If you’re running product demos or customer training for a B2B tech company, you know the struggle: getting prospects to actually see your product in action, or onboarding users without endless hand-holding. You need something that just works, doesn’t eat your budget, and won’t require six months of setup or a dedicated IT team. This review is for you.
I spent some time with Cloudshare, a platform built for virtual software demos, proofs of concept, and hands-on training. Here’s the real scoop on how it stacks up for B2B teams, where it shines, where it stumbles, and what to skip.
What Is Cloudshare, Really?
Cloudshare is basically a sandbox-as-a-service. You can spin up isolated, temporary environments in the cloud—preloaded with your software—so prospects, customers, or trainees can play around without breaking anything important. Think of it as a disposable lab where people can poke at your product without you worrying about cleanup.
It’s pitched at sales engineers, customer success teams, and trainers—anyone who needs to show off complex software without the hassle of local installs or hardware headaches.
Who Actually Needs This?
You’ll get the most out of Cloudshare if:
- Your product is complicated, technical, or not “self-explanatory.”
- You’re tired of sending out virtual machines, zip files, or long “getting started” docs.
- Your sales or CS team is stretched thin and needs a repeatable, scalable way to run demos or training.
- Security and data separation matter (think: demos for banks or healthcare clients).
- You want to track who’s actually using your environments, and how.
If your product is super simple, or your team already has a smooth demo process, Cloudshare might be overkill.
Core Features: The Good, The Bad, and The Meh
Here’s what you’re really getting—and not getting.
The Good
- Instant, pre-configured environments: Create templates with your software/app stack, then clone them on demand for demos or labs. No more “it worked on my machine” issues.
- Browser-based access: No downloads, no plugins. Your prospects just click a link and they’re in.
- Usage analytics: See who used the environment, for how long, and what they did. This is gold for sales follow-ups.
- Powerful automation: Schedule environments, set auto-expiry, integrate with your CRM or LMS, and trigger emails based on activity.
- Role-based access: Lock down who can create, view, or modify environments. Handy for big teams.
The Bad
- Interface is…not beautiful: It works, but feels a bit stuck in the early 2010s. Not a dealbreaker, but don’t expect wow factor.
- Some learning curve: Setting up your first environment template takes some trial and error. If you’re not technical, you’ll need help from someone who is.
- Pricing isn’t transparent: You’ll need to talk to sales, and it’s not cheap. Small startups might struggle to justify the spend.
The Meh
- Integrations: They exist (Salesforce, LMSs, etc.), but aren’t as plug-and-play as you’d hope. Expect some setup and maybe API wrangling.
- Mobile experience: Usable, but best on a laptop or desktop. Don’t expect to run a demo from your phone on the train.
Setting Up: What It’s Actually Like
Let’s walk through what it really takes to get up and running.
1. Build Your “Blueprint”
This is your golden template—an environment with your software, data, and whatever else users need. You can:
- Start with a clean OS (Windows, Linux, whatever).
- Install your product, configure settings, add test data.
- Save it as a reusable template.
Pro Tip: Spend extra time here. The better your blueprint, the smoother every future demo or training session.
2. Spin Up an Environment
When you want to run a demo or class:
- Clone your blueprint with a few clicks.
- Set access rules (who, when, how long).
- Send a unique link to your prospect or trainee.
- They open it in their browser—no install, no fuss.
3. Track Usage and Engagement
Cloudshare gives you dashboards showing:
- Who accessed the environment, and when.
- How long they spent tinkering.
- What actions they took (if you wire up more granular tracking).
You’ll know if your “hot prospect” actually checked out your demo, or just ignored the invite.
4. Tear Down (or Let Cloudshare Do It)
Environments expire automatically (unless you say otherwise). No mess to clean up. You’re not paying for idle VMs.
Where Cloudshare Shines
- Complex products: If you’re selling security software, dev tools, or anything that needs a real backend, Cloudshare saves hours of setup and hassle.
- Repeatable demos: Run the same environment hundreds of times, always fresh.
- Hands-on training: Perfect for labs, onboarding, or certifications where you want users to do something, not just watch a video.
- Security: Sandboxed environments mean you’re not exposing your own servers or data.
Where It Falls Short
- First-time setup: If your product’s installation is hairy, expect a few late nights getting the blueprint just right.
- Cost: Not for shoestring budgets. Cloudshare is built for teams running lots of demos or training sessions, not the odd one-off.
- UI/UX polish: It’s functional, but not exactly a joy to use. If you want something that “wows” your prospects visually, this isn’t it.
What About Alternatives?
Cloudshare isn’t the only game in town. You could:
- Use VMWare, AWS, or Azure for manual environment setup (but expect way more work).
- Try browser-based alternatives or even interactive product tours (good for simple apps, not complex software).
- Ship VMs or containers to prospects (but good luck with support).
For B2B teams with real software to show, Cloudshare is one of the few that strikes a workable balance between speed, security, and control.
When to Skip It
Don’t bother if:
- Your product is SaaS and dead simple to trial.
- You only run a handful of demos per month.
- You’re expecting a slick, consumer-grade UI.
Tips to Get the Most Out of Cloudshare
- Invest up front: Spend time perfecting your environment template. It’ll pay off every time you run a session.
- Automate invites: Use the API or CRM integrations so your team isn’t sending links by hand.
- Use analytics: Don’t just set and forget—follow up with prospects who actually engaged.
- Keep environments lean: Don’t load them with unnecessary extras; faster boot times mean happier users.
- Test your own demo: Walk through it as a user before sending anything to a prospect or trainee.
The Bottom Line
Cloudshare does what it says: it makes virtual product demos and training for complex software about as painless as possible. It’s not flashy, but it works. If you’re running B2B sales or education for a technical product, it’ll save your team loads of time. Just don’t expect miracles—and don’t overcomplicate things. Get your basics right, keep iterating, and let the tool do its job.