diff --git a/packages/babel/README.md b/packages/babel/README.md
index 46e5a45..53fe6df 100644
--- a/packages/babel/README.md
+++ b/packages/babel/README.md
@@ -114,6 +114,24 @@ export default {
 }
 ```
 
+### `parallel`
+
+- **Type:** `boolean | number`
+- **Default:** `false`
+
+Transform files in worker threads. Set `true` to use one worker per CPU core, with a maximum of 4. Set a number to choose the worker count.
+
+Workers take time to start, so this option helps large projects most.
+
+All Babel options must be able to go to a worker thread. Refer to plugins and presets by module name, not by function or object. The `rolldown` part of a [Rolldown Babel Preset](#rolldown-babel-presets) stays in the main thread, so its filters and hooks can be functions.
+
+```js
+babel({
+  parallel: true,
+  plugins: [['@babel/plugin-proposal-decorators', { version: '2023-11' }]],
+})
+```
+
 ### Other Babel options
 
 The following [Babel options](https://babeljs.io/docs/options) are forwarded directly:
diff --git a/packages/babel/package.json b/packages/babel/package.json
index 0371842..ba93c0d 100644
--- a/packages/babel/package.json
+++ b/packages/babel/package.json
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@
     "prepublishOnly": "pnpm run build"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "picomatch": "^4.0.7"
+    "picomatch": "^4.0.7",
+    "workerpool": "^10.0.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@babel/core": "^8.0.6",
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/cloneable.ts b/packages/babel/src/cloneable.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34362ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel/src/cloneable.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import type { PluginOptions } from './options.ts'
+import type { RolldownBabelPresetItem } from './rolldownPreset.ts'
+
+function isCloneable(value: unknown): boolean {
+  if (value === null) return true
+  switch (typeof value) {
+    case 'undefined':
+    case 'string':
+    case 'number':
+    case 'boolean':
+      return true
+    case 'object':
+      break
+    default:
+      return false
+  }
+  if (value instanceof RegExp) return true
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+    for (const item of value) {
+      if (!isCloneable(item)) return false
+    }
+    return true
+  }
+  const proto = Object.getPrototypeOf(value)
+  if (proto !== Object.prototype && proto !== null) return false
+  for (const item of Object.values(value)) {
+    if (!isCloneable(item)) return false
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+function findUncloneablePreset(
+  presets: RolldownBabelPresetItem[] | undefined,
+  path: string,
+): string | undefined {
+  if (!presets) return
+  for (let i = 0; i < presets.length; i++) {
+    const preset = presets[i]
+    // The `rolldown` part of a preset (filters and hooks) is only used in the main thread.
+    const babelPreset = typeof preset === 'object' && 'rolldown' in preset ? preset.preset : preset
+    if (!isCloneable(babelPreset)) return `${path}[${i}]`
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns the path of the first option that cannot be sent to a worker.
+ */
+export function findUncloneableOption(options: PluginOptions): string | undefined {
+  const { presets, overrides, ...rest } = options
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(rest)) {
+    if (!isCloneable(value)) return key
+  }
+  const presetPath = findUncloneablePreset(presets, 'presets')
+  if (presetPath) return presetPath
+  if (!overrides) return
+  for (let i = 0; i < overrides.length; i++) {
+    const { presets: overridePresets, ...overrideRest } = overrides[i]
+    for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(overrideRest)) {
+      if (!isCloneable(value)) return `overrides[${i}].${key}`
+    }
+    const overridePresetPath = findUncloneablePreset(overridePresets, `overrides[${i}].presets`)
+    if (overridePresetPath) return overridePresetPath
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/fixtures/identifier-replace-plugin.mjs b/packages/babel/src/fixtures/identifier-replace-plugin.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e1a293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel/src/fixtures/identifier-replace-plugin.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+export default function identifierReplacePlugin({ types: t }, { name, value }) {
+  return {
+    visitor: {
+      Identifier(p) {
+        if (p.node.name === name) {
+          p.replaceWith(t.booleanLiteral(value))
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/fixtures/identifier-replace-preset.mjs b/packages/babel/src/fixtures/identifier-replace-preset.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f83bdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel/src/fixtures/identifier-replace-preset.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import identifierReplacePlugin from './identifier-replace-plugin.mjs'
