saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

Developer Tools

Best virtual machine software

Run another operating system in a window on your Windows PC, with snapshots, graphics and USB, without touching your main install. 12 virtual machine programs, ranked by points out of 100.

Facts checked 9 Oct 2026 · How we score virtual machine programs

In short

  1. 1
    Oracle VirtualBoxPeople who want a free, open-source virtual machine app on Windows
    92/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  2. 2
    VMware Workstation ProWindows users who want a free hypervisor with snapshots and shared folders
    79/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  3. 3
    NanaBoxWindows users who want a light Hyper-V front end with GPU and TPM options
    74/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  4. 4
    Microsoft Hyper-VWindows Pro users who want virtual machines without extra software
    73/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  5. 5
    Windows Subsystem for LinuxDevelopers who want Linux tools and distributions on a Windows PC
    71/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  6. 6
    MultipassDevelopers who want quick Linux virtual machines on a Windows PC
    65/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  7. 7
    QEMUTechnical users who want a free, scriptable virtual machine tool
    65/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  8. 8
    86BoxRetro-computing fans who want to run 1980s and 1990s PC software accurately
    57/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  9. 9
    Android EmulatorAndroid developers who need free virtual phones, tablets and TVs
    57/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  10. 10
    VagrantDevelopers who want repeatable, scripted virtual machines
    50/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  11. 11
    Windows SandboxOpening untrusted files or apps in a clean, throwaway Windows
    48/100
    $0cheapest licence for work use
  12. 12
    Genymotion DesktopDevelopers and testers who need local Android virtual devices
    43/100
    $239.99/yrcheapest licence for work use

How the points add up

Points earned out of the points available in each part of the method.

ProductSystems
of 17		Virtual machines
of 27		Devices
of 24		Openness and upkeep
of 14		Price
of 18		Total
Oracle VirtualBox172324101892
VMware Workstation Pro15142481879
NanaBox13924101874
Microsoft Hyper-V8231681873
Windows Subsystem for Linux91218141871
Multipass13146141865
QEMU171010101865
86Box1748101857
Android Emulator9128101857
Vagrant418641850
Windows Sandbox441841848
Genymotion Desktop981241043

Each virtual machine program in brief

1. Oracle VirtualBox

VirtualBox suits anyone who wants a no-cost virtual machine app with open-source code on Windows, macOS or Linux. It lists snapshots, shared folders, nested virtualization and virtual TPM 2.0 with Secure Boot. The catch: the manual does not describe a ready-made image gallery, and the separate Extension Pack carries a personal-use licence.

Best for: People who want a free, open-source virtual machine app on Windows. Prices, facts and sources

2. VMware Workstation Pro

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

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

3. NanaBox

NanaBox suits Windows users who want Hyper-V machines with TPM, Secure Boot and GPU options without paying. The source is MIT-licensed and a release landed in September 2026. The catch: it runs on Windows only, documents no snapshots, and has no security policy.

Best for: Windows users who want a light Hyper-V front end with GPU and TPM options. Prices, facts and sources

4. Microsoft Hyper-V

Hyper-V suits Windows Pro, Enterprise and Education users who want snapshots, Secure Boot, virtual TPM and nested virtualization at no extra cost. The catch: it is not available on Windows Home, only Windows guests get device sharing, and other desktop hypervisors may not run reliably beside it.

Best for: Windows Pro users who want virtual machines without extra software. Prices, facts and sources

5. Windows Subsystem for Linux

WSL suits developers who want Linux command-line tools, GPU access and shared Windows drives without managing a full virtual machine. It costs nothing extra and works on Windows Home. The catch: it runs Linux only, documents no snapshots with rollback, and needs a third-party tool for USB.

Best for: Developers who want Linux tools and distributions on a Windows PC. Prices, facts and sources

6. Multipass

Multipass suits developers who want a fresh Linux machine in one command, on Windows Home or Pro. It is free, open source and recently updated. The catch: it runs Linux guests only, and its docs do not describe TPM, GPU, USB or clipboard sharing.

Best for: Developers who want quick Linux virtual machines on a Windows PC. Prices, facts and sources

7. QEMU

QEMU suits technical users who want a free, open-source virtual machine tool that also runs on macOS and Linux. It documents snapshots, an emulated TPM, bridged networking, and shared folders. The catch: it is configured with command-line options, its docs label USB passthrough experimental and list 3D graphics requirements for Linux hosts, and its download page names no ready-made image gallery.

