Comparison table — Solutions for running Windows software on a Mac (Intel or Apple Silicon M-series).
Important note: Virtual machines (VMs) usually require a Windows 11 licence (approx. €100–150). Windows 11 ARM runs very well on Apple Silicon. Boot Camp now only works on older Intel Macs.
| Solution | Price range (approx.) | Type | Brief review | Best for | Apple Silicon compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parallels Desktop | €90–120 per year (subscription) or approx. €110–220 (one-off purchase of the Standard version) | Virtualisation | Most user-friendly, best integration with macOS (Coherence mode), very smooth and high-performance | Daily / intensive use | Excellent |
| VMware Fusion Pro | Free (for everyone, including commercial use) | Virtualisation | Now completely free, stable and almost as good as Parallels, excellent value for money | Zero budget / good balance | Excellent |
| UTM | Free (or around €10 via the App Store) | Virtualisation (QEMU) | Completely free and powerful, works well on ARM, but requires a slightly more technical setup | Advanced users / budget | Very good |
| CrossOver | Approx. €40–70 (1 year of updates and support) | Compatibility layer (Wine) | Lightweight and fast, no full version of Windows required, no Windows licence required, compatibility on a per-app basis | Windows-specific apps | Excellent |
| VirtualBox | Free | Virtualisation | Free and open-source; it works, but is slower and less polished on the M series | Tests / very light use | Good (but more limited) |
| Boot Camp | Free | Native dual-boot | Full native performance, but you need to restart → obsolete on new Macs | Intel Macs only / max performance | None (Intel only) |