Best Free Virtual Machine Software 2026: 7 Options Compared

Virtual machine software lets you run another operating system inside your current one, and the free options cover most needs. VirtualBox is open source and runs on most desktops, though its Extension Pack is free only for personal and educational use. VMware makes Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisors free to download. Hyper-V is included with Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education, so there is nothing to install on those editions. UTM is a good fit on Apple silicon Macs, QEMU is the open-source engine under many tools, and Proxmox VE and XCP-ng are server-class platforms you install on dedicated hardware. Pick by where you work. On a laptop for testing Linux, VirtualBox, VMware or UTM are practical. For a home lab or small office running many machines, Proxmox or XCP-ng are better. Performance depends on virtualization support in your CPU, which must be enabled in firmware settings. Give each virtual machine enough memory and disk space, and keep snapshots small because they grow over time. Check licence terms if you use a free tool commercially, since extension packs and bundled drivers sometimes carry different terms than the base program.

VirtualBox

GPL-3.0 base package, runs on many desktops. Extension Pack is under PUEL and free for personal and educational use only. A common choice for testing other operating systems.

Price: Free (Extension Pack is free for personal and educational use only) (VirtualBox pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, Linux, macOS. GPL-3.0 (base package); Extension Pack under PUEL (open source).

Project activity: 1.5k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 20, 2026

Best for: Desktop testing on most systems.

Worth knowing: Commercial Extension Pack use needs an Oracle license.

Compare: VirtualBox alternatives

VMware

Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisors are free to download. Proprietary; check Broadcom terms for commercial use.

Price: Free (Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro desktop hypervisors are free to download) (VMware pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, Linux, macOS. Proprietary.

Best for: Users who want a polished desktop hypervisor.

Compare: VMware alternatives

Hyper-V

Included with Windows Server and Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education. No extra cost, but not available on Home editions.

Price: Free (included with Windows Server and Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education) (Hyper-V pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education, Windows Server. Proprietary.

Best for: Windows Pro users.

Worth knowing: Windows guests on Datacenter edition get unlimited VM rights.

Compare: Hyper-V alternatives

UTM

Apache-2.0, free download from the website; the App Store version is a paid convenience. Built for Mac, including Apple silicon.

Price: Free (free download from the website; App Store version is a paid convenience) (UTM pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: macOS, iOS. Apache-2.0 (open source).

Project activity: 36.6k GitHub stars · latest release v5.0.8 (Oct 17, 2026) · last commit Oct 20, 2026

Best for: Mac users.

QEMU

GPL-2.0 open-source emulator and virtualizer, no paid plan. Powerful and flexible, but mostly used through front ends because its options are complex.

Price: Free (Open source under GPL-2.0; no paid plan) (QEMU pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Linux, macOS, Windows. GPL-2.0 (open source).

Project activity: 13.9k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Advanced users and emulation.

Worth knowing: Open-source machine emulator and virtualizer; used on its own or with a GUI front end.

Proxmox VE

AGPL-3.0+; the software is free, subscriptions add the enterprise repository and support from EUR 120 per CPU socket a year. Installs on dedicated hardware.

Price: Free (software is free; subscriptions add the enterprise repository and support); paid from EUR 120 per CPU socket/year (Community subscription) (Proxmox VE pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (bare metal). AGPL-3.0+ (open source).

Project activity: 108 GitHub stars · last commit Oct 23, 2026

Best for: Home labs and small servers.

Worth knowing: Other tiers per socket per year: Basic EUR 370, Standard EUR 550, Premium EUR 1,100.

Compare: Proxmox VE alternatives

XCP-ng

GPL-2.0 open-source server virtualization platform. Free; you install it on dedicated hardware and manage it separately.

Price: Free (XCP-ng pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Self-hosted (bare metal). GPL-2.0 (open source).

Project activity: 1.6k GitHub stars · latest release 8.3.0-20250606 (Jun 16, 2025) · last commit Oct 26, 2026

Best for: Server virtualization on a budget.

Which one to pick

• You test Linux on a Windows laptop: VirtualBox
• You use a Mac with Apple silicon: UTM
• You run Windows 11 Pro: Hyper-V
• You build a home lab: Proxmox VE