Alternatives to Parallels Desktop

Runs Windows and other operating systems in a virtual machine on a Mac. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Parallels Desktop.

  • UTM

    Runs Windows, Linux and other systems in a virtual machine on a Mac, iPhone or iPad.

    FreemiumOpen sourcemacOSiOS

    UTM is open source and free outside the App Store, runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and can emulate other architectures, though guest graphics performance is modest.

  • VirtualBox

    The free desktop hypervisor most people start with: run Windows, Linux or BSD in a window on the machine you already have.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    VirtualBox is a free GPL hypervisor with the same interface on macOS, Windows and Linux, but it lacks Coherence mode and has weak 3D acceleration.

  • VirtualBuddy

    Run macOS virtual machines on an Apple Silicon Mac.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOS

    VirtualBuddy is a free BSD-licensed app for running macOS virtual machines on Apple Silicon, but it does not target Windows guests.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Parallels Desktop as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • QEMU

    The machine emulator and virtualiser that most of the Linux virtualisation stack is built on.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Parallels Desktop is a paid, closed-source Mac hypervisor with Coherence mode and guided Windows 11 setup on Apple silicon, but it is macOS only.

  • VMware Workstation Pro

    Type-2 hypervisor for running virtual machines on Windows and Linux desktops.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsLinux

    Parallels Desktop moves you to macOS, with Coherence mode and Apple silicon support, and uses subscription or yearly upgrade pricing instead of free personal use.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.