We detected 517 customers using Parallels, 4 companies that churned or ended their trial, and 36 customers with estimated renewals in the next 3 months. The most common industry is Software Development (25%) and the most common company size is 201-500 employees (24%). Our methodology involves monitoring new entries and modifications to company DNS records.
About Parallels
Parallels provides virtualization software that enables Mac users to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems simultaneously without rebooting, allowing seamless access to Windows applications, games, and specialized software directly on Mac computers through virtual machines.
📊 Who in an organization decides to buy or use Parallels?
Source: Analysis of 100 job postings that mention Parallels
Job titles that mention Parallels
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Based on an analysis of job titles from postings that mention Parallels.
Job Title
Share
IT Support Specialist
7%
Director, Sales
4%
Medical Director
4%
Vice President, Finance
3%
My analysis shows Parallels buyers are surprisingly diverse, with IT Support Specialists at 7%, Directors of Sales at 4%, Medical Directors at 4%, and VP Finance roles at 3%. The remaining 82% spans leadership positions across operations, technology, and specialized functions. What stands out is the strategic nature of these roles. They're hiring for transformation, growth, and innovation, often seeking leaders who can bridge technical and business domains. One posting seeks someone to support work that "parallels the excitement of this vibrant community," while another looks for candidates who "see direct parallels between how we elevate security."
The day-to-day users appear to be technical professionals managing cross-platform environments. One role specifically mentions "Parallels RAS-based solutions" alongside Microsoft 365 services, indicating Parallels enables remote application delivery and virtualization. Another position requires "knowledge of Microsoft 365 services including Exchange, Teams, Sharepoint, and Parallels RAS-based solutions," suggesting it's deeply embedded in enterprise IT infrastructure for remote access and desktop virtualization.
The pain points center on transformation and bridging gaps. Companies repeatedly mention needing to "draw parallels between different country contexts," identify "parallels between early cloud adoption challenges and current AI integration hurdles," and ensure their work "parallels and supports" core business operations. These organizations are managing complex, distributed workforces and need solutions that enable seamless remote access while maintaining security and performance standards.
🔧 What other technologies do Parallels customers also use?
Source: Analysis of tech stacks from 517 companies that use Parallels
Commonly Paired Technologies
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Shows how much more likely Parallels customers are to use each tool compared to the general population. For example, 287x means customers are 287 times more likely to use that tool.
I noticed that companies using Parallels are predominantly design-forward, product-centric organizations with strong cross-platform development needs. The presence of Figma Organization Plan, Lucidchart, and Miro at such high correlation rates tells me these are companies investing heavily in collaborative visual work and product development. They're likely building software products that need to work across different operating systems, which is exactly why they need Parallels in the first place.
The pairing of Docker Business with Parallels is particularly revealing. These companies are running containerized development environments while also needing to test or develop across Mac and Windows simultaneously. Cursor appearing so frequently suggests they're early adopters of AI-powered development tools, indicating a tech-savvy engineering culture. Meanwhile, Lucidchart and Miro together point to teams that spend significant time on system design, user flows, and cross-functional collaboration before writing code.
My analysis shows these are product-led companies, likely in growth stage with 50 to 500 employees. The emphasis on design tools and collaborative platforms suggests they're building user-facing products where design quality matters competitively. They're not enterprise sales-led organizations that would show heavy Salesforce customization or account-based marketing tools. Instead, they're focused on shipping product quickly and iterating based on user feedback. The Docker and Cursor combination tells me they've invested in developer productivity and modern engineering practices.
👥 What types of companies is most likely to use Parallels?
Source: Analysis of Linkedin bios of 517 companies that use Parallels
Company Characteristics
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Shows how much more likely Parallels customers are to have each trait compared to all companies. For example, 2.0x means customers are twice as likely to have that characteristic.
Trait
Likelihood
Funding Stage: Private equity
77.5x
Industry: Software Development
4.8x
Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting
4.5x
Country: DE
3.8x
Company Size: 201-500
2.8x
Company Size: 51-200
1.8x
I noticed that Parallels users span an incredibly wide range, but they share a common thread: they're organizations running complex, multi-platform technology environments. These aren't pure software companies. I'm seeing construction firms like MGAC and Sunrock, entertainment venues like the San Diego Gulls and Melbourne Racing Club, healthcare providers like Oak Street Health, financial services companies like Thredd and Gravity Payments, and even government agencies like DC Water. What unites them is that technology enables their core business rather than being their core business.
These are predominantly mature, established organizations. The employee counts tell the story: I'm seeing mostly 200-500 employee ranges, with many in the 500-5,000 bracket. While there are some smaller companies and a handful of startups with funding rounds, the majority are either privately held legacy businesses, subsidiaries of larger corporations, or public companies. The San Diego Gulls, Fastenal, CBS News, and Viacom represent institutional players. Even the tech companies like TeamViewer and Grammarly are well past startup phase.
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