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VMware Fusion

Desktop hypervisor for Macs that runs Windows, Linux and other VMs, now free for all users.

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About VMware Fusion

VMware Fusion is the Mac sibling of VMware Workstation, a long-running desktop hypervisor for running Windows, Linux and other operating systems in windows beside your macOS apps. On Apple Silicon Macs it runs ARM guests such as Windows 11 on ARM and ARM Linux distributions; on older Intel Macs it runs ordinary x86 VMs. It offers snapshots, shared folders, virtual networking and a vmrun command-line tool, and its VM format is shared with Workstation and VMware's server products, which matters for people who move images between laptop and data centre. Since November 2024, when Broadcom ended the paid Pro editions, Fusion has been free for personal, educational and commercial use alike, though free users get community forums and documentation rather than ticketed support. Downloads come through a Broadcom account. It suits developers, IT staff and Mac users who need a capable VM app without paying for Parallels.

Best for: Mac users who want a full-featured hypervisor at no cost, especially those already using VMware tools.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Free for commercial as well as personal use
  • Runs Windows 11 on ARM and ARM Linux on Apple Silicon
  • VM format compatible with VMware Workstation and VMware's server products
  • Snapshots, virtual networks and a command-line tool for scripting

Why people leave

  • Mac only; Windows and Linux hosts need VMware Workstation instead
  • Downloading requires signing up for a Broadcom account
  • No support tickets for free users, only forums and docs
  • Cannot run x86 guests on Apple Silicon Macs

Top VMware Fusion alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1Parallels Desktop logo
    Parallels Desktop

    Paid but smoother for Windows on Apple Silicon, with tight macOS integration and one-click Windows setup.

    68.8
  2. 2UTM logo
    UTM

    Free and open source, and can also emulate x86 guests on Apple Silicon, though more slowly.

    64.8
  3. 3VirtualBox logo
    VirtualBox

    Free open-source hypervisor if you also need the same VM tool on Windows and Linux hosts.

    61.8
  4. 4OrbStack logo
    OrbStack

    Lighter choice if what you really need is Linux VMs and Docker containers rather than Windows.

    59.4
  5. 5QEMU logo
    QEMU

    The open-source engine for scripted or cross-architecture VMs, driven from the command line.

    55.3

Why people left VMware Fusion

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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VMware Fusion: common questions

Is VMware Fusion free?

Yes, VMware Fusion is free to use.

Is VMware Fusion open source?

No, VMware Fusion is not open source. Open-source alternatives include UTM and VirtualBox.

What platforms does VMware Fusion run on?

VMware Fusion is available for macOS.

What are the best alternatives to VMware Fusion?

The highest-ranked VMware Fusion alternatives right now are Parallels Desktop, UTM and VirtualBox. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 VMware Fusion alternatives