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VirtualBox Logo

Open-source cross-platform virtualization application

Table of Contents

VirtualBox - 2026 Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

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All user reviews are verified by in-house moderators and provider data by our software research team.  Learn more

Last updated: January 2026

VirtualBox overview

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Based on 883 verified user reviews

What is VirtualBox?

VirtualBox is a virtual machine program with key features that include virtualization, configuration management, virtual disk image support, a graphical user interface, remote access and control, and more.

Who uses VirtualBox?

By industry, VirtualBox reviewers are most commonly professionals in information technology and services (21%). The most frequent use case for VirtualBox cited by reviewers is as a virtual machine (97% of reviewers).

What do users say about VirtualBox pricing?

Most reviewers indicate that VirtualBox delivers outstanding value for money because it is free and open-source. Most users consider the lack of licensing fees and comprehensive features to be highly cost-effective, despite occasional performance issues.

Starting price

Alternatives

with better value for money


Pros & Cons

Emulation

Sandboxing

Affordability

Stability

Responsiveness

Connectivity

VirtualBox’s user interface

Ease of use rating:

VirtualBox pros, cons and reviews insights

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To determine these pros and cons insights, we analyzed responses from 

Overall rating

Reviews sentiment

 
 
 
1-2(2)
3-4(333)
5(548)

What do users say about VirtualBox?

Users report VirtualBox is a popular, free solution for running multiple operating systems and creating virtual machines for testing, development, and training. They value its versatility, cost-effectiveness, and ability to set up isolated environments for software experimentation, learning, and secure browsing. They appreciate the wide OS compatibility and active community support.

Some feel performance can lag on lower-spec machines and mention occasional bugs, confusing error messages, and a learning curve for beginners. They note setup and installation are generally straightforward, but advanced features and documentation could be improved compared to paid alternatives.

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Who uses VirtualBox?

Based on 883 verified user reviews.

Company size

Small Businesses

Enterprises

Midsize Businesses

Top industries

Information Technology and Services
Computer Software
Education Management
Telecommunications
Others

Use cases

Virtual Machine
VDI

VirtualBox's key features

GetApp's analysis of 61 verified user reviews collected between July 2021 and December 2024 identifies VirtualBox's most critical features and summarizes user sentiment about those features.

Virtualization

Reviewers appreciate VirtualBox's virtualization capabilities for allowing them to run multiple operating systems on a single machine efficiently. They find it invaluable for testing various OS and applications without reinstalling, and for creating isolated environments for tasks like malware analysis and mobile UI testing. Users report that it performs well, enabling smooth operation of virtual machines with separate file systems. They highlight its ease of use, versatility, and the ability to switch between different operating systems seamlessly. Of the 27 VirtualBox users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Virtualization, 100% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“Virtual box is an awsome tool. i used it to easily install different virtual machines on my desktop. it allowed me to use and test various operating systems on my machines withought having to reinstall every time. ”
NV

Nicholas V.

IT Technician

“Virtualization, which is made possible by VirtualBox, is important for a number of reasons: it allows users to experiment with different operating systems and applications without having to install them, it is efficient because it allows users to run multiple operating systems on the same computer, and it enhances security by keeping virtual machines isolated from one another.”
AE

Amal E.

Freelancer


Configuration management

Reviewers highlight VirtualBox's configuration management for its wide range of customization options, allowing them to tailor virtual machines to specific needs. They appreciate the VirtualBox Manager for its ability to parameterize functionalities and resources easily. Users find it simplifies maintaining consistency and reproducibility across virtual machines, saving time and effort. They also value the flexibility in configuring specifications, such as RAM and disk partitions, although some mention occasional complexity in setup. Of the 27 VirtualBox users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Configuration Management, 96% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“It has a VirtualBox Manager that allows you to parameterize existing functionalities, devices, ports, and resources to make changes while online or through a quick reboot.”
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Marianela F.

Water Treatment and Environmental Management Consultant

“it is provides a wide range of configuration options, allowing users to customize virtual machines to meet specific requirements by a very easy way.”
RS

Rasheed S.

Network Administrative


VDI

Reviewers indicate that VirtualBox's VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) capabilities are beneficial for creating and managing virtual desktops. They appreciate the adaptability and efficiency of VDI, including capabilities like dynamically allocated disk space and snapshots. Users report that it enhances flexibility by allowing access to desktop environments from various devices and simplifies the process of importing and exporting virtual disk images. They find it useful for cost-saving and easy management of virtual machines. Of the 23 VirtualBox users who gave detailed accounts of their use of VDI, 87% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“VDI in VirtualBox is a technology that allows you to create and manage virtual desktops, providing a centralized solution for deploying and managing desktop environments for collaboration. ”
MF

Marc F.

Ph.D. Student

“Virtual box technology paves the way for VDI which tends to optimize the approach of VMs which we can have multiple VDI from a single virtual machine and save cost, easy to manage and deploy ”
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kehinde B.

