Open Source Parallels Desktop Alternatives

The best open source alternative to Parallels Desktop is VirtualBox. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Parallels Desktop and many of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Parallels Desktop are Wine, QEMU, Proton and virt-manager.

Parallels Desktop alternatives are mainly Virtualization Tools but may also be Compatibility Layer Tools. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Parallels Desktop.

Parallels Desktop alternatives page was last updated

Parallels Desktop

135

Freemium • Proprietary
Virtualization Tool
Mac

Parallels Desktop gives Mac users the ability to run Windows, Linux or any other operating system and their critical...

Learn more about Parallels Desktop

VirtualBox
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Solaris
61 VirtualBox alternatives
VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as...
- - VirtualBox is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Parallels Desktop.
- - VirtualBox is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Parallels Desktop.
Suggest and vote on features
VirtualBox Features
1. LightweightVirtualBox consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Container VirtualizationVirtualBox can make use of isolated user spaces called "containers" to run applications.
3. PortableVirtualBox can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Multiple languages
Comments about VirtualBox as a Alternative to Parallels Desktop
Most users think VirtualBox is a great Parallels Desktop alternative.
John Fastman
Unlike Parallels, Virtualbox is free, open source and runs natively on Windows, Mac and Linux. What's not to like?
Positive comment•
8

Léana
I like it because it's FOSS, however, it's really glitchy. It has a lot of display issues with my guest OSs (screen flickering, black screen).
Comment•
0

ChristianFerretti
free, lighter, even if less simple to use
Positive comment•
0
Wine
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Compatibility Layer Tool
Mac
Linux
Android
Android Tablet
BSD
30 Wine alternatives
Wine is a free, open source application for running Windows software on operating systems that are normally not supported. With Wine, you can install and run these applications just like you would in Windows.
- - Wine is the most popular Android & Android Tablet alternative to Parallels Desktop.
Suggest and vote on features
Wine Features
Run Windows software
Emulation
Opinions about Wine as a Alternative to Parallels Desktop
Almost everyone thinks Wine is a great Parallels Desktop alternative.
QEMU
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
42 QEMU alternatives
QEMU (short for "Quick EMUlator") is a free and open-source hosted hypervisor that performs hardware virtualization.
Suggest and vote on features
QEMU Features
1. LightweightQEMU consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. PortableQEMU can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. Privacy focusedQEMU is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. Support for scriptingQEMU supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
5. Container VirtualizationQEMU can make use of isolated user spaces called "containers" to run applications.
6. Command line interfaceQEMU either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
GPU Acceleration
Security focused
User mode emulation
Emulation
Proton
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Compatibility Layer Tool
Linux
Steam
28 Proton alternatives
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.
Suggest and vote on features
Proton Features
Run Windows software
Run Windows Games
Emulation
virt-manager
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Linux
BSD
26 virt-manager alternatives
The virt-manager application is a desktop user interface for managing virtual machines through libvirt. It primarily targets KVM VMs, but also manages Xen and LXC (linux containers). It presents a summary view of running domains, their live performance & resource utilization...
Suggest and vote on features
virt-manager Features
1. Container Virtualizationvirt-manager can make use of isolated user spaces called "containers" to run applications.
2. Lightweightvirt-manager consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Command line interfacevirt-manager either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
4. Privacy focusedvirt-manager is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
VNC Viewer
SSH
Customizable
Security focused
Live migration
CrossOver
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Open Source
Compatibility Layer Tool
Mac
Linux
Android
Chrome OS
29 CrossOver alternatives
CrossOver allows you to install many popular Windows applications and games on your Intel OS X Mac or Linux computer.
CrossOver has no features, suggest some!

Opinions about CrossOver as a Alternative to Parallels Desktop
Some users think CrossOver is a great Parallels Desktop alternative, some don't.
Boxes
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Linux
BSD
Flathub
21 Boxes alternatives
A simple GNOME application to access virtual systems. It is based on a design from Jon McCann and Jakub Steiner.
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Boxes Features
1. Privacy focusedBoxes is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
2. Container VirtualizationBoxes can make use of isolated user spaces called "containers" to run applications.
3. LightweightBoxes consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. Command line interfaceBoxes either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
5. PortableBoxes can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
VNC Viewer
Security focused
Portable Virtualbox
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Windows
40 Portable Virtualbox alternatives
Portable-VirtualBox is a free and open source software tool that lets you run any operating system from a usb stick without separate installation. It unpacks and adjusts the paths and configuration of VirtualBox so it will run portably.
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Portable Virtualbox Features
1. PortablePortable Virtualbox can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
GNU/linux-libre
Discontinued
It has not been updated since 2017 and does not work with any version of Virtualbox beyond v5.1.22.
Darling
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Compatibility Layer Tool
Linux
21 Darling alternatives
Run macOS applications on Linux.
Suggest and vote on features
Darling Features
macOS-like
Add a screenshot
MobaLiveCD
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Windows
23 MobaLiveCD alternatives
MobaLiveCD is a freeware that will run your Linux LiveCD on Windows thanks to the excellent emulator called "Qemu".
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MobaLiveCD Features
1. PortableMobaLiveCD can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
UTM
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Mac
iPhone
iPad
51 UTM alternatives
UTM is a full featured system emulator and virtual machine host for iOS and macOS. It is based off of QEMU. In short, it allows you to run Windows, Linux, and more on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
- - UTM is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to Parallels Desktop.
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UTM Features
Multi System Emulator
Emulation
AQEMU
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Virtualization Tool
Linux
BSD
17 AQEMU alternatives
AQEMU is GUI to QEMU and KVM emulators, written in Qt4. The program have user-friendly interface and allows to set up the majority of QEMU and KVM …
Suggest and vote on features
AQEMU Features
Graphical User Interface
GPLv3