Alternatives to Multipass
Instant Ubuntu VMs from Canonical
Multipass ranks #5 of 9 in Virtualization software, with an Alt Score of 78. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 8 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Developers and sysadmins on Windows, macOS, or Linux who need disposable Ubuntu environments for local development, testing, or simulating cloud deployments.
Fast Ubuntu VMs launched from a single CLI command, backed by a native hypervisor (Hyper-V, QEMU) for minimal overhead and quick start times. Instances can be configured with cloud-init at launch, mirroring how AWS, Azure, and GCP provision cloud instances. Multipass also supports file sharing between host and VM and offers a catalog of preconfigured appliance images.
Run a CLI command to launch a named Ubuntu instance, optionally passing a cloud-init YAML file to customize it at boot. From there you can shell into the instance, mount host directories, or manage multiple instances (start, stop, delete) directly from the command line.
Where Multipass stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Multipass
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Virtualization software checklist (14 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Virtualization software checklist | Multipass | QEMU | VirtualBox | UTM | Proxmox VE | Hyper-V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Host platforms | ||||||
| Guest OS breadth | ||||||
| Snapshots | ||||||
| GPU passthrough | ||||||
| Free for personal use | ||||||
| Shared folders & clipboard | ||||||
| Headless / server mode | ||||||
| Apple Silicon support | ||||||
| Open source | ||||||
| Performance overhead |
Every fact and feature listed for Multipass is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Prototype your cloud launches locally for free.
https://canonical.com/multipass/install -
License GPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-11
GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
https://github.com/canonical/multipass/blob/main/LICENSE -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
In Multipass, platform refers to the host computer's operating system. This can be Windows, macOS, or Linux.
https://canonical.com/multipass/docs/latest/explanation/platform/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
This Multipass 1.16.3 patch release adds Ubuntu Core 26, fixes compatibility issues of QEMU on macOS with M4 chips, and patches two vulnerability issues.
https://github.com/canonical/multipass/releases -
Host platforms Yes verified 2026-07-11
This can be Windows, macOS, or Linux.
https://canonical.com/multipass/docs/latest/explanation/platform/ -
Guest OS breadth Partial verified 2026-07-11
It's designed for developers who want to spin up a fresh Ubuntu environment with a single command.
https://github.com/canonical/multipass -
Snapshots Yes verified 2026-07-11
A snapshot is an conceptual image of an instance at some point in time, that can be used to restore the instance to what it was at that instant.
https://canonical.com/multipass/docs/latest/explanation/snapshot/ -
Free for personal use Yes verified 2026-07-11
Prototype your cloud launches locally for free.
https://canonical.com/multipass/install -
Headless / server mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
The Multipass daemon (multipassd) runs in the background and processes the requests from the Multipass command-line interface and GUI client.
https://canonical.com/multipass/docs/latest/explanation/service/ -
Apple Silicon support Yes verified 2026-07-11
You can use any Mac (M-series or Intel based) with macOS 14 Sonoma or later installed.
https://canonical.com/multipass/docs/latest/how-to-guides/install-multipass/ -
Open source Yes verified 2026-07-11
The code in this repository is licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0.
https://github.com/canonical/multipass -
Performance overhead Yes verified 2026-07-11
Multipass uses Hyper-V on Windows, QEMU on macOS and Linux for minimal overhead and the fastest possible start time.
https://canonical.com/multipass
FAQ
Yes. QEMU, VirtualBox and UTM have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
QEMU, VirtualBox and UTM — every license claim links its source.