Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Shells VS VirtualBox

Compare Shells VS VirtualBox and see what are their differences

Shells logo Shells

Shells is your personal workspace in the cloud. Join Shells now to access your own, private virtual desktop environment powered by a cloud computer.

VirtualBox logo VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as...
  • Shells Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-17

Shells.com offers a virtual cloud computer that can be accessed from any web-enabled device. As we offer multiple Linux distributions or Windows preloaded on the virtual desktop, it gives the user the opportunity to use the operating system that they want on the device that they want. This is great for new users who would like to give Linux a test run without having to install on their hardware or for developers who would like to test and deploy all on one device. Schools and businesses can rapidly deploy computers and phones to those who need them at a low-cost.

  • VirtualBox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-17

Shells

Website
shells.com
$ Details
paid $4.95 / Monthly (Shells Lite)
Platforms
Browser Android Windows iOS Mac OSX Linux Web

Shells features and specs

  • Cross-device compatibility
    Shells allows users to access their virtual desktop environment from any device with an internet connection, whether it's a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This flexibility enables seamless work and play across different devices.
  • Ease of setup
    Shells offers a straightforward and user-friendly setup process, making it accessible even for those with limited technical knowledge. Users can quickly get their virtual desktop up and running without the need for complex configurations.
  • Versatility
    Shells provides users with the ability to run multiple operating systems, including Linux and Windows, which adds flexibility for a variety of tasks and software requirements.
  • Cloud storage integration
    Shells offers cloud storage options, allowing users to easily store, access, and manage their files within their virtual desktop environment. This ensures data safety and convenience.
  • Scalability
    Users can easily scale their resources based on their needs, such as upgrading RAM or storage capacity. This ensures that Shells can grow alongside the user's demands.

Possible disadvantages of Shells

  • Dependent on internet connection
    Shells requires a stable and fast internet connection for optimal performance. Users with inconsistent or slow internet may experience lag or connectivity issues.
  • Recurring costs
    Using Shells involves a subscription-based payment model, meaning users must pay recurring fees to maintain access. This could be a con for users seeking a one-time purchase model.
  • Limited offline access
    Because Shells is cloud-based, users have limited functionality when they are offline, which could be disadvantageous for those needing constant access to their virtual desktops.
  • Potential security concerns
    Although Shells implements security measures, storing data in the cloud may still pose security risks, such as data breaches or unauthorized access, which may concern privacy-focused users.
  • Performance constraints
    Depending on the chosen plan and resource allocation, there may be performance limitations, particularly for users running resource-intensive applications compared to high-performance local machines.

VirtualBox features and specs

  • Open Source
    VirtualBox is open-source software, which means it is freely available for personal and commercial use. Users can access and modify the source code, enhancing flexibility and customization.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    VirtualBox supports multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris, making it highly versatile and suitable for various environments.
  • Ease of Use
    VirtualBox offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for both beginners and experienced users to create and manage virtual machines.
  • Snapshot Feature
    VirtualBox allows users to take snapshots of their virtual machines, enabling them to save the current state and revert back to it if necessary, which is useful for testing and debugging.
  • Guest Additions
    VirtualBox provides Guest Additions that enhance the performance and usability of guest operating systems. Features include shared folders, clipboard sharing, and improved graphics performance.

Possible disadvantages of VirtualBox

  • Performance Overhead
    VirtualBox may introduce performance overhead compared to running software directly on physical hardware. This can affect the speed and responsiveness of the virtual machines.
  • Limited 3D Graphics Support
    The 3D graphics support in VirtualBox is not as robust as some other virtualization solutions, which may be a limitation for users requiring heavy graphical applications.
  • Lack of Enterprise-Level Features
    While VirtualBox is suitable for personal and small-scale use, it may lack some advanced features and scalability options required for large enterprise environments.
  • Complex Network Setup
    Setting up complex networking configurations in VirtualBox can be challenging and may require additional knowledge and effort.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running multiple virtual machines in VirtualBox can be resource-intensive, potentially leading to system slowdowns if the host machine does not have sufficient CPU and memory resources.

