- What Is Parallel Desktop For Mac
- Parallels Desktop Similar Software Programs
- Parallels Desktop Similar Software For Windows 7
- Parallels Desktop Similar Software Free
Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac is the fastest, easiest and most powerful application for running Windows on Mac — without rebooting. Get up and running in minutes and customize to your needs. Easily switch between Mac and Windows applications. VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product. Run Windows on Mac. Fast, Powerful and Easy. The most trusted desktop virtualization software for over 14 years! Whether you need to run Windows programs that don’t have Mac versions, or you are making the switch from PC to Mac and need to transfer your data, Parallels Desktop 16 has you covered.
There are two big names in the virtual machine software industry who have both developed high-class, consumer-friendly virtual machine monitor apps and as such are competing directly against one another. These two are Parallels Inc. and Dell’s subsidiary VMware Inc, with the first to launch its software being Parallels in 2006, followed by VMware a year later.
Sold at the same price point in the U.S., both Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion pack in tons of features that make deploying and managing virtual machines a piece of cake – even for rookie computer users. If they’re both on the top of their separate games, then, how can you even choose between the two?
| Features | VMware Fusion | Parallels Desktop |
| Logo | ||
| Rating | ||
| Reviews | ||
| Visit | ||
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial |
| Coupons | Coupons | Coupons |
| Import Boot Camp Partitions | ||
| Windows Download | ||
| Windows Integrated Into macOS | ||
| Guest OS Support | ||
| Virtual Copy of macOS | ||
| Encryption | ||
| Automate Snapshots | ||
| Customize Startup | ||
| Quick Look |
| Integration |
| Windows Data Transfer |
| Shared Folders |
| DirectX 10.1 Support |
| Microsoft Cortana Integration |
| iCloud/Dropbox/Google Drive Integration |
| 'Open With' Option |
| Performance |
| Notification Center |
| Resource Optimization |
| TRIM Support |
| Disk Cleanup |
| Resolution |
| Pricing | ||
| Price | $6.66/mo | $79.99 |
| Free Version | 14 days | 30 days |
| Free Version | No | No |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | No |
| Payment Methods |
| Visa |
| PayPal |
| Mastercard |
| American Express |
| Wire Transfer |
| Liberty Reserve |
| Bitcoin |
| Customer Support |
| 24/7 |
| Live Chat |
| On Call |
| Remote Desktop |
| Community |
Parallels Desktop
If the secondary platform you'll be using on the Mac is Windows, then Parallels Desktop will streamline its deployment. Thanks to its convenient one-click install option, users can just instruct the app to download a legitimate copy of Windows from Microsoft.
While both hypervisors do their job well, what makes the difference between Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion are the corresponding feature sets that they each pack. For example, with Parallels the guest operating system integration level goes as deep as having a button in Safari to open a specific website in Internet Explorer and a “Call with iPhone” option when using the Windows browser.
Parallels Desktop Downloading Windows 10
Shared Folders
App Customization Options
Running two operating systems on the same computer will obviously have an impact on system resources, but Parallels Desktop offers the option to optimize energy saving settings for more personally tailored performance. Parallels will also pause the virtual machine if it notices that no apps are running. But it is in the performance where Parallels really shines, with a noticeably speedy boot up time when launching Windows. Downsides include the Windows app appearing in the dock as an app folder and Coherence mode in need of some design tweaking.
VMware Fusion
While it doesn't have the one-click Windows install option of Parallels’ software, VMware Fusion is a trustable hypervisor for a wide number of guest operating systems. Running this VMM will streamline the integration level of the guest operating system at a very early stage. Compared to its main competitor, VMware's isolated or seamless integration of the secondary OS is far more simplified and automated.
When it comes to performance, VMware Fusion feels just as quick; sometimes the reaction time is faster than Parallels' but the boot times matched that of its rival. It lacks the energy saving settings of Parallels Desktop, however, although it does also pause the virtual machine when it detects a period of zero activity.
What Is Parallel Desktop For Mac
Select Operating System
Choose Windows Firmware
Enable Shared Folders
When it comes to virtual machines, though, their ability to take snapshots of the guest operating system is one of the most convenient features, making troubleshooting much easier. Unfortunately, this is where VMware Fusion falters, since it doesn’t support automated snapshots as Parallels Desktop does and, therefore, means users are unable to restore their virtual machines without losing any data.
Conclusion
The heavy load of features makes choosing between these two virtual machine software packages a hard task since both have the same $79.99 price tag in the U.S. What makes the difference, though, is the pricing strategy that the two companies follow.
Parallels Desktop Similar Software Programs
Parallels Desktop is available as a subscription, which means that users will always get the latest software and features, but the license is on a per computer basis. The lifetime license option is priced higher at $99.99.
VMware Fusion's pricing strategy is a bit different, just like its feature set. The company behind the software charges users for a lifetime license, as well as offering an upgrade at a discounted price. However, it is worth noting that this license is per user, so you can install VMware Fusion on all your personal devices.
Both virtual machines are available with a free trial, the only difference between the two being that Parallels Desktop provides a 14-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, while VMware Fusion can be tested for 30 days before you are prompted to buy a license.
Windows on Mac Q&A - Updated March 22, 2010
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Is there a free alternative to Parallels Desktop for Mac and VMWare Fusion?
Both Parallels Desktop for Mac and VMWare Fusion are available for download with a free trial and are reasonably priced. However, Innotek released a free open source 'virtualization' program called VirtualBox that makes it possible to run Windows and other operating systems 'inside' or 'alongside' MacOS X in much the same way as Desktop for Mac and Fusion.
On February 12, 2008, Sun Microsystems purchased Innotek to 'strengthen Sun's leadership in the virtualization market' and this acquistion has greatly increased awareness of VirtualBox.
Sun describes the program as 'the world's most popular open source virtualization platform because of its fast performance, ease of use, rich functionality, and modular design.' No doubt the fact that it's free has something to do with it as well. Please note that although VirtualBox is free, the license needed to run a version of Windows is not.
Photo Credit: Sun Microsystems
In general, VirtualBox is not quite as full featured as the commercial alternatives, but it still has numerous features including 'seamless windows', shared folders, a shared clipboard, and more. It may meet your needs quite well.
Download VirtualBox for yourself and see. MakeUseOf.com has provided a great walk-through covering installation and configuration of the program that you may find to be useful and ArsTechnica offers an in-depth 'quick look' as well.
If VirtualBox does not meet your needs, site sponsor Other World Computing sells the latest versions of Parallels Desktop for Mac and VMWare Fusion.
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