Parallels Desktop vs VMware Fusion Pro comparison

Parallels and VMware are both solutions in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category. Parallels is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.0, while VMware is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.8. Parallels holds a 14.6% mindshare in VD, compared to VMware’s 23.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Parallels users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of VMware users who would recommend it.

Parallels Desktop

Read 2 Parallels Desktop reviews

5,605 Views
5,115 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

VMware Fusion Pro

Read 6 VMware Fusion Pro reviews

9,100 Views
8,594 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Parallels Desktop

VMware Fusion Pro

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion Pro are leading virtualization software options for Mac users. Parallels Desktop appears to have the edge in terms of broader compatibility and ease of use, while VMware Fusion Pro is favored for its robust features.

Features: Parallels Desktop offers seamless performance, easy integration, and efficient operation of Windows applications on Mac. VMware Fusion Pro is distinguished by its advanced compatibility, support for professional-level virtual machine configurations, and greater capacity for complex setups.

Room for Improvement: Parallels Desktop could use improvements in network stability, better handling of high-demand applications, and enhanced customer service responsiveness. VMware Fusion Pro can benefit from speeding up the user experience, simplifying advanced settings, and streamlining complex processes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Parallels Desktop is favored for its straightforward installation process, making it accessible to non-technical users, though its customer service responsiveness could improve. VMware Fusion Pro has a more involved setup due to its extensive features, but it offers more consistent customer service and a valued support system.

Pricing and ROI: Parallels Desktop presents competitive pricing with satisfactory ROI for basic virtual machine functionality and a quick return on investment. VMware Fusion Pro, despite a higher price, ensures a longer-term ROI through its wide array of features and higher professional application potential, making its cost justified by its superior capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion Pro Report (Updated: October 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion Pro

October 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Parallels Desktop

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

7th

Average Rating

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

VMware Fusion Pro

Ranking in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

5th

Average Rating

8.8

Number of Reviews

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

Information Security Consultant at Excellenta

Sep 20, 2022

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…

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Christian Kyony

Senior Security Engineer at DRS

Jun 3, 2024

Rapid OS launches with enhancement potential for command line and API features

I use VMware Fusion to do virtualization for another product called Cisco Modeling Labs. To install that, I needed a hypervisor, a solution that can virtualize, and that's why I use VMware Fusion The most important feature of VMware Fusion is that it helps me rapidly launch a new OS. I can…

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."

"Parallels Desktop integrates seamlessly with macOS. It works better than VMware on Apple operating systems."

"The whole point of it is to run Windows VMs on a Mac. This is the most valuable feature. There is snapshotting, but we don't really use that. The Pro version allows me to actually attach to the Windows ESXi infrastructure at the backend, and I'm able to create a session that I can attach to the VMware hooks at the backend, so one is running a VM, and the whole operating system is running on the actual Mac. The other one is literally a frontend to the VMs that are running in the infrastructure at the backend. These are the two main features I use."

"The most value that it provides is that it is versatile."

"The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface."

"The most important feature of VMware Fusion is that it helps me rapidly launch a new OS."

"It is a highly stable solution."

Cons

"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."

"The biggest challenge is compatibility between VMware and Parallels because the two systems are incompatible. It can be challenging if you are switching between Windows and Mac. I recommend sticking with one product because there isn't good compatibility between the different products."

"I would like to see newer and updated cloud functions."

"Additionally, enhancing the API interactions could improve the ability to manage VS and deploy various kinds of guests."

"VMware Fusion's licensing cost needs improvement."

"The way they handle snapshotting can be improved. One time, I moved a machine from one to another, and I tried to pull it up on the second machine, but it didn't work. This was because I had not cleaned up the snapshot before I deleted it and moved it across. So, when I tried to pull it up, it wouldn't let me bring it up. The backups for the VMs themselves can also be improved. I pretty much have to rely on Windows backups and not something on VMware. That's where it needs improvement. I am able to upload from my Fusion into the ESXi easily. I'm able to spin something up on Fusion and push it into the big arena, but the reverse is not as easy, that is, trying to pull something down from that. I would love to have a functionality where I could pull something from the VMware infrastructure into Fusion, but I'm not sure if I can take something from ESXi and pull it into Fusion."

"Its installation process could be simpler."

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"Starting with version 12, it is now free on a Mac for personal use. Fusion Pro has a cost."

"The cost varies depending on the season and whether it is scaled up or scaled down, but I would guess that it's approximately $1,000 per month."

"I rate the product's pricing a seven or eight. It is highly-priced."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

10%

University

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

15%

University

12%

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

What do you like most about VMware Fusion?

The product is easy to use and has a simple user interface.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 1% of the time

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Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs Parallels Desktop

Compared 1% of the time

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Compared 46% of the time

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Compared 1% of the time

Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) vs VMware Fusion Pro

Compared 0% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs VMware Fusion Pro

Compared 0% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

October 2024

Download Parallels Desktop product report

Buyer's Guide

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

October 2024

Download VMware Fusion Pro product report

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Parallels

VMware

Overview

Parallels Desktop Business Edition brings Windows and Windows applications to employees on Mac and enables integration of Mac computers into any work environment from education to financial services, technology, consulting, or medical. Optimized for Windows 10 and 7, macOS High Sierra, and Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. It can help employees to run business-critical applications without compromise: Microsoft Office, Visual Studio, Quicken and QuickBooks for Windows, Access, Project, Autodesk Revit and Inventor, CorelDRAW, ArcGIS, Visio, QuickBooks, Internet Explorer and Adobe Photoshop. Parallels Desktop restricts External Device Access that enforces policies on the use of USB devices, smart cards, and any other external devices plugged into a Mac, for use in Windows. It creates an Expiring Virtual Machines, time-bound and encrypted, that will automatically expire and lock at a defined time to ensure additional security when corporate data is shared externally. Also, Parallels Desktop Business Edition can be deployed through standard software deployment tools. Mass deployment is supported with Jamf Pro, Apple Remote Desktop, IBM Endpoint Manager, Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM, and other solutions.

VMware Fusion Pro is a software hypervisor for Macintosh computers. VMware Fusion allows Intel-based Macs to run operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Linux, NetWare, or Solaris on virtual machines, along with their Mac OS X operating system using a combination of paravirtualization, hardware virtualization and dynamic recompilation.

Sample Customers

Lytro, University of Washington, Slalom, Veeva Systems, Oklahoma Christian University

NetApp

Buyer's Guide

Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion Pro

October 2024

Free Report: Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion Pro

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