# VMware Workstation Pro Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is VMware Workstation Pro the right Virtual Machine solution for you? Explore 57 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/212916/VMware-Workstation-Player/reviews --- VMware Workstation Pro 4.8 (57) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/212916/VMware-Workstation-Player/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated April 15th, 2026 # Reviews of VMware Workstation Pro Ease of use 4.6 Customer Service 4.6 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews SW Sam W Infrastructure EngineerAirlines/Aviation, 5,001 - 10,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “A feature I particularly like is I'm able to develop locally, omitting a lot of the public cloud issues - and then import via OVF onto the cloud - this is very useful.“ January 20, 2025 RS Ranu S Software DeveloperInformation Technology and Services, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It also setups lot of connections with base operating systems and even few ports gets blocked.“ September 24, 2022 RP Rishik P StudentEducation Management, 5,001 - 10,000 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “The thing I like most about this is the performance, I don't know how but VMs perform better on this when compared to its competitors like Virtual Box.“ February 3, 2025 NiHiL K Vice President, Technical SupportComputer Software, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Video graphics seem to perform poorly in the VMs.“ June 6, 2022 Sugam P Project ManagerInformation Technology and Services, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “They've given me the freedom to test out various configurations and scenarios without the constant worry of messing up my real work environment, especially when juggling projects with a wide range of software needs.“ October 13, 2023 RS Ranu S Software DeveloperInformation Technology and Services, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “This software is very heavy because of its features and makes system slow.“ September 24, 2022 Vo Phat M cookRestaurants, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “VMWARE allowed me to use Windows on Mac and quickly resume work with a single click of the mouse (thanks to the snapshot function).“ May 4, 2022 NJ Nikodem J R&D Control EngineerAutomotive, 5,001 - 10,000 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “I think the biggest downside of using virtual machines is performance loss.“ June 5, 2022 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 57 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Austin M. Programmer Analyst Pharmaceuticals Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "VMWare Workstation, your virtual machine farm" August 7, 2024 5.0 I had an amazing time switching and interacting when I couldn't switch between my previous software and VMWare Workstation, it was an amazing interaction and I sure think this could help other people as well. Pros Intuitiveness on installation and set up, incredibly easy and swift to make it work. Cons Some options can be accessed through certain places, I think they're updating some button actions but it could be even better! Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) We didnt really COMPLETE the switch because VirtualBox is needed in some cases but VMWare makes amazing work in other situations, so we have both running. Review Source SW Sam W. Infrastructure Engineer Airlines/Aviation Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great product for local virtualisation - ESXi's little brother" January 20, 2025 5.0 Great product and my go-to for local virtualisation. A feature I particularly like is I'm able to develop locally, omitting a lot of the public cloud issues - and then import via OVF onto the cloud - this is very useful. All the network, storage, etc. just matches up. Pros I've used workstation pro for my local development environments for many years now and serves as an easy virtualisation tool for scenarios where one may not want to spin up full public or private cloud infrastructure. It's similar, but just much scaled back. Cons Sometimes there are local issues such as dependency issues or compatibility problems - this is due to often running VMware Workstation on windows or Linux and as such highly depends on your local environment. Therefore if your base OS isn't "clean" or has a lot of junk on it, you may struggle at first. Alternatives considered [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Reason for choosing VMware Workstation Pro Just a more put together product - VMware is the best out there and way more features. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Technical Support Telecommunications Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "VMware Workstation" December 4, 2020 3.0 It was good for my learning of Kali Linux and Ubuntu, which showed me some new aspects of my current and future job. Pros Possibility to create separate Workstation from my own laptop's usual desktop and setup, which provided a lot of learning opportunities for me, as I was learning a bit of Kali Linux with the help of this Software. Cons Loading up of the Virtual Machine sometimes is taking a lot of time, even though I have solid laptop with good overall performance. Review Source Response from VMware January 21, 2021 Thank you for your review RP Rishik P. Student Education Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Virtual Machines - VMware" February 3, 2025 4.0 My overall experience with VMware Workstation Pro is great. I use it whenever I want to test some applications, run new OS, etc. Pros VMware Workstation Pro is a tool for running multiple operating systems on a single computer. It’s fast and packed with features like snapshots and cloning, making it perfect for developers and tech enthusiasts. The thing I like most about this is the performance, I don't know how but VMs perform better on this when compared to its competitors like Virtual Box. Cons I didn't find any con specifically about this. VMware Workstation Pro was paid before, but it's free for personal use now. Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) VMs in virtual box performs slow, and it felt like the VM is not able to use the resources completely which are provided to it through Virtual Box. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Engineering IT Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best virtualisation tool " January 22, 2025 4.0 Pros What I like most about VMware Workstation Pro is how easy it is to set up and install a virtual machine. Cons What I like least is that there are too many incremental updates. Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) VMWare offers more configuration options (network ...) Review Source RS Ranu S. Software Developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best type 2 or hosted virtualization tool." September 24, 2022 5.0 Using it from many years, yes it makes system slow but too many features are provided by it. The overall UI is very friendly and can be easily understand by anyone. I never studied any tutorials about it. Pros This software contains all the features that are required to in this software class. It becomes quite easy to control VM instances without logging into them because of networking setup by it. The software doesn't conflict with other applications and hosted operating systems. Installation of operating system and image validation feature is also awesome and there are lot of steps it it automatically handles by this software. Cons This software is very heavy because of its features and makes system slow. It also setups lot of connections with base operating systems and even few ports gets blocked. Apart from this I have noticed nothing. Alternatives considered [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Reason for choosing VMware Workstation Pro I was using the virtual box but features provided by VMware are way ahead and smooth working too. Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) There are so many features that are absent in virtual box and its conflict with other software and operating system. Review Source Jonathan Alexander C. IT infrastructure analyst Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "An excellent hypervisor to manage and create your virtual machines" July 5, 2022 5.0 I have used this tool for several years in the company to create controlled test environments and as a hypervisor to create development machines in linux operating systems, it has been very beneficial due to its portability we can move the machines from one host to another Pros What I like the most about this tool is how fast, agile and simple it can be to have a controlled virtual environment on our computers, whether on Windows or Linux, either for our laboratories or in production, and be able to use it at the same time as we use our physical or host team Cons It can be said that sometimes the performance since it consumes resources of the physical machine, although this already goes hand in hand with the physical resources that we have in terms of hardware. Alternatives considered [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Easier to manage, due to the portability of being able to mount it in another environment in a faster way and an easy configuration to carry out Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Powerful Virtualization Product Computer Networking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful Virtualization Product" January 7, 2022 5.0 After 7+ years of using VMware Workstation I can say is the best, easy to deploy, easy to handle, offers solutions for all different users, whether individuals or businesses and offers multiple features that you will not find in other competing products. Pros I have used VMware Workstation for more than seven years, and I can summarize the most important features for me as follows:- - The program is easy to use with a simplified interface - Perfectly compatible with most operating systems - The clone feature is so great with almost no errors - The most important feature for me is the snapshot, which preserves the current state of a virtual machine. Cons \- Sometimes there is a slight hang, so you have to restart the machine and you may lose some unsaved changes. - The machine uses a relatively large storage space. I wish if there was an option to compress the size of the machine. Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) I faced many problems in performance and compatibility, in addition to offering limited features, which make me find an alternative product that meets my needs. