5 ways Parallels 20 beats VMWare and Virtual Box for virtualization on macOS

When you start to explore the world of macOS virtualization, you’ll likely come across three options: Parallels, VMware, and VirtualBox. They all have advantages, and at the end of the day, they’ll all let you run Windows on a Mac. In particular, VMware and VirtualBox are attractive options because both are available for personal use completely free. With that being said, sometimes it’s worth using paid software over free alternatives if you get enough features in return. Here are five ways Parallels Desktop 20 beats VMware and VirtualBox.

5 Support for high refresh rate screens

Parallels lets you take advantage of ProMotion displays

I’ve used Parallels for two years now, and one of the things it does best is pull the maximum performance out of your great Mac hardware — even when using a virtual machine. The latest MacBook Pro laptops have ProMotion displays that support high refresh rates, up to 120Hz.

However, if you use VMware Fusion or VirtualBox, you won’t be able to use the high refresh rates supported by your Mac. The speeds will be capped at 60Hz, so your VMs will feel noticeably less smooth than your macOS system. By comparison, Parallels does support ProMotion by default, and you’ll be getting the top refresh rates supported by your hardware.

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Parallels makes your macOS system and VMs feel one and the same

Parallels integrates closely with macOS, and this means your main system and your virtual machines can work together. For example, you can share and sync your Mac’s file system and apps with a virtual machine. Additionally, it’s possible to drag-and-drop files between your VM and your main instance of macOS.

The software also supports full use of your Mac hardware, from the webcam to the USB and audio interface. Keyboard commands, like copy and paste, will work between your macOS system and any virtual machine you set up. These are features that either aren’t offered by VMware Fusion or VirtualBox, or don’t work out-of-the-box like they do with Parallels.

3 Equal support for Intel and Apple silicon Macs

You’ll get the latest features regardless of what platform you’re using

With VMware Fusion and VirtualBox, you’ll notice that many top features are limited to either Intel or Apple silicon machines. You can get DirectX11 graphics or run macOS in a VM while using VMware Fusion on an Intel Mac, but not on an Apple silicon Mac. Similarly, VirtualBox supports running multiple operating systems on Intel hardware.

Parallels is the only virtualization software for Mac that lets you do all of those things and more across both x86 and Arm architectures. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also the only software solution that Microsoft officially sanctions for running Windows on Arm in an Apple silicon VM.

2 One-click installation of Windows and Linux distros

It’s so easy, you forget you’re running a virtual machine

My favorite Parallels feature is the one-click installation of all kinds of operating systems. You can download and install Windows, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Mint, and CentOS straight from the Parallels Desktop app with virtually zero effort. By comparison, the automatic download and installation features are spotty for competitors. VMWare Fusion doesn’t support the automatic download and installation of Windows 11, and only supports the automatic download of Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Mint, and CentOS on Intel Macs.

VirtualBox doesn’t even come close to matching the setup experience of Parallels Desktop. While I can set up a VM with Parallels in a few minutes with just a few clicks, it could take hours with VirtualBox.

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1 Supports iCloud on macOS Sequoia

No hacky solutions are required to get a nearly full macOS feature set

Parallels Desktop 20 packs a few key upgrades, but the biggest one in my book is iCloud and Apple Account support. Previously, it was nearly impossible to access iCloud services on any virtual machine, including Parallels, VMware, and VirtualBox. Well, with macOS Sequoia, it’s possible to sign in to an Apple Account using a virtual machine.

This is now fully supported with Parallels, and it means you can use features like iMessage and iCloud Drive. iCloud Backup, Find My, iCloud Mail, Apple Media Services, and Apple Wallet are not available for use with VMs, but the features offered by Parallels are still more than what was previously available.

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Should you buy Parallels Desktop 20?

VMware Fusion is a good entryway into the world of virtualization for basic users, but Parallels Desktop differentiates itself enough to be worth the money for power users. VirtualBox is another choice, but I find that the ease of use offered by Parallels and VMware Fusion both beat Oracle’s option. If you’re interested in Parallels Desktop 20, you might want to consider a lifetime license instead of being stuck with a subscription.

Parallels Desktop 20

Parallels Desktop 20 is the latest edition of the top virtualization software for macOS and ChromeOS. The standard edition is available for $100, but there are pro and business versions available for a higher fee. You can choose between a cheaper subscription or a one-time purchase.