Software Alternatives & Startups

Parall App VS CloudLinux

Compare Parall App VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

Parall App

Run multiple instances of your favorite Mac apps side by side, each with its own Dock icon, tray menu, and isolated data. Parall creates lightweight native shortcuts with no copies, no repacking, no resigning, no background services or hacks.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Paid $5 / One-off
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Parall App seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 1 time since March 2021.

social mentions
1 vs 0
Productivity popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Parall App
CloudLinux
Website parall.app cloudlinux.com
Pricing
Paid $5 / One-off
Open source
Platforms
Mac Mac OSX MacOS
—
Company Startup from the United States · 1 - 9 employees · 2025 —
Listed in

About Parall App and CloudLinux

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Parall App
CloudLinux

Parall is a native macOS app that lets you run multiple instances of the same application at the same time. Each shortcut behaves like its own install with its own Dock icon, optional tray menu, configuration and data folder. Instead of scripts or duplicated app bundles, Parall creates tiny...

Read more about Parall App

No description of CloudLinux yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Parall App 13 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Multiple instances of the same app
    Run several copies of a macOS app side by side, each launched from its own shortcut
  • Per shortcut data separation
    Redirect the app data storage or override HOME for each shortcut so every profile keeps its own files and settings
  • Independent Dock icons and app names
    Every shortcut looks like a real app in the Dock with its own name, icon and state, so different profiles are easy to recognize and switch between
  • Shortcut bundles that act as real apps
    Create .app shortcuts that have their own Dock icon, name and running state just like a normal app.
  • Auto updated with the original app
    When the main app updates, every shortcut automatically launches the new version with no extra work.
  • Per app tray menu icon
    Add a menu bar icon that appears only while the shortcut is running, giving quick access to its actions
  • Browser quick actions from the tray
    For supported browsers you can open new windows directly from the tray icon for the current profile
  • Custom icons and text labels
    Assign unique icons or draw a short text label on top of the icon so profiles are easy to tell apart in the Dock
  • Full screen menu bar control
    Control how the menu bar behaves in native full screen for supported apps and force always show or always auto hide for compatible apps
  • Experimental Dock icon visibility control
    Optionally change whether the shortcut Dock icon is shown or hidden for advanced Dock setups
  • Per shortcut command line flags
    Attach different command line parameters to each shortcut to launch apps with different modes or profiles
  • Info.plist behavior overrides
    Override selected Info.plist keys inside the shortcut to fine tune how the app behaves when launched
  • Per shortcut environment variables
    Define environment variables for each shortcut to keep behavior and configuration fully separated between instances
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Parall App
CloudLinux

Overall verdict

  • Parall App appears to be a niche productivity/utility tool, but there is limited independent, verifiable information available about it, so its overall quality and reliability cannot be fully confirmed at this time.

Why this product is good

  • May offer a specific niche feature set that appeals to a targeted user base
  • Could provide a simple, focused interface without unnecessary bloat
  • Might be a newer or smaller app, potentially offering more responsive support or updates

Recommended for

  • Users looking for a lightweight, specialized tool matching its specific niche
  • Early adopters willing to try newer or lesser-known apps
  • Those who have already researched specific features and reviews relevant to their use case before committing

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Parall App 0 videos + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

No Parall App videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Parall App
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Parall App and CloudLinux.

What makes your product unique?

Parall App's answer

Parall is built specifically to run multiple instances of your existing macOS apps as if each one were a separate install, with its own Dock icon, optional tray icon, configuration and data folder, and without any background service. Instead of wrapping websites or mounting cloud storage, Parall creates lightweight shortcut apps that launch the real native app bundle already on your Mac, with per shortcut data redirection, environment variables, Info.plist overrides and full native behavior for features like Dropbox sync or Chrome based profiles.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Parall App's answer

Most alternatives solve only part of the problem. Cloud mounting apps like CloudMounter or Mountain Duck mount cloud accounts as drives instead of running the real app. Web wrappers like Fluid, Coherence X or Unite turn websites into apps instead of working with the native Mac apps you already use. Multi service tools like Shift or Station keep everything inside one big container window. Tray utilities like Badgeify add menu bar items from a single always running background process.

Parall is different because it multiplies the native apps that are already on your Mac. Every shortcut is its own tiny app that launches the real bundle with its own Dock icon, optional tray icon, data folder, environment variables and Info.plist overrides, and there is no permanent background service. For cases like multiple Dropbox, Slack, Discord, Chrome or VS Code profiles you get separate Dock icons, real native behavior and clean profile isolation, instead of workarounds built on top of a browser or a cloud API.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Parall App's answer

Parall is a fully native macOS app built in Xcode using Objective C and C++. It relies on standard macOS frameworks like Cocoa and AppKit to integrate cleanly with the system, Dock and menu bar. I design and refine the app icon and graphics in Pixelmator Pro. For the English text in the app, website and documentation, I use ChatGPT to polish the wording since English is not my first language.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Parall App's answer

Parall is aimed at Mac users who need more than one clean instance of the same app at the same time. Typical examples are developers who test multiple environments, people who work with several client or company accounts, and power users who keep separate profiles for work, personal use, testing or streaming. It is especially useful if you depend on apps like Chrome based browsers, Dropbox, Slack, Discord, VS Code or similar tools and want each account or role to have its own Dock icon, its own data and its own controlled behavior without complex scripts or virtual machines.

What's the story behind your product?

Parall App's answer

I spent years on Windows where running multiple instances of the same app is usually straightforward. When I moved to macOS, I accepted that most apps only run as a single instance and that you are supposed to live with one Dock icon per app. I personally never needed multiple Chrome instances, until one Reddit user wrote to me and described a very simple wish: two Chrome icons in the Dock, each opening a different profile.

That conversation flipped a switch. I started noticing how many people were fighting the same thing, using extra browsers, strange scripts or manual copies of app bundles just to separate profiles or accounts. At that point I decided to build a native tool that solves this cleanly. No scripts, no automation tools, no hacks. Just lightweight shortcut apps that let you run multiple native instances side by side with their own icons and data. That became Parall.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

Parall App's answer

Parall is mostly used by individual power users, developers and small teams who need multiple clean instances of apps like Dropbox, Chrome based browsers, Slack, Discord or VS Code on a single Mac. Parall does not include telemetry or usage tracking, and purchases go through the Mac App Store, so I do not maintain or publish a list of specific companies or "biggest" customers.

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Parall App 1 mention
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • How to Turn a Go GUI App into a Mac App with Parall
    Parall is available on the Mac App Store and can do much more than this post covers. Learn more here: https://parall.app. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Parall App and CloudLinux

When comparing Parall App and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.