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Lawyer Government Administration Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "easy use for everyone" August 9, 2021 5.0 Pros An excellent program that helped me to test new operating systems, such as Linux, you can use it to visit websites you do not trust, or access onion networks reducing the risk. You do not need to be an advanced user to understand it, it is easy to install and easy to use. Cons a disadvantage that is not only typical of VMware workstation but of all virtualization environments is the reduction of performance of the operating system, it will never be the same as a native installation. Alternatives considered [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Reason for choosing VMware Workstation Pro the application had better reviews on the net Review Source JH Jason H. Owner Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "VMware for the win" January 15, 2025 5.0 Did everything I needed it to do and allows versatility with your workstation. Pros Makes it easy to use different operating systems on the same workstation. Cons Set up time takes a little longer than I would have liked. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Formateur technique Professional Training & Coaching Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Virtualisation d'environnements différents" January 16, 2025 5.0 Pros Simplicité d'utilisation, compatibilité des OS supportés, les snapshot pour le backup de machines virtuelles Cons Volume des machines virtuelles assez important Switched from [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) J'utilise les 2 logiciels pour la gestions de différents environnements Review Source SK Sabih K. Security Researcher Education Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Unlocking Efficiency and Security: A VMware Workstation Pro Review" April 16, 2024 5.0 Pros The most impressive aspect of VMware Workstation Pro is its ability to efficiently utilize hardware resources by enabling multiple virtual machines on a single device. Cons One downside of VMware Workstation Pro is that it may require significant system resources, which could potentially impact the performance of the host machine, especially when running multiple VMs simultaneously. Review Source JE Jason E. Landscaper/White Hat Pen Tester Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 2+ years ### "VMWARE workstation pro" September 30, 2023 5.0 Highly satisfied and paid member who utilizes Vmware pro everyday. Pros If you already have experience in IT and you want to make it a career. VMWARE workstation pro makes it perfect for users of any age. Highly recommend. Cons Price is higher, but definitely worth it. And vmware offer s a free version of vmware player. Alternatives considered [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Reason for choosing VMware Workstation Pro Features, tools, and quality. Review Source WS Waqas S. Administrator Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Recommended tool for developers." May 19, 2021 5.0 It is a must tool for any application developer for testing their application in multiple environment before deploying it into production environment. Unlike freely available Virtual Box. It doesn't require the Hardware Virtualization Support. Pros I have used Vmware Workstation in my previous job for more than 3 years and it works great. It allow us to create Virtual Machines in which we deploy and test our develop application. It allows to install any/multiple operating system using the virtualization technology one the same computer. And works like physical computer to deploy and test our applications. Cons It required lots of RAM and processing power to run multiple Virtual Machines at the same time. Sometimes the file sharing stop working we have to restart the Virtual Machine. Review Source BB Brian B. Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best software to run multiple virtual machines in one host. " April 11, 2023 5.0 Pros VMware supports many different operating systems. It also has a feature for snapshots and restore features which enable easy backup and restore. Cons The only thing I did not really like about it is that it's somehow difficult to use for a start. Alternatives considered [VirtualBox](https://www.capterra.com/p/169939/VirtualBox/) Review Source GF Giacomo F. Impiegato Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Software di virtualizzazione di alto livello" December 1, 2022 5.0 Pros Utilizzo da anni con grande soddisfazione VMware, software potentissimo che ti permette di virtualizzare un sistema operativo e di utilizzarlo in tutta la sua interezza.Molto legero, prestante e sicuro.Non posso più farne a meno, le virtualizzazioni sono molto stabili e veloci.Consigliatissimo. Cons Ci sono spesso molti aggiornameni, che è un lato positivo ma avolte è un leggermente macchinoso installarli su linux.Non trovo altri difetti, consigliatissimo. Review Source AM Angus M. Company Director Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best Virtualisation Software That I've Found" October 13, 2022 5.0 I enjoy using the software, it solves the issue of needing virtual environments within your host OS. I'd recommend the software. Pros VMware Workstation has made making virtual environments within my server a breeze. It's extremely easy to use, select the desired OS, and specifications then click go. Works straight out the box with little to no knowledge. Cons The software can be fairly resource intensive even if only running a few virtual machines. