Broadcom’s Game-Changing Move: VMware Fusion and Workstation Now Free for All Users

In a surprise move, Broadcom has announced that VMware Fusion and Workstation, its popular desktop hypervisor products, are now completely free for all users. This significant shift, effective November 11, 2024, aims to make virtualization technology more accessible than ever before.

“We’re thrilled to announce a significant change that reflects our commitment to making VMware Fusion and VMware Workstation more accessible than ever,” says Himanshu Singh, Head of Product Marketing for Compute and AI at Broadcom’s VCF Division. “Starting November 11, 2024, these powerful desktop hypervisor products will be available for free to everyone—commercial, educational, and personal users alike.”

This means that both VMware Fusion (for macOS) and VMware Workstation (for Windows) are transitioning to a free-tier model, with no paid subscriptions or pro versions available. While existing commercial contracts will be honored until their expiration, new users can simply download and use the software without any cost.

What does this mean for existing and future users?

• Existing paid users: Your current support agreements remain in effect, providing access to enterprise-grade support as per your contract. “If you’re currently under a commercial contract, you can rest easy knowing that your agreement will remain in effect until the end of your term,” assures Singh. However, once your contract ends, support will shift to the free-tier model.

• New and free-tier users: You’ll have access to the full suite of features previously included in the paid versions. Support will be provided through a robust ecosystem including:

  • VMware Workstation Community: Workstation Community
  • VMware Fusion Community: Fusion Community
  • Workstation Documentation: Workstation Documentation
  • Fusion Documentation: Fusion Documentation
  • Knowledge Base: Knowledge Base

Broadcom emphasizes its continued commitment to the products, promising ongoing investment in new features, usability improvements, and product stability. By broadening the user base, the company aims to gather valuable insights and deliver even greater value in the future.

This move by Broadcom marks a significant change in the desktop virtualization landscape, potentially impacting competitors and making powerful virtualization tools accessible to a wider audience. It remains to be seen how this shift will affect the market in the long term, but for now, users can rejoice in the availability of these powerful tools for free.

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