Software development and testing.
IT training and education.
Enterprise-level virtualization needs.

Oracle VM VirtualBox

It has a Pro version which is usually used for business purposes. For Windows or Linux, VirtualBox is free to use on a personal basis. With Pro, one can also use restricted VMs. Due to its wide range of combinations available; Virtual Box is a choice of many for this feature that allows working on any host and client combinations.

Windows like XP, Server 2003, Windows NT, Open Solaris, Solaris, and many more. Some people even run IBM OS/2 just to memorize the previous era from their advanced machines by using a VM workstation. The good news for Apple users is that with VirtualBox, it is possible to host a client Mac Virtual machine session. Also, it can be run on Apple Mac as well.

It allows users to utilize pre-built developer VM without paying any cost against it. VirtualBox takes support from Oracle.

Key Features

Free: This is in the sense that the application’s cost will be zero for anyone to use.
Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris.
Shared Folders: Kodi is simply an amazing media center which among other things has some additional features through guest addition such as shared folders and clipboard.
Extensible: Supports a wide range of extensions and plugins.

Ideal Use Cases

Personal computing and learning.
Test on different operating systems.
Lightweight virtualization needs.

Microsoft Hyper-V

Microsoft has included its academic version which has professional as well as enterprise features called Hyper-V manager of Windows 10. The software supports a various range of guest OS which includes versions of Linux, Windows, and MS-DOS systems. It is free while installing in different versions of Windows 10. It gives a consistent performance with the host OS.

Key Features

Native: Integration with the system of windows environment in a complete manner.
Live Migration: Allows for the migration of running VMs between hosts without downtime.
Shielded VMs: Another improvement introduces Encrypted VMs and an ability to check VM’s integrity.
Resource Utilization: Optimized utilization of CPU, Memory and network usage.

Ideal Use Cases

Enterprise virtualization
IT departments and developers
Windows-centric environments

Parallels Desktop for Windows

As the name suggests, Parallels helps in running Windows and Mac applications simultaneously. This Virtual machine software was invented for those who required using windows sometimes and Mac OS at the same time.

While talking about its features, Parallels provides all those functionalities that a paid version of a VM product has. It enables opening a website using IE with a Safari browser. If a user needs to use a file from another OS at the same time while using windows, parallels allow dragging of files between two operating systems.

It can be said that Parallels consists of personalized cloud storage space which can be shared in both operating systems Windows as well as macOS.

Key Features

Coherence Mode: Integrates Windows applications into the macOS desktop.
Speed: This approach/service has to be highly performant with relatively low overhead.
Shared Clipboard: Users of Windows host OS do have an ability to use clipboard.
Sharing of Files: Both the operating systems have facilities to share files between the two systems without any interruption.

Ideal Use Cases

Users of Mac who are in need of Windows applications.
Dual-boot alternatives.
Cross-platform development.

QEMU

This website works in both ways i.e.; as a VM host and as a machine emulator. This website does not have a proper or trendy interface like other VM solutions, but that does not make any difference in its functionalities and efficiencies. The emulation capacity of QEMU goes with MIPS64, MicroBlaze, SH4, RISC-V, and PowerPC.

It gives almost a similar performance just like normal other VM installations. Also, to get these advantages it does not require any special access to be there. The actual limitation with QEMU is that it can only be run on Linux at the moment but can be used on different OS under that. Also, it lacks a much more sophisticated interface like other VM’s.

Key Features

Emulation and Virtualization: Supports both full system emulation and virtualization.
CPU and Device Emulation: Emulates various CPU architectures and devices.
Integration with KVM: Works seamlessly with Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) for enhanced performance.
Scripting and Automation: It means scripting able to support the automation.

Ideal Use Cases

Advanced testing and development.
Emulating non-x86 architectures.
Research and experimentation.

Citrix Hypervisor (formerly XenServer)

The basic version of Citrix is free to install and use and other versions with advanced features are restricted as they are paid ones. It provides normalized features to customers using it for free and advanced features to those who are paying for it.

