Parall for Mac

Parall - The Parallel App Launcher for macOS

Run multiple instances of your favorite Mac apps - natively, cleanly, and without workarounds. Parall lets you create independent app shortcuts that behave like standalone apps - each with its own Dock icon, name, tray icon, configuration, and optional data container.

Parall is the first and only macOS app of its kind, delivering true multi-instance app launching through a fully native design - no hacks, scripts, or background daemons.

Key Features

• Launch multiple instances of the same app side by side.
• Add a tray menu icon to control any app and, for supported browsers, get actions for new windows.
• Each shortcut looks and behaves like a separate app in your Dock.
• Shortcuts always stay in sync when the original app updates.
• Assign unique icons to easily distinguish profiles in the Dock.
• Add command-line parameters or flags per shortcut.
• Point the shortcut's data to a folder you choose.
• Define environment variables for flexible control and behavior separation.
• Dedicated data folders fully supported for Chrome-based apps browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera) and now Firefox-based apps and browsers.
• The improved data redirect feature now covers far more than just Chrome/Firefox/ToDesktop-based apps.
• Zero hacks or scripts - 100% native macOS integration.
• No background processes - Parall runs only when you use it.
• Offline & private - Operates entirely offline, never transmits any data.

Verified apps that support both multi-instance and data separation

Google Chrome, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, Tor Browser, Visual Studio Code, Arduino IDE, FreeCAD, Blender, Qt Creator, FileMaker Pro, Git Tower, Telegram Desktop, Viber, Discord, Dropbox, OBS, KiCad, Plex, Spotify, Sublime Text, Sublime Merge, LightBurn, Slack, Notion, Cursor, Evernote, Zoom, WinBox, QQ, Audacity.

Browser and web-app support also includes Chrome-based apps, Firefox-based apps, and ToDesktop-based apps.

Parall now goes far beyond this list.

Most macOS apps save their data inside your Library folder under ~/Library/Application Support, ~/Library/Preferences, or similar subdirectories. However, many non-sandboxed apps may also store data in hidden folders within your Home directory, such as ~/.config, ~/.cache, or custom paths defined by the developer. Parall gives you full control over this behavior.

You can redirect storage to any location - for example:

• A Dropbox or iCloud Drive folder to keep app data synced across devices.
• An external SSD or network drive to save space on your internal disk.
• A project-specific folder to isolate sessions or environments for testing.

This gives you complete freedom to organize, back up, and share app profiles the way you prefer.

Each shortcut Parall creates is a lightweight .app bundle that directly launches your chosen app's executable. You can pin them to the Dock, rename them, and assign custom icons - making each instance truly feel like an independent application.

Shortcuts automatically adapt when the original app updates - no maintenance required.

Parall itself is fully sandboxed, private, and Mac App Store approved. Shortcuts you create are not sandboxed (by macOS design) but are completely safe - they simply launch your existing apps with isolated environments.

Compatibility & Support

Not every app supports multiple simultaneous instances - some are designed to prevent it. For the current compatibility list, visit parall.app/compatibility. If your app isn't listed or you'd like confirmation before purchase, contact support@parall.app - I'll personally test and, if possible, add support for it.

For the "Open With" passthrough feature, note that a phantom Dock icon may appear the first time it's used. You can simply quit that temporary icon once, after that, passthrough commands will work as expected.

For sandboxed apps, custom home or data-directory redirection is not supported. Multiple isolated instances still work.