Best for: Technical users who want a free, scriptable virtual machine tool. Prices, facts and sources

8. 86Box

86Box suits people who want to run old PC operating systems and software on faithfully emulated hardware, at no cost. It emulates real hardware, so the FAQ says advanced features such as pointer integration are not possible, and the project discourages Windows XP or newer. Its documentation does not describe snapshots, USB passthrough, shared folders or a shared clipboard.

Best for: Retro-computing fans who want to run 1980s and 1990s PC software accurately. Prices, facts and sources

9. Android Emulator

Android Emulator suits developers who want Android virtual devices at no cost, with snapshots and host GPU acceleration. It runs Android only, not Windows or Linux guests, and its documentation says it has no virtual USB hardware. On Windows it relies on Microsoft's Windows Hypervisor Platform.

Best for: Android developers who need free virtual phones, tablets and TVs. Prices, facts and sources

10. Vagrant

Vagrant suits developers who want to describe a virtual machine in a file and recreate it on demand. It costs nothing for work use under its licence. The catch: it is a front end that depends on another hypervisor, its source licence is not open source, and its last release is from August 2025.

Best for: Developers who want repeatable, scripted virtual machines. Prices, facts and sources

11. Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox suits people on Windows Pro or higher who want a clean, one-click Windows to try unknown files or apps. It adds no cost, shares the clipboard and folders, and supports a virtual GPU. The catch: it does not run on Windows Home, runs only Windows, and keeps nothing between sessions.

Best for: Opening untrusted files or apps in a clean, throwaway Windows. Prices, facts and sources

12. Genymotion Desktop

Genymotion Desktop suits people who need Android virtual devices on a PC, not general-purpose virtual machines. The personal edition is free, but work use needs a paid licence starting at $239.99 a year. Its network modes and clipboard sharing are documented, while snapshots, USB and shared folders are not described in its documentation. It is proprietary software.

Best for: Developers and testers who need local Android virtual devices. Prices, facts and sources

Every fact, side by side

Each row is one rule of the method and the points it is worth. "–" means the vendor does not publish it, which earns nothing.

Rule (points)Oracle VirtualBoxVMware Workstation ProNanaBoxMicrosoft Hyper-VWindows Subsystem for LinuxMultipassQEMU86BoxAndroid EmulatorVagrantWindows SandboxGenymotion Desktop
Guest systems (8)2 of 22 of 22 of 22 of 21 of 21 of 22 of 22 of 20 of 20 of 21 of 20 of 2
Also runs on other hosts (4)2 of 21 of 20 of 20 of 20 of 22 of 22 of 22 of 22 of 22 of 20 of 22 of 2
Works on Windows Home (5)YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes–NoYes
Snapshots (8)YesYes–Yes–YesYes–YesYesNo–
Virtual TPM and Secure Boot (5)Yes–YesYes––––––––
Network modes (6)3 of 33 of 3–3 of 32 of 31 of 31 of 32 of 30 of 33 of 30 of 32 of 3
Nested virtualization (4)Yes–YesYesYes–––––––
Starts from a ready-made image (4)No–––YesYes––YesYesYesYes
3D graphics for guests (8)YesYesYes–Yes––YesYes–YesYes
USB devices in the guest (6)YesYesYesYesNo–No–No–––
Shared folders (6)YesYesYesYesYesYesYes––YesYes–
Shared clipboard (4)YesYesYesYesYes–Yes–––YesYes
Open source (6)Yes–Yes–YesYesYesYesYesNo–No
Security advisories published (4)–YesNoYesYesYes–No–Yes––
Updated in the last 12 months (4)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Free edition (6)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Cheapest licence for work use (12)$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$239.99/yr

Head to head

We read each vendor's own pages, record every fact with its source and date, and score it by the rules on how we score virtual machine programs. A tie goes to the lower price. Desktop virtualization that runs on a Windows PC (a Windows app, a built-in Windows feature or a command-line tool). Server hypervisors and tools for Mac hosts only are left out. Features count on the free edition or the cheapest paid edition; for VirtualBox, only the base package counts, not the Extension Pack. Vendor claims about speed or quality are shown on product pages but never scored. Prices are in US dollars before tax.