Citrix also allows capabilities for virtualized GPU and GPU pass through. This VM is made to fulfill certain business demands which include functioning smoothly and hassle-free. So, if you are willing to use a basic feature VM, you can surely go for Citrix Hypervisor as it is free. Also, it provides bare-metal installations.

Key Features

Lightweight Architecture: Minimal resource overhead for maximum performance.
Multi-Tenancy: Supports multiple isolated virtual environments on a single host.
Live Migration: Facilitates seamless migration of VMs with zero downtime.
Integration with Citrix Products: Works well with Citrix Workspace and other Citrix solutions.

Ideal Use Cases

Several opinions report.
Infrastructure and resources.
Large-scale virtualization.
Enterprise IT infrastructure.

Vagrant with VirtualBox or Hyper-V

Vagrant is a software that enables one to create and manage virtual environments with the help of VirtualBox or Hyper-V. It also makes the creation and the administration of VMs to be very easy and less complicated.

Key Features

Infrastructure as Code: This means that instead of managing Virtual Machines manually, the configuration of the virtual machines is controlled using configuration files.
Cross-Platform: Works with various virtualization platforms.
Reproducible Environments: Ensures consistent environments across different machines.
Extensible: Supports plugins and additional providers.

Ideal Use Cases

Development and testing environments.
DevOps workflows.
Automation and scripting.

Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) from Sysinternals

PST stands for Process System Toolkit and it is a virtual machine manager from Sysinternals which is free from menus and hence is light weighted. It will also adequately serve the needs of those who require a basic solution for handling VMs.

Key Features

Simple Interface: User-friendly interface for easy management.
Automation: Serves as a strong tool and includes script for the automation of tasks.
Snapshot and Restore: Allows for easy backup and restoration of VMs.
Usability: It is not installed thus making it portable.

Ideal Use Cases

Small businesses and home users.
Simple VM management.
Portable virtualization solutions.

CoreOS Virt-Manager

CoreOS Virt-Manager is a graphical solution for controlling the libvirt hypervisor and virtual machines built on GNOME environment.

Key Features

Integrates with libvirt: The tool offers the GUI for managing the virtual machines.
Network Management: This is support for complex networking configuration.
Template Support: Allows for the creation and management of VM templates.
Snapshots and Backups: Facilitates easy snapshot and backup management.

Ideal Use Cases

Linux users require the use of a graphic environment.
Advanced network configurations.
Managing multiple VMs.

Proxmox Virtual Environment

Proxmox VE is a virtualization platform that offers an administration of virtual machines and virtual containers. Specifically, KVM, LXC, and a state-of-the-art web-based management system are provided.

Key Features

Hybrid Management: Supports both VMs and containers.
Web Access: Each car has an interface to it and has been represented by a panel allowing extensive management from a web browser.
Storage Management: Has its own provisions and backups.
Load Balancing: It supports clustering and can also be set to work in high-availability configuration.

Ideal Use Cases

Hybrid environments with VMs and containers.
Data centers and cloud environments.
Advanced storage management.

How to Choose the Right Virtual Machine Software

The choice of the best VM software also depends on the needs of an organization or an individual with regard to the particular virtualization intent. Here are some guidelines for you to put into consideration to arrive at the right decision.

Match Your Requirements: Consider your expectations concerning VM software and decide on the options that are crucial for you, e.g., compatibility with particular operating systems, performance, or security.
Effective Features: Review all the features of the various VM software solutions to determine the soundness of relating with them.
Cost of the Software: In this case, cost will be regarding the software as well as the license and costs that may be incurred from time to time.
Test and Evaluate: As much as possible, make a comparison of several VM software packages in order to determine their reliability and usability.
Get Other Opinions: Discuss with peers, friends or other sources to get advices and suggestions.
Future Requirement: The software should have provision for expansion according to your needs.

Conclusion

In the above article, we have discussed thoroughly various best virtual machine software with commercial and professional features that are open-source. It is preferred by many users to install Oracle VM and VirtualBox for free usage.

If a user requires more functionality then Open-source apps like QEMU and Xen Project can be used. There are various apps available in the market, choosing the correct one is dependent on the requirements. Also, both free and paid versions of Virtual machine apps are available. It is crucial to go for the paid version for efficient performance on a professional basis.