Bottles vs CrossOver
Bottles
usebottles.com
CrossOver
codeweavers.comSide by side
| Figure | Bottles | CrossOver |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $6.17/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 6 |
| Spec score · Game Compatibility Layers | 7.6 (#10) | 9.0 (#2) |
| Spec score · Windows Compatibility Layers | 7.6 (#10) | 9.0 (#1) |
| Bottle environments | Bottles calls its Windows prefix environments “bottles,” which use compatibility-layer runners to run Windows applications on Linux. | CrossOver places applications in separate bottles containing a Windows-style C: drive, fonts, registry, and program files. |
| Founded | 2017 | 1996 |
| Purpose | Bottles is an application for managing Windows prefixes and running Windows software on Linux. | CrossOver translates Windows application commands so many Windows programs can run on Mac and Linux without a Windows emulator or Windows OS license. |
| Support | The site directs users to documentation and offers links to report bugs, request features, and report dependencies. | The 12-month plan includes email and phone support for 12 months, while the lifetime plan includes unlimited email and phone support for life. |
Plans
CrossOver
- CrossOver FreeFree
- CrossOver Free (14 Day Trial)Free
- CrossOver +$74 a year
- CrossOver + (12 Months Support)$74 a year
- CrossOver Life$494, paid once
- CrossOver Life (Lifetime Support)$494, paid once
In their own words
Bottles
Bottles manages Windows prefixes, called bottles, to run Windows applications and games on Linux through compatibility-layer runners. It offers Gaming, Application, and Custom environments, plus Wine and Proton runners such as Soda, Caffe, Vaniglia, and CrossOver builds. Installers apply rules to set up programs, while a dependency manager uses a community-driven repository of manifests. Users can manage graphics components including DXVK, VKD3D, DXVK-NVAPI, and LatencyFleX. The community App Store provides Windows application installers with compatibility grades from Bronze through Platinum. Bottles also lists backups, versioning, duplication, and importing bottles from other managers. The project recommends Flatpak: it bundles required dependencies and is described as the most supported and tested release, as well as the only fully sandboxed package. Bottles supports Linux and macOS and is free software. Connection-dependent features do not work offline. The project also warns that exposing the system home directory to a runner breaks the Flatpak sandbox and can put personal files at risk.
CrossOver
CrossOver translates commands from Windows applications so many can run on macOS or Linux without a Windows emulator or Windows OS license. It is presented for productivity software, utilities and games, and advertises one-click installation, desktop integration and running apps without rebooting. CodeWeavers says the Linux version avoids Windows or virtual-machine overhead and integrates with Linux. Compatibility is incomplete: some applications may have reduced functionality or may not run. The Compatibility Center collects user reports about application behavior. CrossOver supports Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, as well as Linux PCs. The Mac version requires at least 1 GB of free disk space and does not run on iPads or iPhones; Linux has specified hardware, distribution and software dependencies. A fully functional 14-day trial costs nothing, requires no credit card and starts at first launch. CrossOver + costs $74 a year, including 12 months of phone and email support, upgrades and bug fixes, and Preview access. CrossOver Life costs $494, paid once, with lifetime upgrades, bug fixes and support. CodeWeavers says 95% of the Wine code it develops for CrossOver is released back to the Wine project.