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.
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Wine AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Compatibility Layer Tools for Linux
There are many alternatives to Wine for Linux if you are looking for a replacement. The best Linux Compatibility Layer Tool alternative is Proton, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Wine and many of them are Compatibility Layer Tools available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux Compatibility Layer Tool alternatives to Wine are WinBoat, PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac, CrossOver and Bottles.
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Wine alternatives are mainly Compatibility Layer Tools, but if you're looking for Virtualization Tools or Game Library Managers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Linux, Mac, Linux + Compatibility Layer and Android. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Wine.
Alternatives list
- 44 Proton alternatives
53 WinBoat alternativesRuns Windows applications, individual apps, or full desktops inside Linux with native OS-level integration, sleek interface, advanced filesystem sharing, smartcard passthrough, and resource monitoring while supporting simple installation and ongoing feature updates.
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46 PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac alternativesPlayOnLinux 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.
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46 CrossOver alternativesCross-platform utility enables seamless installation and execution of Windows applications on macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS. No Windows license required—facilitates easy app management with a few clicks, eliminates the need for virtual machines and reboots, delivering efficient compatibility layer operation.
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Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application type
Platforms
- Linux
- Arch Linux
- Flathub
- Fedora
- Nix Package Manager
- Wine
- Flatpak
- Vala
- Proton
38 WinApps alternativesAllows use of Windows applications, such as Microsoft Office and Adobe software, directly within Linux desktops like GNOME or KDE, using background RDP virtualization and providing file right-click access, home directory mounting, and one-command setup.
Compatibility layer enabling Windows games on Linux via Steam Play, featuring advanced video playback, FSR integration, Nvidia CUDA support, raw input, per-game fixes automation, upstream Wine patches, frequent updates, wine-staging patches, and open-source maintenance.
38 Q4wine alternativesQ4Wine is a qt4 GUI for wine that will help you manage wine prefixes and installed applications
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40 ProtonUp-Qt alternativesInstall and manage GE-Proton, Luxtorpeda & more for Steam and Wine-GE & more for Lutris with this graphical user interface.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application type
Platforms
- Linux
- AppImageHub
- Arch Linux
- Flathub
- Flatpak
Romania
EU
France
Germany
Canada
Norway
Steam have build in proton so you can run your games with steam on linux.