UTM

Free, open-source virtual machine app for Mac and iPad built on QEMU and Apple Virtualization.

Open sourceVirtual machine and container apps

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 3
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About UTM

UTM runs other operating systems inside windows on a Mac. On Apple silicon it uses Apple's hypervisor to run ARM versions of Linux, Windows and macOS at close to native speed, and falls back to QEMU emulation for x86 systems and older architectures such as PowerPC, SPARC and RISC-V, so it also handles classic Mac OS, DOS and old Windows releases. The goal is to hide QEMU's many command-line options behind a normal Mac interface, with a gallery of ready-made VMs and guides for common systems. Power users can drive it from AppleScript or the utmctl command-line tool, including snapshots and disposable VMs. It is free and open source under the Apache licence; the Mac App Store copy costs money only as a way to support development and adds automatic updates. A slimmed-down UTM SE exists for iPhone and iPad. Emulated x86 guests are slow, and 3D and gaming support is still limited compared with commercial tools.

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

What works

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

Why people leave

x86 guests on Apple silicon run through slow emulation
Graphics and game support trail Parallels Desktop
Mac and iPad only

Top UTM alternatives

See all 3

1
Parallels Desktop
Paid, but faster Windows 11 on Apple silicon with better graphics and tighter Mac integration.
66.5
2
VirtualBox
Free cross-platform VM app, handy if you also run VMs on Windows or Linux machines.
62.6
3
OrbStack
Lighter option when you mainly need Linux machines and containers for development on a Mac.
59.6

Why people left UTM

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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UTM: common questions

Is UTM free?

Yes. UTM is free, open-source software.

Is UTM open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at utmapp/UTM.

What platforms does UTM run on?

UTM is available for macOS and iOS.

What are the best alternatives to UTM?

The highest-ranked UTM alternatives right now are Parallels Desktop, VirtualBox and OrbStack. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 3 UTM alternatives

UTM facts

5 of 5 verified

License: Apache-2.0; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: Apache-2.0 (Apache License 2.0).”
Price: Free; App Store copy is optional support; Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab); “UTM is and always will be completely free and open source, and the App Store version has the same features.”
Virtualization: Apple Hypervisor for ARM64 guests; Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab); “UTM uses Apple's Hypervisor framework to run ARM64 operating systems on Apple Silicon at near native speed.”
macOS guests: Apple silicon, macOS Monterey or later; Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab); “Requires an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS Monterey or later.”
Command line: utmctl and AppleScript; Checked Oct 25, 2026mac.getutm.app(opens source in a new tab); “Create, configure, and control virtual machines from AppleScript or the utmctl command line tool.”