Parallels Desktop Alternatives — parallels desktop free alternative
Popular virtualization tool for running Windows on Mac
Parallels Desktop Pricing
Standard: $99.99/year; Pro: $119.99/year; Business: $119.99/year per user
Parallels Desktop is the most popular virtualization tool for running Windows on Mac. It's very easy to use but expensive: $99.99/year for the Standard edition, $119.99/year for Pro. For users who only need Windows occasionally, this is a significant cost.
3
Free Alternatives
2
Open Source
0
Self-Hostable
$1188
Est. Yearly Cost
Why Consider Parallels Desktop Alternatives?
Use free VirtualBox for a free (but less performant) alternative
Use free VMware Fusion Player (free for personal use) for another virtualization option
Use free Wine or CrossOver (paid, but cheaper than Parallels) for running Windows apps without a full VM
Use cloud PC (Windows 365, etc.) for accessing Windows from Mac
Common Parallels Desktop Pain Points
These are the top reasons users look for alternatives
Expensive ($99.99/year for Standard)
Impact: Users pay significant ongoing cost for occasional Windows use
Subscription model (yearly fee)
Impact: Ongoing cost that adds up over time
Free alternative (VirtualBox) exists but is less performant
Impact: Users pay for performance and ease of use
Only needed for running Windows apps on Mac
Impact: Users who only need 1-2 Windows apps question the cost
Top-Rated Alternatives
Our highest-recommended free alternatives to Parallels Desktop
VMware Fusion Player is a virtualization tool for running Windows on Mac. It's free for personal use (paid for commercial use). Similar features to Parallels, but much cheaper.
Why it's a good alternative: Free for personal use — similar features to Parallels, much cheaper
BEST FOR
Personal users who want a free virtualization tool for running Windows on Mac
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Free for personal use (much cheaper than Parallels)
- Similar features to Parallels
- Good performance
- Supports M1/M2 Macs
CONS
- Paid for commercial use ($149/year)
- Less polished UI than Parallels
- Setup is slightly more complex than Parallels
CrossOver is a tool for running Windows apps on Mac without a full virtual machine. It's based on Wine (free, open-source) but with a polished UI and commercial support. One-time purchase ($74) vs Parallels' $99.99/year.
Why it's a good alternative: One-time purchase ($74) for running Windows apps on Mac without a full VM — cheaper than Parallels subscription
BEST FOR
Users who need a few specific Windows apps and don't want to pay for Parallels subscription
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- One-time purchase (much cheaper than Parallels subscription)
- No full VM needed (lighter weight)
- Supports M1/M2 Macs
CONS
- Not all Windows apps work perfectly
- Less performant than a full VM for heavy apps
- One-time purchase but no free updates to new major versions
All Parallels Desktop Alternatives (5)
Compare features, pricing, and migration difficulty
VirtualBox is a free, open-source virtualization tool. It's less performant than Parallels and has a less polished UI, but it's completely free. Good for users who only need Windows occasionally.
Why it's a good alternative: Completely free and open-source virtualization tool — less performant than Parallels but free
BEST FOR
Users who need Windows occasionally and don't want to pay for Parallels
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Completely free and open-source
- No subscription or license cost
- Cross-platform
- Mature and stable
CONS
- Less performant than Parallels
- Less polished UI
- Setup is more complex than Parallels
Wine is a free, open-source tool for running Windows apps on Mac (and Linux). It's the base of CrossOver (which adds a polished UI and commercial support). Completely free, but harder to set up than CrossOver or Parallels.
Why it's a good alternative: Completely free and open-source tool for running Windows apps on Mac — the base of CrossOver
BEST FOR
Technical users who want a free tool for running Windows apps on Mac
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- Completely free and open-source
- No full VM needed (lighter weight)
- Active community
CONS
- Harder to set up than CrossOver or Parallels
- Not all Windows apps work perfectly
- No commercial support
Windows 365 is a cloud PC service by Microsoft. You access a full Windows PC via browser (or remote desktop app) from any device, including Mac. No local VM needed. Pricing starts at $31/month.
Why it's a good alternative: Cloud PC — access Windows from any device (including Mac) via browser
BEST FOR
Users who want to access Windows from Mac without running a local VM
KEY FEATURES
PROS
- No local resources needed (runs in cloud)
- Accessible from any device
- Full Windows experience
- No maintenance needed
CONS
- Expensive ($31/month, more than Parallels subscription)
- Requires internet connection
- Performance depends on internet speed
Parallels Desktop vs Free Alternatives — Detailed Comparison
| Tool | Price | Open Source | Self-Hosted | Rating | Migrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parallels Desktop | Paid | — | — | ||
| VMware Fusion Player (Free for Personal Use) | Free | — | (4.5) | Medium to migrate | |
| VirtualBox (Free, Open-Source) | Free | — | (4.2) | Medium to migrate | |
| CrossOver (One-time Purchase) | Paid | — | (4.3) | Medium to migrate | |
| Wine (Free, Open-Source) | Free | — | (4) | Hard to migrate | |
| Windows 365 (Cloud PC) | Paid | — | (4.1) | Easy to migrate |
How to Migrate from Parallels Desktop — Step by Step
- 1
For VMware Fusion: download and install (free for personal use), then create a new Windows VM
- 2
For VirtualBox: download and install (free), then create a new Windows VM
- 3
For CrossOver/Wine: install CrossOver (or Wine), then install your Windows app via CrossOver/Wine
- 4
For Windows 365: subscribe and access via browser
- 5
Test your Windows apps in the new tool before deactivating Parallels
Pro Tips
- 💡VMware Fusion is the closest free alternative to Parallels for personal use
- 💡CrossOver is great if you only need a few specific Windows apps (no full VM needed)
- 💡Parallels is the easiest to use, but you're paying $99.99/year for convenience
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a completely free alternative to Parallels Desktop?
Yes. VMware Fusion is free for personal use. VirtualBox is completely free and open-source. Both are less performant than Parallels but free.
Should I use VMware Fusion or VirtualBox instead of Parallels?
For personal use: VMware Fusion is free and similar in performance to Parallels. For occasional use: VirtualBox is free but less performant. For specific Windows apps: CrossOver is cheaper (one-time purchase).
Which Parallels alternative is best?
For personal use: VMware Fusion (free). For occasional use: VirtualBox (free). For specific Windows apps: CrossOver (one-time purchase, cheaper than Parallels subscription).