saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

virtual machine program · Broadcom

VMware Workstation Pro

Desktop hypervisor for Windows and Linux hosts, free for commercial and personal use since version 17.5.2.

79/100

#2 of 12 virtual machine programs
Facts checked 9 Oct 2026

Broadcom announced on November 11, 2024 that Workstation Pro is free for commercial, educational and personal use1.

In short

VMware Workstation Pro is free for commercial, educational and personal use from version 17.5.2, which removes the price question1,2. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and Linux hosts and documents snapshots, shared folders, USB devices and three network modes4,6,7,11,13. The catch: free users get community support only, and there is no macOS host version4,10.

Best for: Windows users who want a free hypervisor with snapshots and shared folders.

Where the points come from

Systems15 of 17
Virtual machines14 of 27
Devices24 of 24
Openness and upkeep8 of 14
Price18 of 18

Systems 15 of 17 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Guest systemsWindows, LinuxDocumentation says a guest can be Windows, Linux and other commonly used systems5.8 / 8
Also runs on other hostsLinuxWorkstation Pro installs on Windows and Linux hosts. Fusion Pro, the Mac product, is a separate product1,4.2 / 4
Works on Windows HomeYesVendor host list shows Windows 10 and Windows 11 as supported, with no edition limit; Windows 10 needs 20H1 or later11.5 / 5

Virtual machines 14 of 27 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
SnapshotsYesDocumentation has a topic on taking snapshots, which save a virtual machine's current state6.8 / 8
Virtual TPM and Secure BootNot publishedNot published on the vendor's pages8.0 / 5
Network modesNAT, Bridged, Host-onlyDocumentation describes bridged networking, a NAT network (VMnet8) and host-only networking7.6 / 6
Nested virtualizationNot publishedNot published on the vendor's pages3.0 / 4
Starts from a ready-made imageNot publishedNot published on the vendor's pages3.0 / 4

Devices 24 of 24 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
3D graphics for guestsYesDisplay settings include an Accelerate 3D graphics option for Windows XP or later guests14; a guest OpenGL 4.3 driver is documented9.8 / 8
USB devices in the guestYesDocumentation says to plug a host USB device in and connect it to the virtual machine, or use Removable Devices > Connect13.6 / 6
Shared foldersYesDocumentation lists shared folders among ways to transfer files between host and guest6.6 / 6
Shared clipboardYesDocumentation lists a copy and paste feature among ways to transfer text between host and guest6.4 / 4

Openness and upkeep 8 of 14 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Open sourceNot publishedNot published on the vendor's pages3.0 / 6
Security advisories publishedYesRelease notes name Broadcom advisories VMSA-2026-0002 (25H2u1) and VMSA-2025-0013 (17.6.4)2,12.4 / 4
Updated in the last 12 monthsYesVersion 25H2u1 release notes are dated 26 February 202612.4 / 4

Price 18 of 18 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Free editionYesFree for commercial, educational and personal use from version 17.5.2, with no licence key1,2.6 / 6
Cheapest licence for work use$0Free for commercial use, so $0 a year1,2.12 / 12

The rule behind each line: how we score virtual machine programs.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

PlanPrice as listedPer monthNotes
Workstation ProCommercial, educational and personal useFree1,2$0Version 17.5.2 or later; no licence key; Broadcom account to download

Versions before 17.5.2 without a valid licence show a Not Entitled error1.

Strengths

  • Free for commercial, educational and personal use from version 17.5.21,2.
  • Runs on Windows and Linux hosts4.
  • Documents snapshots, shared folders, copy and paste between host and guest, and attaching host USB devices6,13.
  • Release notes for version 25H2u1 (2026-02-26) name Broadcom advisory VMSA-2026-0002 for four fixed CVEs12.
  • NAT, bridged and host-only networking are all described7.

Limits

  • Downloading needs a Broadcom Support Portal account1.
  • Free users are not entitled to support from Broadcom's global support team; community forums only10.
  • Hosts are Windows and Linux only; Fusion Pro, the Mac product, is separate1,4.
  • Release notes for version 17.6.4 list a known issue: the Windows 11 installer may keep asking for a network connection under NAT2.

Other virtual machine programs

  1. 1
    Oracle VirtualBoxPeople who want a free, open-source virtual machine app on Windows
    92/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  2. 3
    NanaBoxWindows users who want a light Hyper-V front end with GPU and TPM options
    74/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  3. 4
    Microsoft Hyper-VWindows Pro users who want virtual machines without extra software
    73/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  4. 5
    Windows Subsystem for LinuxDevelopers who want Linux tools and distributions on a Windows PC
    71/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use

VMware Workstation Pro vs Oracle VirtualBox · VMware Workstation Pro vs NanaBox · All 12 virtual machine programs

Sources

  1. Broadcom Knowledge Base 368667: free Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro, Broadcom. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  2. VMware Workstation 17.6.4 Pro release notes, Broadcom. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  3. VMware Workstation Pro 17.0 documentation, Broadcom. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  4. Supported Host Operating Systems, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  5. Supported Guest Operating Systems, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  6. Using Virtual Machines in Workstation Pro, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  7. Configuring Network Connections, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  8. Configuring and Managing Virtual Machines, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  9. Virtual Machine Graphics and Keyboard Support, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  10. VMware Workstation Pro now available free for personal use, VMware blog. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  11. Supported host operating systems for Workstation Player and Workstation Pro 16.x, 17.x, 25H2, 26H1, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  12. VMware Workstation Pro 25H2u1 release notes, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  13. Connecting USB Devices to Virtual Machines, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
  14. Configuring Display Settings, Broadcom. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.

Website: www.vmware.com/products/desktop-hypervisor/workstation-and-fusion · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Broadcom.