Shells videos

Shells Explainer Video

More videos:

  • Review - Shells.com - Complete Review of Best Virtual Machine [ 2021 ]
  • Review - Linux Desktops in the Cloud with Shells.com
  • Review - Home Defense: Aguila 12ga. mini shells.

VirtualBox videos

VirtualBox vs VMware Player - In-Depth Comparison on Ubuntu 18.04

More videos:

  • Review - Oracle VM VirtualBox Review (Real User: Erik Benner)
  • Tutorial - How to Use VirtualBox (Beginners Guide)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Shells and VirtualBox)
Cloud Computing
11 11%
89% 89
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
Virtualization
0 0%
100% 100
Cloud Infrastructure
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Shells and VirtualBox. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Shells and VirtualBox

Shells Reviews

We have no reviews of Shells yet.
Be the first one to post

VirtualBox Reviews

Best Alternatives of VirtualBox for Windows
I’m sure you can appreciate the irony in the name of this program, but this is also a very accurate description of what Portable-VirtualBox is. In essence, this free and open source program is VirtualBox and does not need to be installed, making it useful even if it is contained on a USB drive. Portable-VirtualBox works by virtually downloading and installing VirtualBox on...
10 Best VMware Alternatives and Similar Software
VirtualBox now supports a broad number of guest operating systems and operates on Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris hosts. VirtualBox is constantly evolving, with regular patches and an ever-growing list of features, and it supports various OSs and platforms.
12 Best FREE Virtual Machine (VM) Software in 2020
VirtualBox is an open-source hypervisor for x86 computers. This tool supports the creation and management of virtual machines. It runs on Windows, Linux, BSD, and others.
Source: www.guru99.com
What are the Top Most Open Source Virtualization Software?
VirtualBox provides full virtualization for any operating system to run in a virtual environment with all the software installed within, abstracted from the existing operating system.
7 VirtualBox Alternatives You Can Consider
There are lots of virtualization software out there that let you run multiple applications from different platforms in the same hardware. One of them is VirtualBox by Oracle Corporation. VirtualBox is an open source and freeware that lets users create a virtual environment to run a different operating system on the same machine. It runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Solaris....

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, VirtualBox seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 32 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Shells mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Shells yet. Tracking of Shells recommendations started around May 2021.

VirtualBox mentions (32)

  • Barbie Secret Agent game for Mac
    Also, if your sister has an Intel Mac instead of an M1 Mac, I highly suggest VirtualBox and setting up something like Windows XP on that instead of Windows 11-- the steps will be pretty similar, and VirtualBox is free. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is virtualbox.org down?
    I am unable to reach any page within the virtualbox.org domain including forums, but I can't find any post online about others having this issue. Is there a known problem at virtualbox.org or should I look locally? I usually get the error 502 - Bad Gateway. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Multipass: Ubuntu Virtual Machines Made Easy
    Some of these tools include Oracle VM VirtualBox (that I've used since before the acquisition of Sun Microsystems by Oracle), VMWare Workstation Player, and QEMU, but last year, I found out about Multipass. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Can I use a Mac?
    You can use a Mac, then use Parallels or Virtual Box for any virtual machines you might need(I prefer Parallels). There are Educational versions of Windows amongst other Microsoft products available to you through NJIT. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Will anyone continue on debian 11?
    I thought Debian doesn't have VB packages? Or are you the talking about the ones from http://virtualbox.org web site? Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Shells and VirtualBox, you can also consider the following products

V2 Cloud - Cloud Computing Made Easy: V2 Cloud. Increase Your Productivity, Reduce Costs and Manage Risks with Our No-IT Skills Required Solution.

VMware Workstation - VMware Workstation is a multiple operating system handler to easily evaluate the any other type of new operating systems.

Emerge Desktop - Emerge Desktop is a replacement Windows "shell" (the desktop environment normally...

QEMU - QEMU (short for "Quick EMUlator") is a free and open-source hosted hypervisor that...

Virtual Desktop Enhancer - Virtual Desktop Enhancer is software designed for your window system, adding some alluring features to your virtual desktop.

Proxmox VE - Proxmox is an open-source server virtualization management solution that offers the ability to manage virtual server technology with the Linux OpenVZ and KVM technology.