Review · Software
Parallels Desktop Review
What Parallels Desktop does, who it is for, what to check on an Apple silicon Mac, and what we still have to test before we rate it.
1 min read
Mac app · Parallels
Parallels Desktop
Best for: Running Windows and other operating systems in virtual machines.
- Best for
- Running Windows and other operating systems in virtual machines
- Developer
- Parallels
- Price
- Price not yet verified · check the vendor for current pricing
- Our testing
- Not yet hands-on tested
Visit Parallels Desktop
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Watch: Parallels Desktop in action
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Pricing options
Standard
About $100/year
Perpetual license sold at a higher price
Pro
About $120/year
More CPU and RAM, developer tools
Business
About $150/year per user
Volume and admin features
These prices are approximate and have not been checked against the vendor. Plans and prices change, so confirm on the official site before buying.
Features
- Run Windows, Linux and macOS virtual machines
- Coherence mode shows Windows apps as Mac windows
- Optimized for Apple Silicon
- Shared clipboard and folders
- Snapshots and quick VM resume
Benefits and disadvantages
Benefits
- Best-in-class integration of Windows with macOS
- Fast on Apple Silicon Macs
- Easy setup, including downloading Windows
- Good for Windows-only apps
Disadvantages (cons)
- Recurring cost for the subscription
- Arm versions of Windows limit some x86 software
- Heavy on RAM and disk
- Gaming and GPU-heavy workloads are limited
Who should use Parallels Desktop
- Mac users who need occasional Windows apps
- Developers testing across operating systems
- Professionals who cannot give up one Windows-only program
Use cases
Jobs this app is used for. Select one to see every app in the directory for that job.
Reviews & coverage
No rating yet. We only rate apps after documented hands-on testing. How we review
Reviews
Comparisons
Comparison · Software
Parallels vs VMware Fusion
Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion? A side-by-side comparison for Mac users who need to run Windows or Linux, with a research-based view of who should pick which.
1 min read
Alternatives
Alternatives · Software
Best Parallels Desktop Alternatives
Virtualization options for Mac users replacing Parallels Desktop, including what each can run and when you can skip a VM altogether.
2 min read
Related guides
Software
Mac Virtualization Explained: Do You Need a Virtual Machine?
What virtual machines are, what they're for on a Mac, and the cases where you don't need one.
2 min read
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