Side by side

CrossOver vs Cygwin

Both stand on windows compatibility layers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

CrossOver

Free plan LinuxMac

CrossOver offers a way to run many Windows applications on Mac and Linux, with a free 14-day trial and paid support options. Compatibility is not complete, and Linux users must meet its stated requirements.

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Cygwin

Free plan Windows

Choose Cygwin if you want a customizable collection of Unix-style tools on Windows or need to port Unix programs. Look elsewhere if you need to run native Linux applications without rebuilding them, or need macOS or Linux support.

Visit Cygwin

The facts

	CrossOver	Cygwin
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	No	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Mac	Windows
Lowest paid plan	CrossOver +: $74 a year	Free or on request
Plans published	6	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	codeweavers.com	cygwin.com
On windows compatibility layers	#3 of 26	#7 of 26

CrossOver: what it does well

Runs many Windows applications without Windows
Supports macOS and Linux
14-day fully functional trial requires no credit card
CrossOver Life includes lifetime upgrades and bug fixes

What to know first

Some applications may have reduced functionality or fail
Mac version does not run on iPads or iPhones
Linux installation has specific system dependencies

Cygwin: what it does well

Includes thousands of GNU, BSD, and other packages.
Provides tools, headers, and libraries for Windows application development.
Supports bash, tcsh, and zsh shells.
Setup supports automated installs and local repositories without internet access.
Setup verifies signed metadata and checks package hashes.

What to know first

Available for Windows only; macOS and Linux are unsupported.
Native Linux applications must be rebuilt from source to run with Cygwin.
Only minimal base packages are installed by default.

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