VMware Workstation Player vs KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) : Which is Better?

VMware Workstation Player icon

VMware Workstation Player

VMware Workstation Player, formerly VMware Player, is a virtualization software package for x64 computers running Microsoft Windows or Linux. Developed by VMware

License: Free Personal

Apps available for Windows Linux

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KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) icon

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is a virtualization infrastructure for the Linux kernel that turns it into a hypervisor. It was merged into the Linux kernel mainline in kernel version 2.6.20.

License: Open Source

Apps available for Linux

VMware Workstation Player VS KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

VMware Workstation Player is user-friendly and suitable for desktop virtualization with various OS support, making it ideal for beginners. KVM, being open-source and highly customizable, excels in Linux environments and offers better performance for server virtualization, but may be more complex to configure.

VMware Workstation Player

Pros:

  • Easy to install and use, especially for beginners
  • Supports a wide range of guest operating systems
  • Allows for snapshot and clone features
  • Has a user-friendly GUI
  • Good performance for desktop virtualization

Cons:

  • Limited advanced features compared to professional versions
  • Can be slower than other virtualization solutions with heavy workloads
  • Not suitable for server virtualization at scale

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)

Pros:

  • Open-source and free to use
  • Highly customizable and flexible
  • Can leverage hardware virtualization for better performance
  • Supports a wide range of Linux distributions
  • Seamless integration with Linux environments

Cons:

  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Requires more manual configuration than some alternatives
  • Limited support for Windows guest operating systems

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