Codeweavers CrossOver for Mac evaluation

Worth When Reviewed

$59.95 for a 12 months, $494 for all times

Greatest Costs At this time: CrossOver for Mac

CrossOver is predicated on WINE, which is likely one of the greatest choices for working Home windows software program in your Mac. And, like WINE, it makes use of a compatibility layer that permits Home windows apps to run on the Mac with out really requiring a full model of Home windows to be put in as nicely. That may prevent some huge cash, as you do want to purchase a duplicate of Home windows to be used with virtualisation packages reminiscent of Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion. However though WINE is a free, open-source program, it’s too sophisticated for many non-technical customers, so the group at Codeweavers developed CrossOver as a extra simple and user-friendly different. In addition they present good technical help to assist with putting in all kinds of Home windows video games and software program.

See how CrossOver compares to different Mac Digital Machines we now have examined in: Greatest Digital Machine for Mac.

Our evaluation is up to date for 2025 to take account of the brand new model: CrossOver 25.

CrossOver Worth

That technical help implies that CrossOver isn’t free, costing $74/£60 for a license that gives 12 months of technical help and updates, or you may pay $494/£414 for lifetime help. Nevertheless, there’s a 14-day free trial obtainable, in an effort to see if it really works with the Home windows software program that you simply need to run earlier than shopping for (and there’s additionally a model of CrossOver obtainable for Linux as nicely).

CrossOver Efficiency

In the meanwhile, CrossOver is predicated on code that was initially written for Intel processors, so it depends on Apple’s Rosetta to run on Macs with Apple Silicon, however efficiency nonetheless appears to be fairly good, and Codeweavers states that it’s engaged on native help for Apple Silicon for the longer term.

CrossOver works with a variety of Home windows software program and apps, however many CrossOver customers are devoted Mac avid gamers, a lot of Codeweavers’ work is concentrated on getting it to work with common Home windows video games. And, in reality, the Sport Porting Equipment that Apple supplies to assist video games builders produce Mac variations of their video games is predicated on open-source code from Codeweavers – so these guys actually know what they’re doing. There’s additionally a database on their site that gives compatibility info and recommendation for working a whole bunch of Home windows apps and video games.

CrossOver Usability

CrossOver has at all times aimed to be extra user-friendly than WINE, by permitting you to put in Home windows apps into ‘bottles’ – that are self-contained recordsdata that may be launched and run in your Mac with out requiring a full copy of Home windows. You’ll be able to create numerous totally different bottles for various apps, and bottles may even be configured to supply compatibility with totally different variations of Home windows. That is helpful because it means that you can create bottles which are appropriate for older video games and software program that may require a specific model of Home windows so as to run correctly.

Even so, CrossOver can nonetheless be fairly sophisticated at instances, so model 22 launched a brand new interface that was redesigned to be extra Mac-like, and likewise to supply extra assist when putting in many Home windows apps and video games. If you launch CrossOver you see the primary Set up window, which lists some common Home windows apps and video games, reminiscent of The Witcher 3 and Diablo IV, and even productiveness instruments such because the Quicken accounting software program for enterprise customers.

There’s additionally a search software that gives info on a whole bunch of different Home windows apps, and a sign of how nicely they run with CrossOver. However, as we found, there are levels of compatibility right here, with some apps that run nicely, whereas others might run with issues – and a few might merely not work with CrossOver in any respect. However, considerably to my shock, I used to be capable of set up and run a 20-year outdated copy of Microsoft Writer from an outdated DVD with no hassle in any respect, and likewise Icewind Dale II, an outdated favorite of mine that doesn’t appear to be broadly obtainable as of late.

Newest CrossOver updates

CrossOver continues to obtain common updates, a lot of which concentrate on bettering help for particular Home windows video games. Model 22.1 fastened issues that have been affecting video games reminiscent of BioShock Infinite and Grand Theft Auto V, and model 23.0 launched restricted help for some video games, reminiscent of Diablo IV, that use Microsoft’s DirectX 12 graphics software program (one thing that even Parallels Desktop continues to be engaged on). Diablo IV obtained an extra efficiency enhance with model 23.7, together with Counter Strike 2 and a lot of different video games, whereas model 24.0 offered compatibility with the newest model of WINE, in addition to a lot of further interface enhancements.

Nevertheless, the March 2025 launch of CrossOver 25 is likely one of the greatest updates of latest years, with CrossOver promising to carry “subsequent stage gaming to the Mac”. A number of the new options in v25 are under-the-bonnet adjustments, reminiscent of adopting the newest model of the underlying WINE expertise, which Codeweavers claims contains hundreds of programming updates to enhance efficiency and compatibility. This replace additionally introduces a brand new graphics expertise, known as DXMT that, in keeping with Codeweavers, supplies higher efficiency for much less highly effective Mac fashions when working Home windows video games that use DX11 graphics.

There’s improved compatibility with numerous big-name Home windows video games, permitting you to play video games reminiscent of Path Of Exile 2, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Fallout 76 for the primary time. And, together with Steam, CrossOver 25 now helps the Home windows variations of the GoG and Epic sport shops in an effort to obtain video games that you simply personal from these shops.

Codeweavers additionally continues to additional streamline the set up course of for Home windows video games and apps for brand new customers who might not have a number of technical expertise. In addition to offering an inventory of common video games and different apps that work nicely with CrossOver, this new model now has the flexibility to connect with the compatibility database saved on the Codeweavers web site, and might robotically apply the most effective graphics and audio settings for quite a lot of totally different video games.

Must you purchase Codeweavers CrossOver?

The sheer effort that the Codeweavers group places into offering common updates for CrossOver is spectacular, and we’ve had good experiences utilizing their tech help to get assist working the Home windows model of Steam on our ageing workplace iMac. Even so, CrossOver can nonetheless be relatively sophisticated for brand new customers, so it’s positively price downloading the trial model to see how nicely it really works together with your favorite Home windows video games and different Home windows software program.