CrossOver, Wine and Whisky all run Windows programs without Windows. CrossDriver App does too, and adds ready-made setups, environments you can keep apart, and a free edition for personal use.
Last updated: 2026-11-07
CrossDriver App is an alternative to CrossOver, Wine and Whisky: like them, it runs Windows programs on a Mac without installing Windows. Popular apps such as Office, Access, Visio, Project and QuickBooks Desktop have ready-made setups, each set of apps lives in its own environment, and personal use is free with no time limit. Whisky, a free Wine front end, is no longer developed: its repository was archived in May 2025.
| CrossDriver App | CrossOver | Wine / Whisky | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for personal use; Pro for work | Paid after a two-week trial | Free |
| Setting up an app | Ready-made setups for popular apps | Install scripts for some apps | Mostly by hand |
| Microsoft Office | Office 2016 activates with your own key; VBA, COM add-ins and ActiveX work | Depends on the version | Depends on the version |
| Keeping apps apart | Environments, side by side like tabs | Bottles | Prefixes / bottles |
| Still developed | Yes | Yes | Wine yes; Whisky archived in May 2025 |
Install CrossDriver App, then install your programs again with their own installers, or pick them in the Setup Center. Documents stay where they are on your Mac: Windows apps open and save files in your Mac folders directly.
CrossDriver App runs Windows programs on a Mac the same way, without Windows, and is free for personal use. Whisky's repository was archived in May 2025 and no longer gets updates.
Yes. CrossDriver App's free edition is free for personal use with no time limit. Plain Wine is free too, but you set everything up yourself.
Wine is the open-source project that lets Windows programs run without Windows. CrossDriver App builds on it and adds setups, environments, a Windows desktop and the work needed for apps like Office to run properly.
Every Pro feature is free during the preview, until December 31, 2026
Download the CrossDriver App preview