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

VMware Workstation pros and cons

Vendor: VMware
4.4 out of 5
Badge Ranked 1
3,847 followers
Start review

Pros & Cons summary

Buyer's Guide

Get pricing advice, tips, use cases and valuable features from real users of this product.
Get the report

Prominent pros & cons

PROS

VMware Workstation excels in providing virtualization technology, allowing for simultaneous operation of multiple operating systems with no performance hit.
Its ease of setup and deployment is highly praised, requiring only a few minutes for initial configuration.
The snapshot and backup capabilities are invaluable, offering the ability to revert to previous versions without data loss.
Technical support is noted as being excellent, enhancing user experience with timely assistance.
It is recognized for its robust feature set, supporting third-party integrations and offering flexibility that surpasses other hypervisors.

CONS

VMware Workstation has issues with virtual network adapters and networking capabilities, which can lead to stability problems when used for development purposes.
There is a disparity in feature sets between the Windows-based client and the Linux-based client, with the Windows client being more advanced.
Scalability is limited, and VMware Workstation could benefit from improved compatibility with various platforms and CPUs.
Automatic software updates would enhance the overall experience, as the current process for upgrading can be cumbersome and resource-intensive.
Support for macOS virtualization is absent and would be a valuable addition to VMware Workstation features.
 

VMware Workstation Pros review quotes

reviewer1754271 - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 23, 2022
We are able to simultaneously run multiple operating systems in a single machine and have virtually no performance hit.
reviewer941238 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 21, 2021
Because the setup is so easy, this is a solution that can be used at a moment's notice.
SalimAhmed - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 28, 2023
The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it is an easy-to-use product.
Learn what your peers think about VMware Workstation. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
TL
Aug 8, 2022
The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the DirectX support, you can run Microsoft Hyper-V in virtual environments which is good for me to test different installations. Additionally, you can set up different VLANs, and overall it is a complete solution.
Dan Hercules - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 29, 2023
VMware Workstation has tons of third-party support, the largest partner ecosystem. VMware works with a ton of different vendors. They have plugins for almost everything. Other hypervisors lack the flexibility that VMware Workstation offers.
reviewer1803714 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 14, 2022
The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the speed of access and quality of upgrade. Those are the more important and pertinent aspects as far as we were concerned. Functionality and features were relevant for the customers. What a customer chose, we had to make sure that it operated.
reviewer954753 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jul 11, 2024
Having ten people working off a single piece of hardware reduces costs.
WG
May 12, 2025
We initially intended to work with Hyper-V because we are selling a virtual appliance and thought our customers would want to run that on Hyper-V.
Nick Quirante - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 16, 2023
I appreciate the ease of backup and snapshot creation. The ability to revert to previous versions without losing data is very useful for our team.
SHUBHAM BHINGARDE - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 13, 2024
Instead of relying on dual-boot operating systems, I can utilize open-source tools within my infrastructure. This approach allows me to create an in-house cloud platform suitable for testing. VMware Workstation enables me to perform tasks across various operating systems using a single device. It has helped me save time.
 

VMware Workstation Cons review quotes

reviewer1754271 - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 23, 2022
The interface is a little wonky and needs to be improved.
reviewer941238 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 21, 2021
Lacks the ability to clone onto another system rather than starting from scratch.
SalimAhmed - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 28, 2023
VMware Workstation uses more resources like CPU and disk space, especially the CPU, which is a shortcoming that needs improvement.
Learn what your peers think about VMware Workstation. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
TL
Aug 8, 2022
VMware Workstation has some network limitations which could improve, it is not as flexible as VMware NSX. Additionally, it could support operating systems better. I only run some Linux versions and Windows at the moment but it would be nice to be able to take whatever operating system you want and run it.
Dan Hercules - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 29, 2023
It would be great if VMware Workstation had more networking options and compatibility, that would be great. I would like to deploy virtual switches and play around with networking a bit more. Otherwise, I have to deploy ESXi Virtual Edition and emulate it, which is painful and clunky.
reviewer1803714 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 14, 2022
The big issue that we've always had with VMware, was the disparity between what was presented for a Windows-based client and a Linux-based client. The Windows client was always two or three releases ahead of the Linux client. We always wanted VMware to change and improve the feature sets between the client connector on Linux and on Windows.
reviewer954753 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jul 11, 2024
One improvement is mouse emulation. Some people in the office want to use a five—or seven-button mouse like they're used to at home, but they can't with the workstation setup.
WG
May 12, 2025
The problem we are facing with stability is that the network adapter causes crashes of the VM when we're using it for developing purposes.
Nick Quirante - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 16, 2023
I would like to see more detailed reporting capabilities, particularly around snapshot activity. It would be helpful to have a summary of changes made prior to deploying an application, allowing us to provide comprehensive reports to our management on a regular basis.
SHUBHAM BHINGARDE - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 13, 2024
The solution should provide a guide on its installation.