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GNOME Boxes alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave GNOME Boxes: few options for networking, storage or CPU tuning, and linux only. We ranked 3 alternatives by how directly each one replaces GNOME Boxes, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. virt-manager currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1virt-manager logovirt-managerOpen sourceYesLinux4 of 466.5
2VirtualBox logoVirtualBoxOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
3UTM logoUTMOpen sourceYesmacOS, iOS5 of 559.6
  1. virt-manager logo

    1. virt-managerTop pick

    Best for: Linux users and sysadmins who want fast KVM VMs with full control over virtual hardware

    Open sourceLinux

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from GNOME Boxes

    Same QEMU/KVM and libvirt stack with full control over networking, storage and hardware.

    Pros

    • Near-native KVM performance on Linux
    • Fine-grained control, including PCI and USB passthrough
    • Manages remote libvirt hosts as well as local VMs

    Cons

    • Steeper learning curve than GNOME Boxes
    • Linux only
    • Dated interface
    Visit virt-manager Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is virt-manager a good GNOME Boxes alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Hypervisors
    KVM, Xen, LXC
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virt-manager.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Console viewer
    VNC and SPICE
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virt-manager.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Install
    From distribution packages
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virt-manager.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. VirtualBox logo

    2. VirtualBox

    Best for: Students and developers who need free VMs that work the same on Windows, Linux and Mac

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GNOME Boxes

    Cross-platform VM app with more settings and the same VMs usable on Windows and Mac hosts.

    Pros

    • Free and open source base package
    • Runs on Windows, Linux, Intel Macs and Apple silicon
    • Snapshots, shared folders and scripting via the command line

    Cons

    • Extension Pack needs a paid licence for business use
    • Weak 3D graphics performance
    • Apple silicon support is newer and less polished
    Visit VirtualBox Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is VirtualBox a good GNOME Boxes alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL v3 (base package)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Extension Pack
    Free for personal and educational use
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Host platforms
    Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple silicon), Linux, Solaris
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Oracle
    Checked Oct 25, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. UTM logo

    3. UTM

    Best for: Mac users who want free Linux, Windows or retro-OS virtual machines without paying for Parallels

    Open sourcemacOS, iOS

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GNOME Boxes

    The closest Mac equivalent: also a QEMU front-end that keeps VM setup simple.

    Pros

    • Free and open source, with the same features in the paid App Store copy
    • Runs ARM guests near native speed and emulates many old architectures
    • Scriptable through AppleScript and the utmctl command-line tool

    Cons

    • x86 guests on Apple silicon run through slow emulation
    • Graphics and game support trail Parallels Desktop
    • Mac and iPad only
    Visit UTM Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is UTM a good GNOME Boxes alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free; App Store copy is optional support
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Virtualization
    Apple Hypervisor for ARM64 guests
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab)
    macOS guests
    Apple silicon, macOS Monterey or later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Command line
    utmctl and AppleScript
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab)

The best GNOME Boxes alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

virt-manager logo

Best GNOME Boxes alternative for most people

virt-manager

Same QEMU/KVM and libvirt stack with full control over networking, storage and hardware.

VirtualBox logo

Best GNOME Boxes alternative for a free option

VirtualBox

Cross-platform VM app with more settings and the same VMs usable on Windows and Mac hosts.

UTM logo

Best GNOME Boxes alternative for open source

UTM

The closest Mac equivalent: also a QEMU front-end that keeps VM setup simple.

VirtualBox logo

Best GNOME Boxes alternative for Mac

VirtualBox

Cross-platform VM app with more settings and the same VMs usable on Windows and Mac hosts.

VirtualBox logo

Best GNOME Boxes alternative for Windows

VirtualBox

Cross-platform VM app with more settings and the same VMs usable on Windows and Mac hosts.

virt-manager logo

Best GNOME Boxes alternative for Linux

virt-manager

Same QEMU/KVM and libvirt stack with full control over networking, storage and hardware.

GNOME Boxes alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to GNOME Boxes?

virt-manager ranks first right now. Same QEMU/KVM and libvirt stack with full control over networking, storage and hardware. VirtualBox and UTM follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to GNOME Boxes?

Yes. virt-manager (open source), VirtualBox (open source) and UTM (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to GNOME Boxes?

Yes: virt-manager, VirtualBox and UTM.

Which GNOME Boxes alternatives work on Linux?

virt-manager and VirtualBox run on Linux.

Why do people switch from GNOME Boxes?

The complaints we hear most: few options for networking, storage or CPU tuning; linux only; original code base is in low-maintenance mode.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces GNOME Boxes, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.