CrossOver vs Bottles

CrossOver8.7Visit Bottles8.2Visit

Higher score CrossOver #2 in Windows Compatibility Layers 8.7/10 From $74 · 14-day trial ✓ 5 of 5 features Visit CrossOver

vs

Bottles #3 in Windows Compatibility Layers 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Bottles

• CrossOver fits best

  Users wanting polished paid compatibility support

• Bottles fits best

  Most users managing Windows apps across platforms

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Side by side

Feature	CrossOver 8.7/10 Visit ↗	Bottles 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.2
Ranking	#2 in Windows Compatibility Layers	#3 in Windows Compatibility Layers
Best for	Users wanting polished paid compatibility support	Most users managing Windows apps across platforms
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS, Linux	Linux, macOS
Support	Email, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Solo, Small business
Features CrossOver 5/5 · Bottles 5/5
macOS support	✓	✓
Linux support	✓	✓
Apple silicon support	✓	✓
Compatibility database	✓	✓
Prefix management	✓	✓
Specs
Graphics acceleration	Dxvk-vkd3d	Dxvk-vkd3d
Our review
Pros	Runs Windows applications without Windows or dual boot Recipes, bottles, and compatibility ratings guide application setup Supports Intel and Apple silicon Macs plus supported 64-bit Linux distributions	Separate bottles isolate Windows app environments and configurations. DXVK, VKD3D, dependencies, snapshots, and runners support varied workloads. CLI controls and community installers add flexibility for repeatable management.
Cons	No time-unlimited free plan Full support and upgrade coverage depend on the license Compatibility is focused on supported applications and games	macOS and Apple silicon support are tied to Bottles Next under development. Wine and Proton compatibility can vary by Windows application. Advanced configuration may require familiarity with runners and dependencies.
Our verdict	CrossOver is commercial compatibility software from CodeWeavers for running many Windows applications and games on macOS and Linux. It is aimed at users who want Windows software integrated into a host desktop without installing Windows or… Read the review →	Bottles is a free, open-source desktop application from Bottles Developers for managing Windows software through Wine-based environments. Its main audience is Linux users who need separate, configurable environments for different Windows… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• CrossOver — where it wins

  • Runs Windows applications without Windows or dual boot
  • Recipes, bottles, and compatibility ratings guide application setup
  • Supports Intel and Apple silicon Macs plus supported 64-bit Linux distributions

  Where it doesn't

  • No time-unlimited free plan
  • Full support and upgrade coverage depend on the license
  • Compatibility is focused on supported applications and games

• Bottles — where it wins

  • Separate bottles isolate Windows app environments and configurations.
  • DXVK, VKD3D, dependencies, snapshots, and runners support varied workloads.
  • CLI controls and community installers add flexibility for repeatable management.

  Where it doesn't

  • macOS and Apple silicon support are tied to Bottles Next under development.
  • Wine and Proton compatibility can vary by Windows application.
  • Advanced configuration may require familiarity with runners and dependencies.

• CrossOver8.7/10 · From $74 · 14-day trial

  A paid compatibility layer with application recipes, bottles, ratings, and graphics options.

  Visit CrossOverFull verdict →
• Bottles8.2/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source choice for organizing and running Windows apps across platforms.

  Visit BottlesFull verdict →