Back in the spring, VMware made a surprising announcement: they offered their desktop hypervisor software for free across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. This included the full version of VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro without any trial period, feature limitations, or in-app purchases. However, initially, this free offering was limited to personal use only, leaving businesses and other commercial users to purchase licenses.
Now, VMware has extended this generosity, making VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro free for all users, regardless of their intended use—personal or commercial. As a part of this shift, VMware has removed the option to purchase these products entirely. Those customers who previously held a commercial license will not receive a prorated refund, although those who purchased within the last 30 days may request one. However, these commercial users will retain access to human ticketed support, a benefit not offered to non-license users.
Despite concerns that VMware’s new pricing model might signal a lack of commitment to ongoing development, VMware assures users that they are still dedicated to enhancing the software with new features and usability improvements. The company’s revenue primarily comes from virtualization technologies targeted at enterprises and cloud services, rather than from desktop software sales.
It is important to note that while VMware Workstation Pro is now free, it is not open-source software. This proprietary status may deter some users, but many in the Linux community still opt for proprietary options like Steam and Google Chrome. Alternatives like Qemu, Proxmox, and Oracle’s VirtualBox remain available for those seeking open-source solutions.
For those interested in downloading VMware Workstation Pro for Linux, a Broadcom account is required. Users must sign in to a support page to download the installation package, which is delivered as a .bundle file needing execution permissions. After installing, users can easily launch the application and begin utilizing its extensive features for virtual machines.
For more information, visit the VMware Workstation Pro support page.