Chrome Profile Switcher, Parallel Spaces or Parall: profile icons or separate browser instances?
by ZwayStudiosupdated
Parallel Spaces and Parall run separate instances or copies of a browser, each with its own data and icon. Chrome Profile Switcher does something different: it keeps your one browser and its existing profiles, and gives each profile its own Dock icon. Pick Parallel Spaces or Parall if you want fully separate instances. Pick Chrome Profile Switcher if you want your current profiles in the Dock with shared memory and no new sign-ins.
Everything below is as of 29 September 2026, from each product’s website or Mac App Store listing.
At a glance
| Chrome Profile Switcher | Parallel Spaces | Parall | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Tiny launcher per profile for your one running browser | Runs separate app instances with separate data | Launches separate app copies with custom labelled icons |
| Price | Free during the beta | $4.99 on the Mac App Store | $5 one time on the Mac App Store |
| Browsers | Chrome (and Beta, Dev, Canary), Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Opera GX, Arc, Dia, Chromium, Yandex, Firefox, Zen, LibreWolf, Waterfox | Claims Edge, Brave, Arc, Vivaldi and Firefox | See its App Store listing |
| Second copy of browser | No; about 2 MB per launcher | Separate instance per profile | Separate copy per profile |
| Dock | Apple’s Dock; icon next to the browser’s own icon | Apple’s Dock | Apple’s Dock, with custom labelled icons |
| Extra features | Live window previews on hover, right-click window list, New Incognito Window, optional Focus Window Under Pointer | Works with other apps, not only browsers | Works with other apps, custom labelled icons |
| Permissions | Accessibility; Screen Recording optional, for previews only | See its App Store listing | See its App Store listing |
| macOS | 14 Sonoma or later | See its App Store listing | See its App Store listing |
| Notarized | Not yet (beta, one “Open Anyway” step) | Distributed through the Mac App Store | Distributed through the Mac App Store |
Profiles vs instances: why it matters
A browser profile is a set of data (logins, extensions, history) inside one browser. A separate instance is a whole new browser process with its own data. That difference drives most of the trade offs below.
Separate instances mean separate logins and more memory. In one published measurement by Superdock, three separate Chrome instances used about 4.6 GB across 33 processes. One Chrome running three profiles used 1.67 GB across 11 processes. That is about 2.8 times more memory for the separate instances. Our guide on Chrome profiles vs separate Chrome copies goes deeper.
Where Parallel Spaces or Parall is the better choice
- Full separation. Each instance has its own data, which suits people who want nothing shared at all.
- More than browsers. Both run separate copies of apps in general, not only a browser.
- Mac App Store. You buy, install and update them through the App Store. Our beta is a direct download that still needs a one time “Open Anyway” step.
- Custom labelled icons. Parall lets you give each copy a labelled icon. Custom icons are on our roadmap for later.
- Low one-time prices. $4.99 and $5.
Where Chrome Profile Switcher is the better choice
- Keep your profiles as they are. No new instance, no new sign-ins. The same logins, extensions and history you already have.
- Less memory. One browser keeps running, so you avoid the extra memory that separate instances use.
- Your existing windows come back. Click a profile icon and that profile’s open windows come forward, even on another desktop or display. Click again to cycle. See why Chrome opens a new window instead of the existing one.
- Live previews per profile. Hover to see that profile’s windows. See live window previews.
- Icons appear by themselves. Open a window in a profile and its icon shows up; close the last window and it leaves, unless you keep it in the Dock.
- Free during the beta. Chrome Profile Switcher has no payment and no trial timer.
Can you use both?
Yes, and it can make sense. Use Parallel Spaces or Parall for the one or two accounts you want fully isolated, and use Chrome Profile Switcher for the normal profiles inside your main browser. Just avoid using both for the same profile, or you will have two icons for one account.
How to switch
- In your main browser, make one profile for each account you ran as a separate instance. The switch Chrome profiles guide shows how.
- Sign in to each account in its new profile.
- Download Chrome Profile Switcher, move it to Applications and open it. If macOS says it cannot check the app, click Open Anyway in System Settings, Privacy and Security, once.
- Grant Accessibility.
- Open a window in each profile. The icons appear in the Dock; right-click, Options, Keep in Dock to pin them.
For more options, see the full comparison.
Ready to try it? Download Chrome Profile Switcher.