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Top Alternatives to VirtualBox

Looking for VirtualBox alternatives? We've curated 15 top alternatives that offer similar functionality. Whether you need options, free plans, or open source solutions, explore our comprehensive list to find the perfect fit for your needs.

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VMware Workstation Player

VMware Workstation Player is a leading virtualization software for Windows and Linux, enabling users to run multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single physical machine.

Key Features

  • Easy to install and use, even for beginners.
  • Supports a very wide range of guest operating systems.
  • Good performance for typical virtualization tasks.

vs VirtualBox

Easy to install and use, even for beginners. compared to VirtualBox
QEMU

QEMU

Open Source

QEMU (Quick Emulator) is a versatile and powerful open-source hardware virtualizer and emulator. It allows you to run operating systems and programs designed for different architectures on your existing hardware. Acting as a hosted hypervisor, QEMU provides a virtual machine monitor for executing guest systems.

Key Features

  • Excellent cross-architecture emulation capabilities.
  • Highly flexible and configurable via command line.
  • Supports a wide range of guest operating systems and hardware.

vs VirtualBox

Excellent cross-architecture emulation capabilities. compared to VirtualBox
Parallels Desktop

Parallels Desktop

Commercial

Parallels Desktop for Mac enables users to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems side-by-side with macOS without rebooting. It provides seamless integration and performance for various applications.

Key Features

  • Excellent performance for running virtual machines.
  • Seamless integration with macOS, including file sharing and Coherence mode.
  • Easy to set up and use.

vs VirtualBox

Excellent performance for running virtual machines. compared to VirtualBox
VMware Fusion

VMware Fusion

Commercial

VMware Fusion is a powerful virtualization solution for macOS, enabling users to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems side-by-side with macOS without rebooting. It's ideal for developers, IT professionals, and users needing broad OS compatibility.

Key Features

  • Excellent performance on compatible hardware.
  • Seamless integration with macOS (Unity mode).
  • Supports a wide range of guest operating systems.

vs VirtualBox

Excellent performance on compatible hardware. compared to VirtualBox
Xen

Xen

Open Source

Xen Project is a widely adopted open-source hypervisor known for its performance and robust security features. Utilizing a microkernel design, it enables multiple operating systems to run concurrently on the same hardware, making it ideal for cloud computing and server virtualization.

Key Features

  • High performance through paravirtualization.
  • Enhanced security due to microkernel architecture.
  • Supports live migration for high availability.

vs VirtualBox

High performance through paravirtualization. compared to VirtualBox
VMware vSphere Hypervisor

VMware vSphere Hypervisor, also known as ESXi, is a free, bare-metal hypervisor that allows users to virtualize their server hardware, consolidating applications and improving resource utilization. It provides a robust foundation for building virtualized IT environments.

Key Features

  • Free to use for basic virtualization.
  • Bare-metal architecture for performance and security.
  • Robust and stable platform based on enterprise technology.

vs VirtualBox

Free to use for basic virtualization. compared to VirtualBox
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a powerful, integrated virtualization solution for Linux, turning the kernel into a hypervisor. It enables running multiple virtual machines with unmodified Linux or Windows guest operating systems, leveraging standard Linux scheduling and memory management.

Key Features

  • Excellent performance due to kernel integration and hardware acceleration.
  • Highly stable and reliable as part of the Linux kernel.
  • Scalable to support large deployments and high resource demands.

vs VirtualBox

Excellent performance due to kernel integration and hardware acceleration. compared to VirtualBox
Proxmox Virtual Environment

Proxmox VE is a leading open-source platform for enterprise virtualization. It integrates KVM and LXC, offering a unified solution for managing virtual machines and containers via a central web interface.

Key Features

  • Open source and free to use, reducing licensing costs.
  • Unified management of KVM VMs and LXC containers.
  • Integrated clustering and high availability features.

vs VirtualBox

Open source and free to use, reducing licensing costs. compared to VirtualBox
Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Microsoft Hyper-V Server is a dedicated, lean hypervisor-based virtualization platform for creating and managing virtual machines. It provides core virtualization capabilities including live migration and clustering, offering a robust foundation for datacenter and cloud environments.

Key Features

  • Dedicated, lean hypervisor for optimized performance and security.
  • Includes essential features like Live Migration and Clustering for high availability.
  • Cost-effective solution, historically available as a free download.

vs VirtualBox

Dedicated, lean hypervisor for optimized performance and security. compared to VirtualBox
Portable Virtualbox

Portable Virtualbox

Open Source

Portable-VirtualBox allows you to run virtual machines directly from a USB drive without requiring an installation on the host computer. It provides a convenient and portable way to access different operating systems and applications.

Key Features

  • Truly portable, runs from USB drive without installation.
  • Does not require administrative privileges for operation.
  • Uses the reliable and feature-rich VirtualBox engine.

vs VirtualBox

Truly portable, runs from USB drive without installation. compared to VirtualBox
MobaLiveCD

MobaLiveCD

Open Source

MobaLiveCD is a portable utility for Windows that allows users to run Linux LiveCDs and ISO images directly within the Windows environment without needing to reboot or partitions. It leverages the Qemu emulator to provide a virtualized testing ground for various Linux distributions.

Key Features

  • Extremely portable, no installation required.
  • Simple and easy to use interface.
  • Allows running LiveCDs without modifying the host system.

vs VirtualBox

Extremely portable, no installation required. compared to VirtualBox
clearVM

clearVM

Commercial

clearVM is a comprehensive, private cloud management solution designed for effortless administration of virtual machines and servers. It simplifies complex virtualization tasks, offering robust remote management capabilities via a intuitive web interface.

Key Features

  • Centralized web-based management simplifies operations.
  • SaaS model reduces infrastructure maintenance overhead.
  • Intuitive user interface makes it easy to navigate.

vs VirtualBox

Centralized web-based management simplifies operations. compared to VirtualBox
Citrix XenServer

Citrix XenServer

Open Source

Citrix XenServer is a powerful, open-source virtualization platform designed for managing virtualized server infrastructures. It provides robust features for creating, deploying, and managing virtual machines and containers, making it a popular choice for data centers and cloud environments. XenServer offers high availability, live migration capabilities, and integration with various storage and networking solutions.

Key Features

  • Strong performance due to bare-metal architecture.
  • Open source and cost-effective.
  • Live migration feature for zero-downtime maintenance.

vs VirtualBox

Strong performance due to bare-metal architecture. compared to VirtualBox
bochs

bochs

Open Source

Bochs is a highly portable, open-source IA-32 and x86-64 IBM PC emulator and debugger. Primarily written in C++, it allows users to run various operating systems and software designed for x86 architectures on different platforms, offering a low-level emulation of hardware components.

Key Features

  • Highly portable across different host platforms.
  • Accurate low-level hardware emulation.
  • Integrated and powerful debugger.

vs VirtualBox

Highly portable across different host platforms. compared to VirtualBox
BitBox

BitBox

Free

BitBox by Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity offers a secure sandboxed environment for web browsing, protecting endpoints from online threats through advanced isolation technologies. It provides a secure virtual space, preventing malicious web content from affecting the host operating system, ensuring safe internet access for individuals and enterprises.

Key Features

  • Strong isolation protects host system from web threats.
  • Supports both Chromium and Firefox bases.
  • Disposable sessions ensure a clean start each time.

vs VirtualBox

Strong isolation protects host system from web threats. compared to VirtualBox

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