Multipass alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 29, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Multipass: built around Ubuntu images, not other guest OSes, and designed mainly around the command line. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Multipass, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. OrbStack currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	VirtualBox	Open source	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux	4 of 4	61.8

1. VirtualBoxTop pick
Best for: Students and developers who need free VMs that work the same on Windows, Linux and Mac
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux
61.8
score / 100
Why switch from Multipass
Free cross-platform VM app with a full GUI for any guest operating system.
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 ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is VirtualBox a good Multipass alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
License
GPL v3 (base package)
Checked Oct 29, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
Extension Pack
Free for personal and educational use
Checked Oct 29, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
Host platforms
Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple silicon), Linux, Solaris
Checked Oct 29, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
Oracle
Checked Oct 29, 2026virtualbox.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Multipass alternative for…

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

Best Multipass alternative for most people

OrbStack

On a Mac, runs Linux machines and Docker containers with very fast startup and low overhead.

Best Multipass alternative for a free option

UTM

Runs almost any guest OS on a Mac, including Windows and other Linux distributions.

Best Multipass alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

OrbStack

On a Mac, runs Linux machines and Docker containers with very fast startup and low overhead.

Best Multipass alternative for open source

VirtualBox

Free cross-platform VM app with a full GUI for any guest operating system.

Best Multipass alternative for Mac

Colima

CLI-driven Linux VMs on macOS focused on running container runtimes.

Best Multipass alternative for Windows

VirtualBox

Free cross-platform VM app with a full GUI for any guest operating system.

Best Multipass alternative for Linux

GNOME Boxes

Simple GUI for creating VMs on a Linux desktop, with many distributions to download.

Multipass alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Multipass?

OrbStack ranks first right now. On a Mac, runs Linux machines and Docker containers with very fast startup and low overhead. UTM and VirtualBox follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Multipass?

Yes. OrbStack (free plan + paid), UTM (open source), VirtualBox (open source) and Colima (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Multipass?

Yes: UTM, VirtualBox, Colima and GNOME Boxes.

Which Multipass alternatives work on Linux?

VirtualBox, Colima and GNOME Boxes run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Multipass?

The complaints we hear most: built around Ubuntu images, not other guest OSes; designed mainly around the command line; macOS setup may need firewall changes, per its README.

How is this list ranked?

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