17.4
CrossOver translates Windows application commands so many Windows programs can run on macOS and Linux without a Windows emulator or Windows OS license.
Free planLinuxmacOS
Best Windows Compatibility Layers in 2026
Running Windows programs outside Windows can depend on the operating system, software and setup involved. Compare macOS and Linux support, including Apple silicon support, with the compatibility database and graphics acceleration details shown for these layers. Prefix management is another point to weigh when considering how you will organize software environments. Boxedwine, PlayOnLinux and Q4Wine are among the…
27.2
PlayOnLinux lets users install and run many games and applications made for Microsoft Windows on GNU/Linux and macOS.
Free planOpen sourceLinuxmacOS
36.8
Boxedwine is an emulator for running 16-bit and 32-bit Windows applications on Windows, Mac, Linux and in a web browser.
Free planWebLinuxmacOS
- 4
MacWrap
MacWrap turns Windows programs into macOS app bundles with individual icons that can be opened by double-clicking.
Free planmacOS6.5From €7.99 a month - 5
WineGUI
WineGUI is a Linux application for managing Wine, the compatibility layer used to run Windows applications.
Free planLinux6.3Free plan - 6
Q4Wine
Q4Wine is a free Qt interface for Wine that helps Linux users manage Wine prefixes, installed applications, and running processes.
Free planLinuxmacOS6.0Free plan - 76.0Free plan
- 8
WineCharm
WineCharm is a free, open-source Linux desktop interface for running Windows applications through Wine.
Free planLinux6.0Free plan - 9
GE-Proton
GE-Proton is a custom build of Proton, the compatibility tool used with Steam Play, based on Wine and additional components.
Free planLinux5.9Free plan - 10
Porting Kit
Porting Kit uses Wineskin technology to install games and apps compiled for Microsoft Windows on macOS.
Free planmacOS5.9Free plan - 11
WINE@Etersoft
WINE@Etersoft runs Windows applications on Russian operating systems built on the Linux kernel.
Free planLinux5.9Free plan - 12
Bourbon
Bourbon is a free native macOS app for creating isolated environments, installing Windows software, and launching it through a managed runtime.
Free planmacOS5.8Free plan - 13
Crosswire
Crosswire runs Windows games and apps on macOS, letting users install a Windows .exe and launch it from a searchable library.
Free planmacOS5.8Free plan - 14
Cygwin
Cygwin brings GNU and other open-source tools to Windows through a library that supplies POSIX system calls and an environment.
Free planWindows5.8Free plan - 15
PlayOnMac
PlayOnMac is free software for installing and using games and other programs designed for Microsoft Windows on a Mac.
Free planmacOS5.8Free plan - 16
Bottles
Bottles manages Windows prefixes, called bottles, so Windows applications and games can run on Linux through compatibility-layer runners.
LinuxmacOS5.7 - 17
Hangover
Hangover is free Linux software for running Windows applications built for x86_64 or x86_32 on ARM64 Linux.
Linux5.7 - 185.6
- 19
Proton Trainer Launcher
Proton Trainer Launcher is a free Linux utility for running Windows game trainers alongside Steam games played through Proton.
Linux5.5 - 20
BottleLite
BottleLite is a free, open-source macOS app for organizing bottles and running Windows programs through an existing Wine installation.
macOS5.4 - 21
Weave
Weave is an experimental Linux compatibility layer that translates Win32 APIs to run some Windows applications on Linux.
Linux5.4 - 22
WIE
WIE runs Windows PE64 user-mode binaries on macOS Apple Silicon without Windows, Wine, or a virtual machine.
macOS5.3 - 23
Moonshine
Moonshine is a free, open-source macOS application for running Windows games and programs through Wine.
macOS5.2 - 24
Scotch
Scotch is a free, GPL-3.0 macOS application for running Windows games and applications on Apple Silicon.
macOS5.2 - 25
Wine
LinuxmacOS4.7