CrossOver AlternativesTop Compatibility Layer Tools and other similar apps like CrossOver

CrossOver is described as 'Allows you to install many popular Windows applications and games on your Intel OS X Mac or Linux computer' and is a popular compatibility layer tool in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to CrossOver for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Wine, Flathub and Android apps. The best CrossOver alternative is Wine, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like CrossOver are Lutris, Proton, PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac and Bottles.

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CrossOver alternatives are mainly Compatibility Layer Tools but may also be Game Library Managers or Game Emulators.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of CrossOver.
CrossOver iconCrossOver
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CrossOver allows you to install many popular Windows applications and games on your Intel OS X Mac or Linux computer.

More about CrossOver
CrossOver alternatives page was last updated Jan 6, 2025
  1. Wine icon
     703 likes

    An advanced, free open-source tool enabling Windows applications to run on Linux and other systems without emulation. It offers configuration options, supports diverse operating systems, and benefits from continuous updates and robust community support to enhance Windows app compatibility.

    41 Wine alternatives
    Wine screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • Flathub

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Run Windows software
    2.  Compatibility Layer
    3.  Emulation
    4.  Ad-free
    Wine iconCrossOver Icon

    Wine VS CrossOver

    Is Wine a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
    Comments about Wine as an Alternative to CrossOver
     
    Guest

    It’s free. And you never have to buy anything for wine. You can keep it as long as you want!! And I love that special ability! Thanks!

    Positive commentAug 27, 2022
    0
    CrossOver Icon
    Wine icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Wine is a great CrossOver alternative.

    • Wine is the most popular Android, Mac, Linux & Android Tablet alternative to CrossOver.

    • Wine is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to CrossOver.

    • Wine is Free and Open SourceCrossOver is Paid and Proprietary
    • Wine is LightweightCrossOver is not according to our users
  2. Lutris icon
     205 likes

    Lutris is an open source gaming platform for GNU/Linux. It allows you to gather and manage (install, configure and launch) all your games acquired from any source, in a single interface.

    48 Lutris alternatives
    Lutris screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Online
    • Flathub

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Game Launcher
    2.  Custom Scripts
    3.  Multi System Emulator
    4.  Compatibility Layer
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Two-factor Authentication
    Lutris iconCrossOver Icon

    Lutris VS CrossOver

    Is Lutris a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
    • Almost everyone thinks Lutris is a great CrossOver alternative.

    • Lutris is the most popular Web-based alternative to CrossOver.

    • Lutris is Free and Open SourceCrossOver is Paid and Proprietary
    • Lutris is LightweightCrossOver is not according to our users
  3. Proton icon
     99 likes

    Proton is a tool for use with the Steam client which allows games which are exclusive to Windows to run on Linux kernel operating system. It uses Wine to facilitate this.

    39 Proton alternatives
    Proton screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Steam

    Proton Features

    1.  Run Windows software
    2.  Run Windows Games
    3.  Compatibility Layer
    4.  Emulation
    5.  Ad-free
    Proton iconCrossOver Icon

    Proton VS CrossOver

    Is Proton a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
    Comments about Proton as an Alternative to CrossOver
     
    Kelson V

    For Steam games, it's simpler to just run the native Steam client and let it configure Proton for each game than to mess around with running them through another Wine environment.

    Positive commentOct 14, 2023
    0
    CrossOver Icon
    Proton icon
    • Most users think Proton is a great CrossOver alternative.

    • Proton is Free and Open SourceCrossOver is Paid and Proprietary
  4. PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac icon
     241 likes

    PlayOnLinux is a graphical frontend for the Wine software compatibility layer which allows Linux and Mac users to install Windows-based video games, Microsoft Office (2000 to 2010), Microsoft Internet Explorer, as well as many other applications.

    42 PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac alternatives
    PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Wine
    • FreeBSD

    PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac Features

    1.  Run Windows software
    2.  Run Windows Games
    3.  Ad-free
    PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac iconCrossOver Icon

    PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac VS CrossOver

    Is this a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
  5. Bottles icon
     35 likes

    Easily manage wineprefix on Linux.

    37 Bottles alternatives
    Main screenshot, showing three windows; the main window, an application window, and the New Bottle window.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub

    Bottles Features

    1.  Run Windows software
    2.  Compatibility Layer
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Native GUI
    5.  Dark Mode
    Bottles iconCrossOver Icon

    Bottles VS CrossOver

    Is Bottles a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
  6. Whisky icon
     17 likes

    Whisky provides a clean and easy to use graphical wrapper for Wine built in native SwiftUI. You can make and manage bottles, install and run Windows apps and games, and unlock the full potential of your Mac with no technical knowledge required.

