Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Parallels Desktop vs VMware Fusion Pro comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Scalability Issues

No sentiment score available
Sentiment score
9.0
VMware Fusion Pro is praised for its scalability, adaptability, and efficient multi-user support across diverse roles and hardware specifications.
For example, if you have 32 GB of memory, you could allocate 16 GB to each operating system.
It will scale according to the hardware of the laptop or desktop.
It is highly scalable.
We get a new Mac, we put it on there, and it is done.
 

Room For Improvement

No sentiment score available
Sentiment score
4.7
VMware Fusion Pro requires improvements in resource use, compatibility, VM management, stability, and communication to enhance user experience.
The biggest challenge is compatibility between VMware and Parallels because the two systems are incompatible.
There are some issues with transferring data from Parallels to the Mac.
The backups for the VMs themselves can also be improved. I pretty much have to rely on Windows backups and not something on VMware.
It would be beneficial to have a more developed command line interface to deploy solutions.
They should make it compatible with Windows and Linux.
 

Customer Service

No sentiment score available
No sentiment score available
VMware Fusion Pro's support is praised for quick, effective responses, especially for licensed users, with high satisfaction ratings.
Customer support is good, especially when you pay for the license.
The solution's technical support team should understand the criticality of the issue and respond faster accordingly.
Technical support is quick to respond.
 

Stability Issues

No sentiment score available
Sentiment score
8.8
VMware Fusion Pro is highly praised for its stability and reliability, consistently receiving high user satisfaction ratings.
Parallels Desktop is stable and without any system crashes.
 

Valuable Features

No sentiment score available
Sentiment score
8.5
VMware Fusion Pro excels in running Windows VMs on Mac, offering integration, versatility, ease of use, and reliable performance.
Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS.
I like how, with Parallels, you can either boot into Mac or Windows to get better control over the resources of the laptops since you're sharing the resources in dual mode.
The most important feature of VMware Fusion is that it helps me rapidly launch a new OS.
The solution's snapshot feature best captures the machine's current state.
The whole point of it is to run Windows VMs on a Mac.
 

Setup Cost

No sentiment score available
No sentiment score available
VMware Fusion Pro is perceived as expensive at around $1,000 monthly, offering good value despite free alternatives.
It's a little more expensive than VMware.
If you want the standard version, it is more expensive but more advanced.
I would guess that it's approximately $1,000 per month.
It is highly-priced.
The pricing for VMware Fusion was reasonable and not very expensive.
 

Categories and Ranking

Parallels Desktop
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
7th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
VMware Fusion Pro
Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
5th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category, the mindshare of Parallels Desktop is 14.6%, up from 7.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware Fusion Pro is 23.9%, up from 14.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
 

Featured Reviews

Grant-Donald - PeerSpot reviewer
It integrates seamlessly with macOS, but it's not compatible with VMware
Parallels Desktop does the same thing as VMware but for Apple users Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS. It works better than VMware on Apple operating systems.  The biggest challenge is compatibility between VMware and Parallels because the two systems are incompatible. It can be…
Christian Kyony - PeerSpot reviewer
Rapid OS launches with enhancement potential for command line and API features
VMware Fusion is good, especially for the graphical user interface. However, it would be beneficial to have a more developed command line interface to deploy solutions. This would allow scripting for launching specific Virtual Machines. Additionally, enhancing the API interactions could improve the ability to manage VS and deploy various kinds of guests.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions are best for your needs.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
University
10%
Educational Organization
8%
Computer Software Company
15%
University
13%
Educational Organization
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Parallels Desktop?
I like how, with Parallels, you can either boot into Mac or Windows to get better control over the resources of the laptops since you're sharing the resources in dual mode.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Parallels Desktop?
If you want the standard version, it is more expensive but more advanced. You get what you pay for. These products cost money, and the company has to make a profit.
What needs improvement with Parallels Desktop?
There may have been some issues with device drivers on my Mac. Similarly, there are some issues with transferring data from Parallels to the Mac.
What do you like most about VMware Fusion?
The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Fusion?
The pricing for VMware Fusion was reasonable and not very expensive. The licensing costs were for a year or two, and although there are free alternatives, VMware Fusion offers value for the money.
What needs improvement with VMware Fusion?
VMware Fusion is good, especially for the graphical user interface. However, it would be beneficial to have a more developed command line interface to deploy solutions. This would allow scripting f...
 

Learn More

Video not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Lytro, University of Washington, Slalom, Veeva Systems, Oklahoma Christian University
NetApp
Find out what your peers are saying about Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion Pro and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.