Parallels Desktop is a virtual user session solution built to run Windows on Macintosh computers without rebooting. It is designed for OS X Yosemite with one-click tuning.
$49.99
per license
VMware Workstation Pro
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
VMware Workstation Pro is virtualization software which allows running multiple x86-based operating systems on one PC.
N/A
Pricing
Parallels Desktop
VMware Workstation Pro
Editions & Modules
Parallels Desktop 16
$49.99
per license
Parallels Desktop Pro Edition
$49.99
per license/per year
Parallels Desktop
$79.99
per license
Parallels Desktop Pro Edition
$99
per license/per year
Parallels Desktop Business Edition
$99.99
per license/per year
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Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Parallels Desktop
VMware Workstation Pro
Free Trial
No
No
Free/Freemium Version
No
No
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
No
No
Entry-level Setup Fee
No setup fee
No setup fee
Additional Details
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More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Parallels Desktop
VMware Workstation Pro
Considered Both Products
Parallels Desktop
Verified User
Professional
Chose Parallels Desktop
Parallels Desktop has better experience for MacOS if we compare to VMware Workstation Pro. It has more extensions and feature that working great on MacOS environment. Support working multi virtual machines on the same time and no limit (if you have a powerful laptop) I am …
Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation are both server virtualization software designed to allow users to run different operating systems on their workstations. For example, Mac users use these technologies to run Windows applications. Both Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation are used by businesses of all sizes, though mid-sized organizations use them most often.
Features
Both Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation allow users to run applications of different operating systems, but they also have some standout features that set them apart from each other.
Parallels Desktop provides a setup wizard that walks users through the process of installing Parallels Desktop on their system and launching apps. These features make Parallels Desktop best in class in terms of usability. Parallels Desktop also allows the use of some mac features, like Quick Look, while using Windows. Lastly, Parallels Desktop also allows for the installation of Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Mint in a single click.
VMware Workstation has greater support for mac hardware, including native support for 5k monitors. Additionally, VMware Workstation offers high performance. In particular, VMware Workstation excels in graphics benchmarks. High speed and CPU efficiency make VMware Workstation an excellent choice for a business that needs to get the best performance out of their virtual machines.
Limitations
Though Parallels Desktop and VMware Workstation both provide essential virtualization features, they also each have a few limitations that are important to consider.
Parallels Desktop is a demanding technology, in that it uses a lot of a computer’s resources. These resource demands may make Parallels Desktop a poor choice for organizations without high-end computers or that need their workstations to be performing other resource-intensive tasks. Parallels Desktop also lacks native support for 5k monitors. Lastly, Parallels Desktop does not perform as well graphically compared to VMware Workstation.
VMware Workstation isn’t as easy to implement as Parallels Desktop, which walks users through the entire process step-by-step. Additionally, while VMware Workstation does offer support for some Mac features while using Windows apps, it does not support as many features as Parallels Desktop. Lastly, VMware Workstation can be challenging to set up for workstations with multiple monitors.
Pricing
Parallels Desktop offers three pricing tiers. The Standard tier provides essential virtualization features and is priced at $79.99 per year per workstation. After that, the Pro edition includes premium 24-hour support, as well as increased integrations and plug-ins and costs $99.99 per year per workstation. Lastly, Parallels Desktop Business edition adds centralized administration, and mass deployment features for the price of $99.99 per year per workstation.
The most recent version of VMware Workstation is priced depending on how many workstations are needed as well as the level of support required. Though pricing increases based on these factors, it starts at $249.99 per workstation.
