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QEMU vs VirtualBox: catalog facts
QEMUVirtualBox
Free

Free and open source, with no paid edition.

Free

The base package is free and open source. The separate Extension Pack is free only for…

Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Emulates whole machines across processor architectures, not just same-architecture VMs
  • Near native performance when paired with KVM or Xen
  • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux hosts with the same interface on each
  • Snapshots, shared folders and clipboard sharing between host and guest
  • Raw QEMU is a command line tool with a large and unfriendly option surface
  • Cross-architecture emulation is far slower than virtualisation on matching hardware
  • The Extension Pack is not open source and is free only for personal and educational use
  • 3D acceleration is weak compared with a native machine or a paid hypervisor
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Open source
License: GPL-2.0 License: GPL-3.0
No account needed No account needed
Works offline Works offline

Checked September 20, 2026

Checked September 20, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.