Parallels Desktop Alternatives

Parallels Desktop is described as 'Virtualization tool enabling seamless operation of Windows and Linux on Mac. Support for Windows 11 on Apple Silicon with resource customization' and is a very popular compatibility layer tool in the network & admin category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Parallels Desktop for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, BSD and Android apps. The best Parallels Desktop alternative is VirtualBox, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Parallels Desktop are Wine, WinBoat, QEMU and Proton.

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Alternatives
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Alternatives list

  1. lume VM icon
     3 likes

    A lightweight CLI and local API server to create, run and manage macOS and Linux virtual machines (VMs) natively on Apple Silicon.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Python
    • Apple Swift
    • Homebrew
    Good alternative?
     
  2.  4 likes

    JavaQemu is a Graphical User Interface Front End for QEMU, written in Java.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  3. Bochs icon
     17 likes

    Bochs is a highly portable open source IA-32 (x86) PC emulator written in C++, that runs on most popular platforms. It includes emulation of the Intel x86 CPU, common I/O devices, and a custom BIOS. Currently, Bochs can be compiled to emulate a 386, 486...

    42 Bochs alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  4. CheerpX icon
     1 like

    CheerpX is an x86 virtualization technology for running executables and operating systems entirely client-side. It’s an always available, zero-cost virtual machine with guaranteed data privacy, powered by a WebAssembly JIT engine.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • WebAssembly
    Good alternative?
     
  5. MacMulator icon
     1 like

    MacMulator is the computer emulator for your Mac! It engages the power of Qemu, together with a nice, easy to use UI, to let you create any kind of Virtual Machines in a few clicks. Whatever OS you need to run on your Mac, MacMulator is the tool for you!.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  6. Vmtek icon
     1 like

    VMTek is the Mac virtualization platform you've been waiting for. Run multiple instances and versions of macOS*, Linux and other operating systems side-by-side on your Mac with ease. High performance Mac-native virtualization designed from the ground up to take advantage of...

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  7. WinOnX 64 icon
     4 likes

    Run your Windows applications on OSX without the need of buying a Windows license.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
  8. PCE icon
     5 likes

    PCE is a collection of microcomputer emulators. At the moment it contains three emulators:

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  9. Karton VM icon
     2 likes

    A Libvirt-based Virtual Machine Manager for KDE.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • KDE Plasma
    Good alternative?
     
  10. PocketVBox icon
     5 likes

    Just a Portable VirtualBox Pack.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Good alternative?
     
  11.  1 like

    Tool for running and packaging Windows apps or games on macOS 10.15.4+ with Wine, enabling users to choose DirectX backends such as Metal, Vulkan, D3DMetal, VKD3D, DXVK, DXMT, and experimental D9VK for broad compatibility and enhanced performance.

    33 Sikarugir alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Good alternative?
     
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