Enterprise Admin, Server and Storage, Cloud Admin Devops


Graphical user interface

Reviewers find VirtualBox's graphical user interface (GUI) well-designed and user-friendly, simplifying tasks like creating, configuring, and controlling virtual machines. They appreciate its accessibility for both beginners and experts, with functionalities such as networking and snapshot configuration. Users report that the GUI is intuitive, easy to navigate, and helps in managing virtual machines efficiently. However, some mention that certain menus could be better organized to reduce unnecessary clicks. Of the 29 VirtualBox users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Graphical User Interface, 86% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“GUI simplifies the process of creating, configuration, and controlling VMs, making it accessible to both beginners and expert.”
MC

Mohit C.

Annotation Expert

“The GUI has plenty of functionality, but some of the terminology used is different to what you may be used to with other virtualization platforms so keep that in mind. Some of the menus are also in need of re-organising as they involve additional clicks which could be avoided.”
JH

Josh H.

Senior Support Engineer


Remote access/control

Reviewers value VirtualBox's remote access/control capabilities for allowing them to manage virtual machines from any location. They find it particularly useful for administrators handling VMs on remote servers, enhancing efficiency and flexibility. Users report that it works well with other software and enables secure remote management of virtual environments. They appreciate the ability to access and control virtual machines remotely, although some note occasional difficulties with port settings and crashes. Of the 26 VirtualBox users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Remote Access/Control, 81% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“VirtualBox's Remote Access/Control feature is a very nice feature as it allows me to access any virtual machine I want from anywhere I want.”
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Emre K.

Security Software Engineer

“Remote Access and control is one of the best option to collaborate and control from anywhere.”
PV

Pankaj V.

IT Recruiter


All VirtualBox features

Features rating:

Desktop virtualization
Desktop/Application virtualization
Multi-Device support
Authentication
Remote update/installation
Data synchronization
Remote monitoring & management
API
DaaS
Virtual server

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VirtualBox pricing

Starting from

Free

Pricing details
Subscription
Free trial
Free plan
Pricing range

User opinions about VirtualBox price and value

Value for money rating:

Of 58 reviews that provide robust commentary on VirtualBox's price and value, 98% mention it in a positive light.

Most reviewers indicate that VirtualBox offers exceptional value for money, primarily because it is completely free and open-source. They appreciate that it allows them to run multiple virtual machines and operating systems without any cost, which is particularly beneficial for businesses and individual users who cannot afford to purchase a virtualization tool. Users think that the absence of licensing concerns and the availability of a free version make it a cost-effective choice for testing new OSes and software. They find that it saves them significant time and money by eliminating the need for additional hardware. Some users report that it provides a comprehensive set of features comparable to paid solutions, making it an attractive option for both hobbyists and enterprises. Reviewers appreciate the flexibility and versatility of VirtualBox, noting that it helps them manage multiple virtual machines efficiently. While there are occasional performance issues, most users consider VirtualBox to be a valuable tool given its zero cost.

, and

To see what individual users think of VirtualBox's cost and value, check out the review excerpts below.

“Without purchasing any Licensed tool or without any hassle of trial versions or commercial versions, we can Virtualbox as which is totally free and we don't need to spend anything for running a Kali or Ubuntu machines in your host machine.”
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Mohamed F.

Associate Consultant - Application Security

“It's flexibility and free-access allowed me to test my applications on multiple environments without having to purchase additional hardware, and thus saved me a lot of time and especially money!”
MF

Marc F.

Ph.D. Student

“The nice thing about VirtualBox is its free license that makes it a cost-effective choice for users who want to test with new OSes and software.”
MS

Maha S.

Assistant Professor

VirtualBox integrations (1)

Top integrations

VirtualBox support options

Typical customers

Freelancers
Small businesses
Mid size businesses
Large enterprises

Platforms supported

Web
Android
iPhone/iPad

Support options

Knowledge Base
Email/Help Desk
Phone Support

VirtualBox FAQs

Q. What type of pricing plans does VirtualBox offer?

VirtualBox has the following pricing plans:
Pricing model: Free, Open Source

These products have better value for money


Q. What is VirtualBox used for?

Oracle VM VirtualBox is an open-source cross-platform virtualization software, which helps organizations create, manage, and run multiple virtual machines (VMs) simultaneously. Features include guest multiprocessing, USB device support, remote machine display, RDP authentication, and soft keyboard. The application enables administrators to create virtual machines on one host and execute on another host with a different operating system (OS) using the same file and image formats. It provides guest additions for VM, which helps users handle video display, file exchange, mouse pointer movements, time synchronization, and automated login. System engineers can also import and export VMs using the Open Virtualization Format (OVF). Oracle VM VirtualBox offers a snapshot functionality, letting users save a particular state of VM and revert to that state as required. Engineers can transfer data between host and guest systems, and copy files, directories or clipboard formats using the drag-and-drop capabilities. It lets administrators create a full and linked copy or clone of a virtual machine in order to test different guest OS levels or prepare a backup.


Q. Who are the typical users of VirtualBox?

VirtualBox has the following typical customers:
Freelancers, Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Public Administrations, Small Business


Q. What languages does VirtualBox support?

VirtualBox supports the following languages:
English


Q. Does VirtualBox offer an API?

Yes, VirtualBox has an API available for use.


Q. What level of support does VirtualBox offer?

VirtualBox offers the following support options:
Knowledge Base, Email/Help Desk, Phone Support

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