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Cheapest Way to Run Windows Apps on Macs and Linux PC's

If you’re looking for a cheap way to run Microsoft Windows applications on an Apple Mac or Linux PC, I recommend CrossOver from CodeWeavers.

I use CrossOver to run the Windows version of Quicken Premier on my Mac. I bought Quicken before my switch from Windows to Mac so I wanted to save money by using the same software on my new iMac. Plus, Quicken Premier for Windows has a lot of features that Quicken Mac doesn’t have. Quicken on CrossOver has some quirks to get used to, but it works well enough.

CrossOver is hundreds of dollars cheaper than alternatives from Parallels or VMWare because it doesn’t require that you purchase a Windows license from Microsoft. CrossOver’s cheap price is at the cost of compatibility. It is compatible with a small subset of Windows apps – the most popular software – so make sure your Windows apps are compatible with CrossOver before buying. 

Parallels or VMWare, are compatible with nearly all Windows applications because they use and require a licensed installation of Microsoft Windows on top of the cost of the Parallels and VMWare products.

I like CrossOver so much that I’ve become an official CodeWeavers Advocate, which mainly consists of beta testing new releases in exchange for free copies of the software.