Multipass vs Parallels Desktop

Multipass — Multipass is a lightweight virtual machine manager for Linux, Windows and macOS. It simplifies setting up virtual Ubuntu instances in just a few clicks, allowing developers to easily create reproducib

Parallels Desktop — Parallels Desktop is a virtualization software for macOS that allows users to run multiple operating systems, including Windows and Linux, alongside macOS on a Mac computer. Known for its ease of use

Multipass offers Create Ubuntu VMs with a single command, CLI and GUI available, Built-in SSH access to VMs, Suspend and restart VMs while maintaining state, Share folders between host and VMs, while Parallels Desktop provides Run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems virtually alongside macOS, Seamless integration and usability with macOS, Shared folders allow easy file transfer between macOS and virtual machines, Resource optimization for improved performance, Easy installation and setup of virtual machines.

Multipass stands out for Simple and easy to use, Lightweight and fast VM launches, Reproducible dev environments; Parallels Desktop is known for Excellent performance and usability, Easy to set up and use, Seamless integration with macOS.

Feature	Multipass	Parallels Desktop
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Os & Utilities
Pricing	Open Source	free

Product Overview

Multipass

Description: Multipass is a lightweight virtual machine manager for Linux, Windows and macOS. It simplifies setting up virtual Ubuntu instances in just a few clicks, allowing developers to easily create reproducible development environments.

Parallels Desktop

Description: Parallels Desktop is a virtualization software for macOS that allows users to run multiple operating systems, including Windows and Linux, alongside macOS on a Mac computer. Known for its ease of use and performance, Parallels Desktop provides a seamless integration of virtual machines with the macOS environment.

Key Features Comparison

Multipass Features

• Create Ubuntu VMs with a single command
• CLI and GUI available
• Built-in SSH access to VMs
• Suspend and restart VMs while maintaining state
• Share folders between host and VMs
• Customizable CPU and memory allocation
• VM image caching to speed up launches

Parallels Desktop Features

• Run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems virtually alongside macOS
• Seamless integration and usability with macOS
• Shared folders allow easy file transfer between macOS and virtual machines
• Resource optimization for improved performance
• Easy installation and setup of virtual machines
• Snapshots allow you to save and restore virtual machine state
• Travel mode to easily move virtual machines between Macs
• 3D graphics acceleration support
• Retina display support
• Touch Bar support
• Virtual printing and other peripherals

Pros & Cons Analysis

Multipass

Pros

• Simple and easy to use
• Lightweight and fast VM launches
• Reproducible dev environments
• Native clients for Linux, macOS and Windows
• Active development and maintenance

Cons

• Only supports Ubuntu VMs currently
• Limited configuration options compared to other VM managers
• No snapshot or cloning support yet
• No built-in orchestration features

Parallels Desktop

Pros

• Excellent performance and usability
• Easy to set up and use
• Seamless integration with macOS
• Shared folders make file transfer easy
• Good virtual machine customization options

Cons

• Can be resource-intensive
• Expensive compared to competitors
• Limited support for older macOS versions
• Advanced features require paid upgrades

Pricing Comparison

Multipass

• Open Source

Parallels Desktop

• free