Rave alternative on Mac

The Best Rave Watch Together Alternative for Mac

Rave built its name on rave watch together sessions from a phone — but it never had a real Mac app, and Apple pulled it from the iOS App Store. Here is how to get the same synced-viewing experience on a Mac.

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Updated 2026-08-11 · Watchly runs on Mac, iPhone & Chrome

Quick answer: Rave popularized the rave watch together format — a shared room where friends stream the same video in sync with a group chat on the side — but it was always mobile-first, and Apple has removed the Rave app from the iOS App Store. On a Mac there is no first-party Rave client, so the best move is a native watch-together app. Our top pick is the Watchly Mac app, which syncs play, pause and seek across Mac, iPhone, Android and Chrome, with built-in voice chat, reactions and text.

Below we rank the strongest apps like Rave for Mac users, explain exactly why Rave itself is a poor fit on a desktop, and give a step-by-step for setting up your first synced room. If you mostly want Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu or SoundCloud together, most of these tools — Watchly included — cover them cleanly.

One rule applies to every honest option here: everyone signs into their own streaming account, and the app only syncs the timeline. Nobody is re-streaming or pirating video. Compare more choices on our best watch party apps round-up or jump straight to the best apps to watch movies together on Mac.

Best Rave alternatives for Mac (2026)

Ranked for Mac users who want real synced playback, not just a group chat

Watchly Our pick

Best overall for Mac — a native app that does what Rave did, but on a real desktop

Best for: Mac users who want true cross-device sync with friends on phones and laptopsMac · iPhone · Android · ChromeFree · Pro from $4.99/mo

Watchly is the closest thing to Rave that actually ships as a native Mac app, downloadable from the Mac App Store and built for Apple-silicon Macs. It keeps everyone's playback locked together — press play once and the whole room starts at the same instant — and layers on push-to-talk voice chat, live reactions and text messages, the same social loop that made Rave fun.

Its real edge is cross-platform sync: a friend on an iPhone, someone on Android and you on a Mac can all sit in the same room. Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu and SoundCloud are free to co-watch. Watchly Pro ($4.99/mo or $29.99/yr, 3-day free trial) unlocks HBO Max, Disney+, Crunchyroll, Plex, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Tubi, Pluto TV, Twitch, Dailymotion and Google Drive, removes ads and lifts the room-size cap. Guests can join from a shared link with no account needed to watch along.

Pros

Native Mac App Store app — no phone or workaround required
True Mac-to-phone-to-Chrome sync in one room
Free tier covers Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu and SoundCloud
Built-in voice chat, reactions and text like Rave had

Cons

Premium services need Watchly Pro
Everyone still needs their own subscription to paid streamers

Download on theMac App Store Download on theApp Store Available in theChrome Web Store

Get Watchly for Mac

Rave

The original — but mobile-only and gone from the iOS App Store

Best for: Android users who already have the app installedAndroid (iOS removed) · No Mac appFree · Rave Pro subscription

Rave defined the rave watch together format: a phone-first room where friends queue YouTube or a streaming service and chat while it plays in sync. The problem for this list is platform. Rave never shipped a proper Mac app, and Apple has removed it from the iOS App Store, so iPhone and iPad users can no longer install it fresh.

On a Mac your only route is an Android emulator or casting from an Android phone — clunky, and not what most people want for a movie night. If you are wedded to Rave's exact interface and already run it on Android it still works, but for desktop viewing a native app is the better call.

Pros

Familiar, well-known group-viewing format
Large existing user base on Android

Cons

No native Mac app at all
Removed from the iOS App Store
Desktop use requires an emulator workaround

Visit Rave ↗

twoseven

Browser-based sync with a strong service list

Best for: Couples and small groups watching in a desktop browserWeb (Mac via browser) · Chrome extensionFree · paid tiers

twoseven runs in the browser on a Mac and supports popular streaming services plus uploaded and YouTube video, with synced playback and video/text chat. It is one of the more capable apps like Rave for desktop, though it leans on a browser extension rather than a native Mac app.

Setup can take a few extra steps per service, and the polish is more utilitarian than a dedicated app, but it is a solid free-to-start option for a laptop movie night.

Pros

Works on Mac through the browser
Supports several major streaming services
Built-in video and text chat

Cons

No native Mac app
Per-service setup can feel fiddly

Visit twoseven ↗

Kosmi

Virtual rooms for shared video, games and screens

Best for: Friend groups who want a hangout space, not just a playerWeb (Mac via browser)Free · Pro tier

Kosmi is a browser-based virtual room where you can share video, screens, retro games and more, all with voice and video chat baked in. It captures the loose, social side of Rave and runs fine on a Mac through the browser.

It is more of a general hangout platform than a streaming-service sync tool, so mainstream apps like Netflix are handled via screen-share rather than true per-account sync, which can mean quality trade-offs.

Pros

Runs in the Mac browser with no install
Voice, video and games in one room
Generous free tier

Cons

Relies on screen-share for many streamers
Not a dedicated per-service sync app

Visit Kosmi ↗

Hyperbeam

A shared cloud browser everyone controls together

Best for: Groups who want to browse and watch anything in one virtual tabWeb (Mac via browser)Free · paid tiers

Hyperbeam spins up a shared virtual browser in the cloud that everyone in the room sees and controls at once. Because the video actually plays inside that shared browser, you sidestep per-service sync entirely — handy for sites other tools do not support.

The trade-off is streaming quality and DRM: some premium services block playback inside a virtual browser, and video can look softer than a native stream. It runs well on a Mac since it is all browser-based.

