A HostMyApple alternative for iOS builds and AI agents
HostMyApple sells Mac VPS plans from $24.99 a month and dedicated Mac minis. Its dedicated M6 with 16 GB and 256 GB listed at $139.99 a month in October 2026. That is almost the same as MacRun's M6 at $139. So the choice comes down to the other things each one offers.
What HostMyApple sells
These are the dedicated plans on hostmyapple.com/dedicated-mac-hosting on October 2, 2026.
Plan Memory Disk Per month Intel i7 3.0GHz 16 GB 256 GB SSD $59.99 Apple M1 8 GB 256 GB NVMe $69.99 (on sale) Apple M1 16 GB 256 GB NVMe $84.99 Apple M4 16 GB 256 GB NVMe $119.99 Apple M6 16 GB 256 GB NVMe $139.99 Apple M6 32 GB 256 GB NVMe $179.99
Each plan lists unlimited bandwidth, a 1000 Mbps connection, full root access and 24 hour support. The site says each server gets a dedicated IP address. You connect with NoMachine, Apple Remote Desktop, VNC or SSH. HostMyApple lists data centers in Atlanta, Denver and Amsterdam.
Its FAQ, read the same day, says all services bill on the 1st of the month. There is no contract term. Annual billing is available after 90 days. It also offers a refund if you are not satisfied within your first 14 days. The site says HostMyApple was formed in 2009.
VPS or a whole Mac?
A VPS is a virtual machine. It usually runs on a physical Mac shared with other customers. That can be enough for light remote desktop work or hosting a small service. A dedicated Mac gives one customer the whole machine, so no one else uses its CPU or memory. That matters for Xcode builds, simulators and agents that run all day. HostMyApple sells both kinds. MacRun only rents whole Macs, never shared and never virtualized.
Who should choose HostMyApple
- You want to try before you commit. A 14 day refund window is something MacRun does not offer.
- You need a Mac in Europe or the western US. Amsterdam and Denver cover those. MacRun has one location in New Jersey.
- You need a dedicated public IP, for example to host a service or pass an allowlist.
- You do not need a whole Mac. A Mac VPS from $24.99 costs far less than any dedicated machine.
- You want 32 GB on an M6 now. Their M6 32 GB plan is $179.99.
Where MacRun is different
The first month is cheaper. Under the launch offer, a MacRun M6 runner is $69 for the first month, then $139.
The Mac is configured for iOS work before you log in. Xcode 26.6 is installed and opened once, so its first launch setup is done. The iOS 26.5 simulator runtime is installed. The GitHub Actions runner software is preinstalled. Other CI agents can be added over SSH, and you have full administrator rights.
There is an agent plan. For $169 a month, Claude Code and Codex are installed and waiting for your own sign-in. The agent runs in a session that survives reboots. The desktop opens in a browser tab from our portal, so you need no remote desktop client. You can also steer the agent from your phone.
We publish a real benchmark. A clean build of the Wikipedia iOS app took 86 seconds on our M6. The same build took 183 seconds on a GitHub-hosted macos-26 runner.
Access is private by design. There is no public SSH port. You reach the Mac over a Tailscale network that only your devices join.
If you need less than an M6
Not every job needs a new chip. Maybe you only test a website in Safari, or run a light tool now and then. Then HostMyApple's M1 at $84.99 or a VPS from $24.99 may be enough. MacRun's lowest price is $119 a month for an M4 pre-order. We do not rent M1 or Intel Macs. For Xcode builds, simulators or a coding agent that runs all day, a newer whole Mac is the safer pick.
Same price, side by side
HostMyApple M6 16 GB MacRun M6 16 GB Price $139.99/mo $139/mo First month $139.99 $69 Disk 256 GB NVMe 256 GB SSD Public IP dedicated IP none (private Tailscale) Remote desktop NoMachine, ARD, VNC screen sharing, browser tab* Refund window 14 days none Locations Atlanta, Denver, Amsterdam New Jersey * browser desktop is part of the agent plan
What MacRun does not offer
- No free trial and no refund window.
- No public or dedicated IP.
- No VPS or shared plans. Every plan is a whole Mac.
- No SLA, and no second location.
Compare all MacRun tiers on the pricing page. If you plan to run Claude Code or Codex, start with the agent plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a dedicated Mac at HostMyApple?
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On its dedicated hosting page in October 2026, the M6 with 16 GB was $139.99 a month. The M4 with 16 GB was $119.99. Intel and M1 plans started at $59.99.
Does HostMyApple offer a refund?
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Its FAQ says it refunds service charges if you are not satisfied within your first 14 days (read October 2026). MacRun does not offer a trial or refund window.
Where are HostMyApple's servers?
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Its site lists data centers in Atlanta, Denver and Amsterdam. MacRun's Macs are in a private facility in New Jersey.
Why pick MacRun if the M6 price is about the same?
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The first month is $69. Xcode and the GitHub Actions runner come installed. An agent plan adds Claude Code, Codex and a browser desktop for $169 a month.