parallels-desktop-vs-vmware-workstation-pro

Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation are both server virtualization software designed to allow users to run different operating systems on their workstations. For example, Mac users use these technologies to run Windows applications. Both Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation are used by businesses of all sizes, though mid-sized organizations use them most often.

Features

Both Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation allow users to run applications of different operating systems, but they also have some standout features that set them apart from each other.

Parallels Desktop provides a setup wizard that walks users through the process of installing Parallels Desktop on their system and launching apps. These features make Parallels Desktop best in class in terms of usability. Parallels Desktop also allows the use of some mac features, like Quick Look, while using Windows. Lastly, Parallels Desktop also allows for the installation of Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Mint in a single click.

VMware Workstation has greater support for mac hardware, including native support for 5k monitors. Additionally, VMware Workstation offers high performance. In particular, VMware Workstation excels in graphics benchmarks. High speed and CPU efficiency make VMware Workstation an excellent choice for a business that needs to get the best performance out of their virtual machines.

Limitations

Though Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation both provide essential virtualization features, they also each have a few limitations that are important to consider.

Parallels Desktop is a demanding technology, in that it uses a lot of a computer’s resources. These resource demands may make Parallels Desktop a poor choice for organizations without high-end computers or that need their workstations to be performing other resource-intensive tasks. Parallels Desktop also lacks native support for 5k monitors. Lastly, Parallels Desktop does not perform as well graphically compared to VMware Workstation.

VMware Workstation isn’t as easy to implement as Parallels Desktop, which walks users through the entire process step-by-step. Additionally, while VMware Workstation does offer support for some Mac features while using Windows apps, it does not support as many features as Parallels Desktop. Lastly, VMware Workstation can be challenging to set up for workstations with multiple monitors.

Pricing

Parallels Desktop offers three pricing tiers. The Standard tier provides essential virtualization features and is priced at $79.99 per year per workstation. After that, the Pro edition includes premium 24-hour support, as well as increased integrations and plug-ins and costs $99.99 per year per workstation. Lastly, Parallels Desktop Business edition adds centralized administration, and mass deployment features for the price of $99.99 per year per workstation.

The most recent version of VMware Workstation is priced depending on how many workstations are needed as well as the level of support required. Though pricing increases based on these factors, it starts at $249.99 per workstation.