Parallels vs VMware:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Parallels had more branded searches than VMware among virtual machine software worldwide. Parallels was estimated to have 673K branded searches compared to VMware’s 368K, and held a 35% Share of Search versus VMware’s 19.1%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Parallels or VMware?
Compare the software teams run virtual machines with. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Parallels, VMware. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Parallels | VirtualBox | VMware | Hyper-V | QEMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 30.9% | 37.5% | 20.6% | 8.2% | 2.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 30.9% | 37.5% | 20.6% | 8.2% | 2.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 29.2% | 35.8% | 23.9% | 7.9% | 3.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 33.1% | 33.1% | 22.1% | 8.8% | 3% |
| Feb 2026 | 30.6% | 37.4% | 20.4% | 8.2% | 3.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 35% | 35% | 19.1% | 7.7% | 3.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 35.2% | 35.2% | 19.3% | 7.7% | 2.6% |
| May 2026 | 39.7% | 32.5% | 17.8% | 7.1% | 2.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 35% | 35% | 19.1% | 7.7% | 3.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 35.2% | 35.2% | 19.3% | 7.7% | 2.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 35% | 35% | 19.1% | 7.7% | 3.1% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Parallels and VMware comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Parallels was ahead of VMware in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Parallels’ estimated Share of Search among virtual machine software worldwide moved from 30.9% to 35%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 823K to 673K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, VMware’s estimated Share of Search among virtual machine software worldwide moved from 20.6% to 19.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 550K to 368K.
How did search popularity change for virtual machine software worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Parallels’ and VMware’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Put your own brand in this comparison
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