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer CEO Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "my virtual PC" September 30, 2023 5.0 it's easy to learn and saves a lot of time Pros a fast, powerful tool for creating virtual machines to test different operating systems, for example Cons presents a simple interface for use, it is very practical Reason for choosing VMware Workstation Pro by its simplicity and intuitiveness, i.e. its understanding of the physical machine. Review Source AJ Arpita J. Senior Test Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "VMware Workstation : Painless Remote Server Connections" December 9, 2022 5.0 Pros The software is amazing for using any number of servers , instead of connecting to multiple remote desktops , we can have all the servers connected at one place, The application is stable and great performance. Cons The UX is similar to the old vSphere setups Review Source VA Vishvam A. Manager Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Vmware workstation for virtual machines " January 26, 2023 5.0 The vmware workstation pro is the best software that we use to host multiple virtual system and remote servers . Pros The ability to change the configuration and the network settings based on our needs is the personal favourite. Vmware also has the feature called snapshots which helps us when our virtual machine is messed up. Cons The feature of vmware that only allows us to change the keyboard from virtual machine to host machine is very useful as it creates confusion for new users . The changing of the keyboard inputs must be seamless Reason for choosing VMware Workstation Pro The ability to configure the settings of the virtual machine is best and vmware comes with feature called snapshots and enables us to encrypt our virtual machines. Vmware is also more stable than any other softwares Review Source JP Javier P. Administrador de sistemas Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A nivel empresarial es un software obligatorio" March 29, 2023 5.0 Muy buena, la recomiendo mucho. Pros Funciona muy bien, tiene un buen servicio al cliente y es obligatorio para su uso empresarial. Cons Cuando tenemos muchos servidores integrados puede funcionar algo lento. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer AutoCAD Expert / Construction and Design Coordinator Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Vmware as a Lab Environment" February 26, 2021 5.0 Pros I have been using VMware since various years and found this software awesome, as being a Designer I have lots of files and projects which runs at a time and I makes them separate which gives me an edge to make my mind calm down and no any panic situations creates in front of any client when I open the vmware machine to show my presentation and work, my purpose to separate the software from each other is also that some of the applications require require no any antivirus because antiviruses stops the .exe files and sometimes make the very heavy files corrupted, Vmware is an environment on which I easily stops the vulnerability applications and execute my experimental work of files, the summary of my opinion is to stop the antivirus software in a virtual environment and my host machine which connects to the internet runs as it is with running antivirus Cons Overall its a good platform but due to its heaviness the upgradations of processor and rams require and sometimes if I run multiple Vmware machine at at time it response slow and it should be fix however, it is a big invention for me which converted the physical world into virtual, thanks vmware! Review Source NB Nivesh B. Network Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "VMware Review" February 7, 2023 5.0 Great Value For Money & The Most Important Thing In Our Life. Pros I like resource management the most. Also, it creates its own LAN network adapter is something I like the most. Cons It would be great to have it in different graphical colors & designs. Also it would be great if it is made a bit cheaper. Review Source Armando I. Network Manager Computer Networking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Must have tool for virtualization" January 8, 2022 5.0 This tool is for daily use in my case since the connection to my esxi hypervisor is faster and more stable. I can go online and manipulate any aspect of the vm if necessary. Pros What I like the most about vmware is the possibility of importing physical machines to virtual machines and thus exporting to a dedicated hypervisor. From there I can manage, customize the hardware and connect to work on it. The most remarkable thing is the level of compatibility with other solutions. I can also mount the virtual disks on my computer to explore content. Cons I had no difficulty with VMware workstatio. Review Source Aris G. Web Developer Consumer Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "VMWare for IT Professionals" January 6, 2021 5.0 We are very happy and proud for using VMware Workstation to disinfect or recover files and operating systems, gaining our users' trust and satisfaction. Pros VMWare is a BIG GO for our business when it comes to infected systems that come into our service department. We can repair hard disks, fetch files that our customers require without getting our main system infected too, sometimes we clean the infected system in order to avoid formatting the hard drive especially if our customers' system is too complex to setup from the beginning. Also, sometimes we need to take snapshots to retest different demo software or different setups. Device management is very user friendly and VMWare can handle many operating systems. Cons Depending on the settings virtual machines take too much memory, but that is not for VMWARE to blame. Maybe a good idea for future versions, is adding to Workstation some restrictions for the users. For example, to restrict a virtual machine's resources if it's going to freeze the main system. Review Source Response from VMware January 21, 2021 Thank you for your review. Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Virtual Machine](https://www.capterra.com/virtual-machine-software/)