+
+export default function identifierReplacePreset(_api, options) {
+  return { plugins: [[identifierReplacePlugin, options]] }
+}
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/index.test.ts b/packages/babel/src/index.test.ts
index f431b7b..4747652 100644
--- a/packages/babel/src/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/babel/src/index.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import * as babel from './babelCompat.ts'
 import { rolldown, type OutputChunk } from 'rolldown'
 import { build as viteBuild, createBuilder, type Rollup } from 'vite'
 import path from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 import { collectOptimizeDepsInclude, type PluginOptions } from './options.ts'
 import type { RolldownBabelPreset } from './rolldownPreset.ts'
 import { stripVTControlCharacters } from 'node:util'
@@ -720,6 +721,66 @@ export const decorated = new Dep()
   expect(chunk.code).toContain('@babel/runtime')
 })
 
+describe('parallel', () => {
+  const replacePluginPath = fileURLToPath(
+    new URL('./fixtures/identifier-replace-plugin.mjs', import.meta.url),
+  )
+  const replacePresetPath = fileURLToPath(
+    new URL('./fixtures/identifier-replace-preset.mjs', import.meta.url),
+  )
+
+  test('transforms files in worker threads', async () => {
+    const result = await build('foo.ts', 'export const result: boolean = foo', {
+      parallel: 2,
+      plugins: [[replacePluginPath, { name: 'foo', value: true }]],
+    })
+    expect(result.code).toContain('const result = true')
+  })
+
+  test('keeps rolldown preset filters and hooks in the main thread', async () => {
+    const preset: RolldownBabelPreset = {
+      preset: [replacePresetPath, { name: 'foo', value: true }],
+      rolldown: {
+        filter: { code: /foo/ },
+        applyToEnvironmentHook: () => true,
+      },
+    }
+    const result = await build('foo.js', 'export const result = foo', {
+      parallel: true,
+      presets: [preset],
+    })
+    expect(result.code).toContain('const result = true')
+  })
+
+  test('passes babel errors from the worker to rolldown', async () => {
+    const err = await build('foo.js', 'export const = ;', {
+      parallel: 1,
+      plugins: [[replacePluginPath, { name: 'foo', value: true }]],
+    }).catch((e) => e)
+    const message = stripVTControlCharacters(err.message)
+    expect(message).toContain('foo.js:1:13')
+    expect(message).toContain('[BabelError]')
+    expect(message).toContain('Unexpected token (1:13)')
+  })
+
+  test('rejects options that cannot be sent to a worker', async () => {
+    await expect(
+      babelPlugin({ parallel: true, plugins: [identifierReplaceBabelPlugin('foo', true)] }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow('"plugins" cannot be sent to a worker thread')
+    await expect(
+      babelPlugin({
+        parallel: true,
+        overrides: [{ presets: [{ preset: () => ({}), rolldown: {} }] }],
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow('"overrides[0].presets[0]" cannot be sent to a worker thread')
+  })
+
+  test('rejects a worker count that is not a positive integer', async () => {
+    await expect(babelPlugin({ parallel: 0 })).rejects.toThrow('positive integer')
+    await expect(babelPlugin({ parallel: 1.5 })).rejects.toThrow('positive integer')
+  })
+})
+
 describe('optimizeDeps.include', () => {
   test('collectOptimizeDepsInclude merges from presets and overrides', () => {
     const topPreset: RolldownBabelPreset = {
@@ -858,6 +919,7 @@ async function build(
     ],
   })
   const { output } = await bundle.generate({ sourcemap, sourcemapExcludeSources })
+  await bundle.close()
   assert(output[0].type === 'chunk')
   return output[0]
 }
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/index.ts b/packages/babel/src/index.ts
index c0dfcf8..0c7154c 100644
--- a/packages/babel/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/babel/src/index.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import {
   resolveOptions,
   type PluginOptions,
 } from './options.ts'
-import * as babel from './babelCompat.ts'
+import type { Pool } from 'workerpool'
+import { createWorkerPool, resolveParallelOption } from './parallel.ts'
+import { transformWithBabel, type TransformResult } from './transform.ts'
 import type { PartialEnvironment, PresetConversionContext } from './rolldownPreset.ts'
 import { calculatePluginFilters } from './filter.ts'
 import type { ResolvedConfig, Plugin as VitePlugin } from 'vite'
@@ -24,6 +26,15 @@ async function babelPlugin(rawOptions: PluginOptions): Promise<Plugin> {
     }
   }
 
+  const maxWorkers = resolveParallelOption(rawOptions)
+  // Created on first use, so that builds with no babel work do not start workers.
