Build iOS Apps Without Owning a Mac
Xcode runs only on macOS. Write your code anywhere, then build, sign, and upload to App Store Connect from the rented Mac.
Rent a Mac in the Cloud
Rent a whole Apple M6 Mac mini that sits in our NYC Metro data center, and use it from your own computer over the internet. Nothing ships to you. You connect over SSH or Screen Sharing from Windows, Linux, or another Mac, starting at $99 a month.
What Is a Cloud Mac?
A cloud Mac is a real Mac in a data center that you rent and control over the internet. With MacMetro it is one physical Mac mini with an Apple M6 chip, and you are its only user. You get an administrator account, so it works like a Mac on your desk: install Xcode, sign in with your Apple ID, and leave builds running overnight.
You may also see it called a remote Mac, a Mac in the cloud, or macOS in the cloud. The Mac stays in the data center, so you use it from your own laptop rather than carrying it around.
How Do You Connect to a Remote Mac?
You connect over SSH for the command line and over Screen Sharing (VNC) for the full macOS desktop. Both work from Windows, Linux, and macOS, with apps you probably have already.
# From PowerShell, a Linux shell, or macOS Terminal
ssh you@your-mac-address
# Then build as you would on a Mac at your desk
xcodebuild -scheme MyApp -archivePath MyApp.xcarchive archive- From Windows
- Windows 10 and 11 come with an SSH client, so PowerShell or Windows Terminal is all you need for the command line. For the desktop, use a VNC viewer such as RealVNC Viewer or TigerVNC. We turn on VNC password access before we hand the Mac over, so it works from the first login.
- From Linux
- Use the ssh command you already have. For the desktop, use Remmina or TigerVNC. VNC password access is already on when you get the Mac.
- From a Mac
- Use Terminal for SSH, and the Screen Sharing app built into macOS for the desktop.
If you would rather keep the Mac off the public internet, install Tailscale or another VPN on it and connect only through your private network.
What Can You Do With a Rented Mac?
Run the iOS Simulator
Open the desktop over Screen Sharing and try your app on simulated iPhones and iPads from a Windows or Linux laptop.
Host a CI Runner
Install a GitHub Actions, GitLab, Jenkins, or Buildkite runner. Nobody else uses the Mac, so your jobs never wait behind another customer.
Test in Safari
Check a website in Safari on macOS when your own computer runs Windows or Linux.
What Does It Cost to Rent a Mac?
Base is $99 a month and Premium is $169 a month, both on the Apple M6 chip. You pay monthly and can cancel anytime. Every Mac we have is rented right now, so either button puts you on the waitlist.
Base
Mac mini M6 · 16 GB memory · 256 GB SSD
$99 / month
- ChipApple M6, 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU
- Memory16 GB unified
- Storage256 GB SSD
- Network1 Gbps port, unmetered
Best For
Xcode builds, CI runners, app testing, and a remote macOS desktop
Premium
Mac mini M6 · 24 GB memory · 512 GB SSD
$169 / month
- ChipApple M6, 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU
- Memory24 GB unified
- Storage512 GB SSD
- Network1 Gbps port, unmetered
Best For
Larger Xcode projects, several simulators at once, bigger build caches, and small local AI models
Is It Cheaper to Rent or Buy a Mac?
Renting costs less if you need the Mac for 9 months or fewer. Apple sells the M6 Mac mini from $899. At $99 a month, MacMetro Base passes that price in month 10. After that, buying is cheaper, as long as you have a place to keep it plugged in and online.
| Cost or Detail | Rent MacMetro Base | Buy a Mac mini |
|---|---|---|
| Up front | $0 | From $899 |
| Each month | $99 | Your own power and internet |
| Where it runs | An NYC Metro data center with backup power and 30+ network carriers | Your desk, office, or closet |
| Reach it from | Anywhere, over SSH or Screen Sharing | Your own network, unless you set up remote access |
| When you are done | Cancel the plan | Keep it or sell it |
Apple price from the US Apple Store on , before tax, for 16 GB of memory and a 256 GB SSD, the same as Base.
Buy a Mac if you will use it for more than 9 months and it can sit on a network you control. Rent one if you need macOS for a single project, a few months of iOS work, or a build machine that stays online when your office connection drops.
Comparing hosting companies instead? See Mac mini hosting prices, or read how a monthly Mac compares with MacinCloud, AWS EC2 Mac, and MacStadium. Building iOS apps in CI? See the Xcode Cloud alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent a Mac online and use it from Windows?
Yes. You rent a Mac mini that stays in our data center and connect to it over the internet. Windows 10 and 11 include an SSH client for the terminal, and a VNC viewer opens the full macOS desktop through Screen Sharing. We turn on VNC password access before we hand the Mac over.
Is a rented cloud Mac a real Mac or a virtual machine?
A real Mac. Each MacMetro plan is one physical Mac mini with an Apple M6 chip, and you are the only person using it. There is no virtual machine layer, so Xcode and the iOS Simulator run directly on the hardware.
How much does it cost to rent a Mac?
Base costs $99 a month for 16 GB of memory and a 256 GB SSD. Premium costs $169 a month for 24 GB and a 512 GB SSD. Both use the Apple M6 chip and include a 1 Gbps port, unmetered. You pay monthly and can cancel anytime.
Can I develop and publish iOS apps on a rented Mac?
Yes. Install Xcode, sign in with your Apple ID, and build, sign, and upload your app to App Store Connect the same way you would on a Mac at your desk. Publishing to the App Store also needs an Apple Developer Program membership, which Apple sells separately.
Do I get administrator access?
Yes. You get an administrator account, so you can install Xcode, Homebrew, fastlane, or anything else, change system settings, and keep services running in the background.
Can I rent a Mac for just a few days?
Our plans are monthly, so the shortest rental is one month. If you only need a Mac for a day or two, AWS EC2 Mac bills by the second after a 24-hour minimum and can cost less for a short job.
Where is the Mac, and does distance matter?
Every MacMetro Mac sits in a data center in the NYC Metro area. SSH sessions and CI jobs work well from anywhere. The remote desktop is most responsive the closer you are to the NYC Metro area.
Can I rent a Mac right now?
Every Mac we have is rented at the moment. Join the waitlist for the plan you want, and we email you when one is ready. Joining is free and needs no card.