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Best Free Alternatives to Parallels Desktop
Stop paying $99/yr (Standard). Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: VirtualizationVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
VMware Fusion Pro
FREEBest Professional Alternative (Free)
Why we like it
As of 2025, the full 'Pro' version is free for commercial and personal use; supports DirectX 11 3D graphics; stable and highly secure; unlimited hardware allocation (CPU/RAM).
Keep in mind
Lacks the 'Coherence' style seamlessness of Parallels; startup and resume times are slightly slower than Parallels on Apple Silicon.
UTM
FREEBest for Lightweight & Apple Silicon
Why we like it
Totally free (or $9.99 on Mac App Store for updates); based on QEMU but with a beautiful Apple-native UI; can emulate non-native architectures (run x86 apps on M3/M4 Macs); zero data tracking.
Keep in mind
No hardware GPU acceleration for Windows guests (very slow for 3D/gaming); setup requires more manual configuration than Parallels.
VirtualBox
FREEBest for Cross-Platform Devs
Why we like it
The original open-source standard; supports a massive range of guest OSes; powerful command-line tools for automation; completely free for all uses.
Keep in mind
Worse performance on Apple Silicon compared to Parallels or VMware; 3D support is often buggy; UI feels dated compared to 2025 standards.
CrossOver
Best for Windows Games (No VM)
Why we like it
Not a virtual machine (no Windows license needed); runs Windows apps/games directly on macOS at full speed; uses GPTK (Game Porting Toolkit) technology for high-end gaming.
Keep in mind
Lower app compatibility than a full VM; cannot run a full Windows desktop; some business software may not function correctly.
Whisky
FREEBest Free Game Wrapper
Why we like it
Free and open-source wrapper for Wine and Apple's Game Porting Toolkit; clean, modern UI; perfect for running Windows games on Mac for $0.
Keep in mind
Strictly for apps/games; lacks the stability and multi-file sharing features of a professional VM like Parallels.
VirtualBuddy
FREEBest for Virtualizing macOS
Why we like it
Specifically designed to run macOS inside macOS on Apple Silicon; utilizes Apple's high-level Virtualization Framework for extreme speed.
Keep in mind
Focused on macOS guests only; lacks the robust Windows driver support of Parallels.
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