+  let workerPool: Pool | undefined
+  async function terminateWorkerPool() {
+    const pool = workerPool
+    workerPool = undefined
+    await pool?.terminate()
+  }
+
   let configFilteredOptions: PluginOptions | undefined
   const envState = new Map<string | undefined, ReturnType<typeof createBabelOptionsConverter>>()
 
@@ -72,49 +83,20 @@ async function babelPlugin(rawOptions: PluginOptions): Promise<Plugin> {
           code,
         }
         const babelOptions = convertToBabelOptions(conversionContext)
-        const loadedOptions = await babel.loadOptionsAsync({
-          ...babelOptions,
-          babelrc: false,
-          configFile: false,
-          parserOpts: {
-            sourceType: 'module',
-            allowAwaitOutsideFunction: true,
-            ...babelOptions.parserOpts,
-          },
-          overrides: [
-            {
-              test: /\.jsx(?:$|\?)/,
-              parserOpts: { plugins: ['jsx'] },
-            },
-            {
-              test: /\.ts(?:$|\?)/,
-              parserOpts: { plugins: ['typescript'] },
-            },
-            {
-              test: /\.tsx(?:$|\?)/,
-              parserOpts: { plugins: ['typescript', 'jsx'] },
-            },
-            ...(babelOptions.overrides ?? []),
-          ],
-          filename: id,
-        })
-        if (!loadedOptions || loadedOptions.plugins.length === 0) {
-          // No plugins to run — @babel/plugin-transform-runtime only affects
-          // how other plugins' helpers are emitted, so skip it too.
-          return
-        }
-
-        if (rawOptions.runtimeVersion) {
-          loadedOptions.plugins ??= []
-          loadedOptions.plugins.push([
-            '@babel/plugin-transform-runtime',
-            { version: rawOptions.runtimeVersion },
-          ])
-        }
 
-        let result: babel.FileResult | null
+        let result: TransformResult | undefined
         try {
-          result = await babel.transformAsync(code, loadedOptions)
+          if (maxWorkers) {
+            workerPool ??= createWorkerPool(maxWorkers)
+            result = await workerPool.exec('transform', [
+              code,
+              id,
+              babelOptions,
+              rawOptions.runtimeVersion,
+            ])
+          } else {
+            result = await transformWithBabel(code, id, babelOptions, rawOptions.runtimeVersion)
+          }
         } catch (err: any) {
           this.error({
             message: `[BabelError] ${err.message}`,
@@ -126,13 +108,19 @@ async function babelPlugin(rawOptions: PluginOptions): Promise<Plugin> {
         }
         if (result) {
           return {
-            code: result.code ?? undefined,
+            code: result.code,
             // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/no-unsafe-type-assertion
             map: result.map as SourceMapInput,
           }
         }
       },
     },
+    async closeBundle() {
+      if (!this.meta.watchMode) await terminateWorkerPool()
+    },
+    async closeWatcher() {
+      await terminateWorkerPool()
+    },
   } satisfies VitePlugin
 
   return plugin as Plugin
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/options.ts b/packages/babel/src/options.ts
index 70beb99..02df07e 100644
--- a/packages/babel/src/options.ts
+++ b/packages/babel/src/options.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,18 @@ export interface PluginOptions extends Omit<InnerTransformOptions, 'include' | '
    */
   runtimeVersion?: string
 
+  /**
+   * Transform files in worker threads.
+   * Pass a number to set the worker count.
+   * `true` uses the number of CPU cores, with a maximum of 4.
+   *
+   * All babel options must be structured-cloneable:
+   * refer to plugins and presets by name, not by function.
+   * Rolldown preset filters and hooks stay in the main thread.
+   * @default false
+   */
+  parallel?: boolean | number
+
   /**
    * If specified, only files matching the pattern will be processed by babel.
    * @default `/\.(?:[jt]sx?|[cm][jt]s)(?:$|\?)/`
@@ -188,7 +200,7 @@ export function createBabelOptionsConverter(options: ResolvedPluginOptions) {
 
   return function (ctx: PresetConversionContext): babel.InputOptions {
     // Strip plugin-level options that babel doesn't understand
-    const { runtimeVersion: _, ...babelOptions } = options
+    const { runtimeVersion: _, parallel: __, ...babelOptions } = options
     return {
       ...babelOptions,
       // sourcemap collapsing is handled by Rolldown
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/parallel.ts b/packages/babel/src/parallel.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf9c724
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel/src/parallel.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { availableParallelism } from 'node:os'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+import workerpool, { type Pool } from 'workerpool'
+import type { PluginOptions } from './options.ts'
+import { findUncloneableOption } from './cloneable.ts'
+
+// The source worker is used when this file runs unbundled, for example in tests.
+const WORKER_PATH = fileURLToPath(
+  new URL(import.meta.url.endsWith('.ts') ? './worker.ts' : './worker.mjs', import.meta.url),
+)
+
+// More workers rarely help, because each worker loads babel and the plugins again.
+const DEFAULT_MAX_WORKERS = 4
+
+/**
+ * Returns the worker count, or `undefined` when parallel mode is off.
