VirtualBox shared folders are really really terrible.

With VMware Workstation that feature is super fast. The product has a much better experience overall.

Unfortunately, I didn't have much luck with Vagrant's VMware plugin (paid) and couldn't realistic make the switch.

It seems using each OS's native virtualization (Hyper-V, xhyve, KVM) is the way to go, but that means we have to maintain separate vagrant boxes, which we don't have to with VMware/VirtualBox since they work on Linux/OSX/Windows.

As far as I know, you can't share your VMs remotely on Virtual Box. You can, on VMware Workstation.

Not sure what you mean with "share your VMs remotely".

You can of course install whatever remote server you want inside the VM but aside from that you can connect to a VM directly using VRDP.

But you can also manager your entire virtualbox instance using RemoteBox ( http://remotebox.knobgoblin.org.uk/about.cgi ) or from a web GUI using phpVirtualBox ( https://sourceforge.net/p/phpvirtualbox/wiki/Home/ ).

I'm sure there are other options as well.

VMware Workstation is a type 2 hypervisor. You can install and share your VMs with remote users (give them console access). This functionality is free (you don't need a Workstation license) and you don't need add-ons.

I have played with both of the alternate solutions you have shared. These are not perfect, unlike what VMware Workstation provides (as it has, for long period of time).

The Oracle License does not allow you to share your VM's unless you are running an Enterprise license or not using the Extension Pack: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/VirtualBox_PUEL

VirtualBox has a reputation of being technically poor and Oracle isn't helping.