Key Takeaways:
- VMware has made its Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisor products free for personal use.
- VMware is also discontinuing its Workstation Player and Fusion Player solutions.
- VMware has simplified its paid offerings to a single SKU called Desktop Hypervisor for commercial customers, priced at $120 per year.
VMware announced yesterday that its Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisor products are now free for personal use. Starting this week, VMware will offer two license models for its Pro apps: a Free Personal Use or a Paid Commercial Use subscription for organizations.
According to VMware, customers should notice consistent functionality across both free and paid subscription models. However, the free version will display the message “This product is licensed for personal use only” on the screens.
VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are virtualization products that enable customers to create and operate virtual machines (VMs) on their computers. These services let users run multiple VMs to facilitate testing, development, and other virtualization tasks. VMware Workstation Pro is available for PCs running Windows and Linux, while VMware Fusion Pro is tailored for macOS.
“VMware Desktop Hypervisor products Fusion and Workstation are used by millions of people every day to run virtual machines on their Windows, Linux, and Mac computers,” VMware explained. “They give users the ability to quickly and easily build ‘local virtual’ environments to install other operating systems, learn about technology, build and test software, complex systems, browsers, apps, games, and more.”
How to download Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro 13 for free
- Go to the Broadcom’s Support website.
- Click Register to create a new basic Broadcom account if you don’t already have one.
- Once logged in, navigate to the Support Portal and select the “VMware Cloud Foundation division” from the dropdown menu.
- Click the “My Downloads” option on the left and then search for either Fusion or Workstation.
- Select VMware Fusion or VMware Workstation Pro from the list and choose version 17.5.2 or 13.5.2.
- Finally, click the download and install option.
VMware deprecates Workstation Player and Fusion Player
VMware has announced its plans to phase out its Workstation Player and Fusion Player solutions. These products will no longer be available for purchase, and customers are encouraged to transition to the Pro versions at no additional cost. VMware assures that all virtual machines (VMs) utilized in the VMware Player products are compatible with Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro.
Lastly, Broadcom has simplified its paid offering into a single product for VMware commercial customers. This new subscription, called VMware Desktop Hypervisor, is priced at $120 per year and provides access to VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro products. Commercial customers can purchase the new paid subscription through the new online store or an authorized Broadcom Advantage partner.
Overall, VMware’s decision to make Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro free for personal use marks a significant advancement in virtualization accessibility for IT professionals. This move not only promotes cost efficiency and flexibility but also facilitates skill development, collaboration, and career advancement within the IT community.