+ */
+export function resolveParallelOption(options: PluginOptions): number | undefined {
+  const { parallel } = options
+  if (typeof parallel === 'number' && (!Number.isInteger(parallel) || parallel < 1)) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'The "parallel" option must be true or a positive integer that sets the worker count.',
+    )
+  }
+  if (!parallel) return
+
+  const uncloneable = findUncloneableOption(options)
+  if (uncloneable) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Cannot use the "parallel" option, because "${uncloneable}" cannot be sent to a worker thread. ` +
+        'Refer to plugins and presets by module name instead of by function or object.',
+    )
+  }
+
+  return typeof parallel === 'number'
+    ? parallel
+    : Math.min(availableParallelism(), DEFAULT_MAX_WORKERS)
+}
+
+export function createWorkerPool(maxWorkers: number): Pool {
+  return workerpool.pool(WORKER_PATH, { maxWorkers, workerType: 'thread' })
+}
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/transform.ts b/packages/babel/src/transform.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e54725e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel/src/transform.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import * as babel from './babelCompat.ts'
+
+export interface TransformResult {
+  code: string | undefined
+  map: babel.FileResult['map']
+}
+
+/**
+ * Runs in the main thread and in parallel workers,
+ * so every argument must be structured-cloneable when `parallel` is set.
+ */
+export async function transformWithBabel(
+  code: string,
+  id: string,
+  babelOptions: babel.InputOptions,
+  runtimeVersion: string | undefined,
+): Promise<TransformResult | undefined> {
+  const loadedOptions = await babel.loadOptionsAsync({
+    ...babelOptions,
+    babelrc: false,
+    configFile: false,
+    parserOpts: {
+      sourceType: 'module',
+      allowAwaitOutsideFunction: true,
+      ...babelOptions.parserOpts,
+    },
+    overrides: [
+      {
+        test: /\.jsx(?:$|\?)/,
+        parserOpts: { plugins: ['jsx'] },
+      },
+      {
+        test: /\.ts(?:$|\?)/,
+        parserOpts: { plugins: ['typescript'] },
+      },
+      {
+        test: /\.tsx(?:$|\?)/,
+        parserOpts: { plugins: ['typescript', 'jsx'] },
+      },
+      ...(babelOptions.overrides ?? []),
+    ],
+    filename: id,
+  })
+  if (!loadedOptions || loadedOptions.plugins.length === 0) {
+    // No plugins to run — @babel/plugin-transform-runtime only affects
+    // how other plugins' helpers are emitted, so skip it too.
+    return
+  }
+
+  if (runtimeVersion) {
+    loadedOptions.plugins ??= []
+    loadedOptions.plugins.push(['@babel/plugin-transform-runtime', { version: runtimeVersion }])
+  }
+
+  const result = await babel.transformAsync(code, loadedOptions)
+  if (result) {
+    return { code: result.code ?? undefined, map: result.map }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/babel/src/worker.ts b/packages/babel/src/worker.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab09fee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel/src/worker.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import workerpool from 'workerpool'
+import { transformWithBabel } from './transform.ts'
+
+async function transform(...args: Parameters<typeof transformWithBabel>) {
+  try {
+    return await transformWithBabel(...args)
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    // workerpool drops nested fields such as `loc.line` unless the error has a `toJSON`.
+    err.toJSON = () => ({
+      message: err.message,
+      stack: err.stack,
+      code: err.code,
+      reasonCode: err.reasonCode,
+      pos: err.pos,
+      loc: err.loc && { line: err.loc.line, column: err.loc.column },
+    })
+    throw err
+  }
+}
+
+workerpool.worker({ transform })
diff --git a/packages/babel/tsdown.config.ts b/packages/babel/tsdown.config.ts
index 851e8b5..8c48b75 100644
--- a/packages/babel/tsdown.config.ts
+++ b/packages/babel/tsdown.config.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { defineConfig } from 'tsdown'
 
 export default defineConfig({
-  entry: './src/index.ts',
+  entry: ['./src/index.ts', './src/worker.ts'],
   dts: {
     tsconfig: '../../tsconfig.common.json',
   },
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index bcf6786..77a5bd2 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -365,6 +365,9 @@ importers:
       picomatch:
         specifier: ^4.0.7
         version: 4.0.7
+      workerpool:
+        specifier: ^10.0.3
+        version: 10.0.3
     devDependencies:
       '@babel/core':
         specifier: ^8.0.6
@@ -3137,6 +3140,9 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>=8'}
     hasBin: true
 
+  workerpool@10.0.3:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-6z2Iis68Wqth93/G/wJP9u+R3O+d2XTlgWChGCwuT1qLbBsOYueGRZuJ++v3mtDP5KjYdy+WzvWC+VWETSVXJA==}
+
   yaml@1.10.2:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-r3vXyErRCYJ7wg28yvBY5VSoAF8ZvlcW9/BwUzEtUsjvX/DKs24dIkuwjtuprwJJHsbyUbLApepYTR1BN4uHrg==}
     engines: {node: '>= 6'}
@@ -5060,6 +5066,8 @@ snapshots:
       siginfo: 2.0.0
       stackback: 0.0.2
 
+  workerpool@10.0.3: {}
+
   yaml@1.10.2: {}
 
   yoctocolors@2.1.2: {}