Pros

No install needed on Mac
Works with many sites out of the box
Everyone shares one controllable browser

Cons

DRM can block major streamers
Quality depends on the cloud session

Visit Hyperbeam ↗

Scener

Co-watching with video chat, browser-first

Best for: People who want big video-chat panels around the screenWeb + Chrome extension (Mac via browser)Free

Scener pairs synced playback with prominent video-chat tiles, aiming for a virtual-theater feel on a Mac browser. It leans on a Chrome extension and supports a set of streaming services for logged-in viewers.

Service availability has shifted over time and it is browser-bound rather than a native Mac app, so treat it as a lightweight option rather than a full Rave replacement.

Pros

Strong video-chat layout
Free to use
Runs on Mac via Chrome

Cons

No native Mac app
Supported service list can change

Visit Scener ↗

Teleparty

A simple Chrome extension for streaming watch parties

Best for: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and Prime in the Chrome browserChrome extension only (Mac via Chrome)Free

Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party) is the best-known name here — a free Chrome extension that syncs playback and adds a text chat sidebar for a handful of major streamers. On a Mac it works only inside Chrome, and only for its supported services.

There is no voice chat, no native app and no mobile parity, so it is the most limited entry on this list, but it is dead simple if all you need is text-chat Netflix nights in a browser. See our Teleparty alternative guide for more.

Pros

Free and easy to install
Covers several big streaming services
Very low setup

Cons

Chrome-only, no native Mac app
Text chat only — no voice
No phone-to-Mac sync

Visit Teleparty ↗

Why Rave watch together does not really work on a Mac

Rave was designed as a phone app first, and its social features assume a mobile screen. There has never been a native Rave desktop client, so a Mac has no supported way to run it directly.

On top of that, Apple removed Rave from the iOS App Store, so even iPhone and iPad users can no longer download it fresh. That leaves Android as the only clean platform — and on a Mac you would need an Android emulator to get anywhere, which defeats the point of a comfortable big-screen movie night.

The best rave alternative for Mac: a native app

The fix is simple — use a tool that actually targets the Mac. The Watchly Mac app installs from the Mac App Store, keeps playback in perfect sync, and adds the voice, reactions and text chat that made Rave feel social. Because it also runs on iPhone, Android and Chrome, your friends can join from whatever device they have.

Set up your first synced room on Mac

Download Watchly from the Mac App Store and open it on your Mac.
Sign into your own streaming account (Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu and SoundCloud are free to co-watch; Pro unlocks the rest).
Pick the movie, show or playlist you want to watch and create a room.
Copy the room link and send it to your friends — they can join from the browser with no account needed to watch along.
Press play once. Everyone's timeline locks together, and you can talk over push-to-talk voice or drop reactions as it plays.

Rave alternatives compared on Mac

Method	Works on Mac?	Synced playback	Voice chat	Cost
Watchly	Yes — native app	Yes	Yes	Free · Pro from $4.99/mo
Rave	No native app	Yes (mobile)	Yes (mobile)	Free · Pro
twoseven	Browser only	Yes	Yes (video)	Free · paid tiers
Kosmi	Browser only	Via screen-share	Yes	Free · Pro
Hyperbeam	Browser only	Shared browser	Yes	Free · paid tiers
Scener	Browser only	Yes	Yes (video)	Free
Teleparty	Chrome only	Yes	No	Free

Tips for a smooth night: make sure everyone has their own login for whatever paid service you are watching — no legitimate app, Watchly included, re-streams video. Use a wired or strong Wi-Fi connection on the host Mac for the tightest sync, and keep voice chat on push-to-talk so background noise does not drown out the movie. For themed nights, browse our watch anime together and long-distance guides, or compare the field on the best Teleparty alternatives for Mac page.

Rave alternative for Mac FAQ

Is there a Rave app for Mac?

No. Rave was built as a mobile app and never shipped a native Mac client. On a Mac you would need an Android emulator to run it, which is why most people switch to a native watch-together app like Watchly for the Mac.

Why was Rave removed from the iOS App Store?

Apple pulled the Rave app from the iOS App Store, so iPhone and iPad users can no longer download it fresh. Android is currently the only clean platform, which leaves Mac users without an official option.

What is the best rave watch together alternative for Mac?

Watchly is the top native Mac option. It installs from the Mac App Store, syncs play, pause and seek across Mac, iPhone, Android and Chrome, and includes voice chat, reactions and text — the same social loop Rave offered.

Are there free apps like Rave?

Yes. Watchly is free to co-watch Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu and SoundCloud, and browser tools like Kosmi, Hyperbeam, Scener and Teleparty have free tiers. Premium streamers on Watchly need Watchly Pro from $4.99 a month.

Do my friends need an account to join a Watchly room?

No. The host shares a room link and friends can join right from the browser with no account needed to watch along. They only need their own streaming subscription if you are watching a paid service together.

Can I watch with friends who are on their phones while I use a Mac?

Yes. That cross-device sync is Watchly's main advantage over browser-only tools. Someone on an iPhone, someone on Android and you on a Mac can all sit in the same synced room.

Does a watch together app let people share their subscription?

No. Watchly and every legitimate watch-together app only sync the playback timeline — they do not re-stream or share video. Each viewer signs into their own account, so everyone needs their own subscription to a paid service.

Get the same watch-together experience on your Mac

Skip the emulator workarounds. Watchly gives you Rave-style synced rooms with voice, reactions and chat — as a native Mac app that also syncs to phones and Chrome.

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