    31 Whisky alternatives
    Whisky screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Wine
    • Homebrew

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Run Windows software
    Whisky iconCrossOver Icon

    Whisky VS CrossOver

    Is Whisky a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
  7. Parallels Desktop icon
     140 likes

    Virtualization software for running Windows, Linux, and other OSes on Mac. Supports Windows 11 on Apple Silicon, resource adjustments, and seamless app access and file sharing between OS environments.

    58 Parallels Desktop alternatives
    Parallels Desktop screenshot 1

    License model

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Chrome OS

    Parallels Desktop Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    4.  Run Windows software
    5.  Support for Apple M1
    6.  Drag and Drop
    7. Microsoft 365 Copilot icon  Microsoft Office integration
    Parallels Desktop iconCrossOver Icon

    Parallels Desktop VS CrossOver

    Is Parallels Desktop a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
    Comments about Parallels Desktop as an Alternative to CrossOver
     
    Guest

    CrossOver emulates windows application layer. parallels creates a fully virtualised machine and requires Windows installation, like if it was a physical computer.

    Negative commentNov 11, 2015
    10
    Guest

    This is a virtualization tool, not a compatibility layer

    Negative commentFeb 25, 2019
    6
    CrossOver Icon
    Parallels Desktop icon
    • This alternative is disputed. Parallels Desktop is a legitimate CrossOver alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • Parallels Desktop is the most popular commercial alternative to CrossOver.

    • Parallels Desktop is Paid and ProprietaryCrossOver is also Paid and Proprietary
  8. Mythic icon
     8 likes

    An open-source Epic Games Launcher alternative and normal game launcher for macOS written in Swift. We started this project to create a GUI frontend for Legendary and to play Windows games using game porting toolkit by Apple.

    47 Mythic alternatives
    Mythic screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No Tracking
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Game Launcher
    6. Discord icon  Discord integration
    Mythic iconCrossOver Icon

    Mythic VS CrossOver

    Is Mythic a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
  9. Pegasus icon
     26 likes

    Pegasus is a graphical frontend for browsing your game library (especially retro games) and launching them from one place. It's focusing on customizability, cross platform support (including embedded devices) and high performance.

    37 Pegasus alternatives
    Pegasus screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Raspberry Pi

    Pegasus Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Game Launcher
    Pegasus iconCrossOver Icon

    Pegasus VS CrossOver

    Is Pegasus a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
    • Pegasus is the most popular Windows alternative to CrossOver.

    • Pegasus is Free and Open SourceCrossOver is Paid and Proprietary
  10. Winlator icon
     10 likes

    In this digital age, our smartphones and tablets have become indispensable tools for both work and play. While Android offers a vast ecosystem of apps, it has often left users longing for the convenience of their favorite Windows applications. But fear not!

    5 Winlator alternatives
    Winlator screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Run Windows Games
    3.  Run Windows software
    Winlator iconCrossOver Icon

    Winlator VS CrossOver

    Is Winlator a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
  11. Antstream Arcade icon
     5 likes

    Discover a lifetime of gaming, the ultimate retro gaming experience with Antstream Arcade. Dive into a vast collection of over 1300 classic games, with new titles added every week.

    54 Antstream Arcade alternatives
    Antstream Arcade screenshot 1

    License model

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Epic Games Store
    • Playstation
    • Xbox

    Antstream Arcade Features

    1.  Online Gaming
    Antstream Arcade iconCrossOver Icon

    Antstream Arcade VS CrossOver

    Is Antstream Arcade a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
    • Antstream Arcade is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to CrossOver.

    • Antstream Arcade is Paid and ProprietaryCrossOver is also Paid and Proprietary
  12. Windows Subsystem for Linux icon
     17 likes

    The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a new Windows 10 feature that enables you to run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows, alongside your traditional Windows desktop and modern store apps.

    32 Windows Subsystem for Linux alternatives
    Windows Subsystem for Linux screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Linux on Windows
    Windows Subsystem for Linux iconCrossOver Icon

    Windows Subsystem for Linux VS CrossOver

    Is this a good alternative to CrossOver?
     
12 of 40 CrossOver alternatives