Features
Parallels Desktop
VMware Workstation Pro
Remote Administration
Comparison of Remote Administration features of Product A and Product B
Parallels Desktop
8.6
19 Ratings
4% above category average
VMware Workstation Pro
-
Ratings
Screen sharing
9.25 Ratings
00 Ratings
File transfer
9.416 Ratings
00 Ratings
Instant message
6.02 Ratings
00 Ratings
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
7.82 Ratings
00 Ratings
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
8.15 Ratings
00 Ratings
Over-the-Internet remote session
7.86 Ratings
00 Ratings
Remote management of servers & workstations
10.02 Ratings
00 Ratings
Remote Active Directory® management
8.93 Ratings
00 Ratings
Centralized management dashboard
8.87 Ratings
00 Ratings
Session record
9.35 Ratings
00 Ratings
Annotations
8.64 Ratings
00 Ratings
Monitoring and Alerts
8.65 Ratings
00 Ratings
Multi-platform remote control
8.95 Ratings
00 Ratings
Server Virtualization
Comparison of Server Virtualization features of Product A and Product B
The product has evolved over the years and has become a lot easier to use than before. Deploying Virtual Machines is quick and easy and multiple methods from ISO files to direct selection of products is possible with minimal effort. Any organization needing to test or simply do business on multiple platforms without having separate computers for each OS, will love Parallels Desktop. It is doing the same revolution for desktop computers as VMWare did for servers
Some scenarios where VMware Workstation pro is best suited are: 1. Utilization for testing software - can install a virtual machine to simulate software requirements and testing it on your network. 2. Testing operating systems upgrades and installation on specific hardware requirements. 3. Virtualizing a physical server 4. Being able to backup a whole server and restore from it in the event of any issue occurring.
File Transfer - You can easily transfer files between Parallels virtualized desktops and the host desktop either through Copy and Paste functionality, or Drag and Drop. You can also configure shared folders.
Switch Between Virtual and Host Desktop - You can configure swipe gestures on a MacBook Pro to be able to switch between the virtualized and host desktop. You can also launch apps from the OS X Taskbar.
Performance - Apps in Parallels run quite smoothly on my 2015 MacBook Pro, as of 2020. Considering they are running on a 5-year-old computer, I give Parallels top marks for performance.
It provides a great remote access tool for accessing and managing servers in virtual environment. With the security risks surround remote desktop this provides a good alternative to do the same functions.
The app itself is very lightweight and easy to install/maintain.
Sandbox testing can be a time consuming thing to setup and do. Workstation makes this easy to create, use, and put away. This make you more willing to put new things in the sandbox and test them before production usage.
The cost of workstation is very affordable for the functionality that you get and you can try it for free before you buy it.
We use it to run apps that can be difficult to setup or conflict with other apps. We just spin this app VM up run it, and then shut it back down. The startup and shutdown is very quick.
No update for OpenGL 3, which prevents some 3D applications from launching. The Windows-version of SketchUp is but one example.
Frequent (yearly) updates which don't always bring benefits (I always skip at least one version).
If you don't be careful, it generates 100s of useless Windows-application wrappers in macOS which sometimes take precedence in spotlight over the Mac apps I usually need to use (e.g. SketchUp, Excel, Word, Evernote...). More than once I launched Parallels instead of opening the native Mac app.
The software just works. I will say the renewal process is frustrating if you are decreasing seats, but otherwise the software and the account management is simple and perfect.
It has a good integration, including the connection of peripherals. Taking files back and forth works well and I can attach my Home drive as a network drive in Windows. There is even integration with iCloud and other macOS services. There are also a few different display modes which are useful and fleixible (coherence, windowed, full-screen with multiple screens)
We have had rare occasions to contact support about the product. Most questions were easily answered from the knowledge base. When we have had to contact support they were able to provide us with a couple of different solutions and enough resources about how to accomplish said solutions that solving the problem was easy enough.
I haven't had to call VMware Workstation support. The majority of the time, whenever I have a problem, I can perform an online search and find the answers I need. Online forums and users with similar situations are generally sufficient to answer any questions I have had, though, from previous experience at another company, their support is outstanding and responsive to circumstances. However, that is generally for a paid support contract and should be expected when you are paying for that support.
Parallels offers a much more streamlined and easier to navigate VM configuration interface. Once configured, device compatibility and overall system efficiency appears to be better in Parallels Desktop compared to others. Integration between the Mac host OS and the VM is virtually seamless whether you are just sharing files between the two operating systems or utilizing full-on Coherence mode.
The best and easy to adjust all the functions for easy production of the appropriate and quality services via the Cloud and the deployment of the product can easily be done with all users even those with little basic knowledge on VMware Workstation Pro similar platforms. With the advanced capabilities for Cloud data protection and monitoring of various companies' operations, the system offers its highest capability.
