diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index e755bf6eb..9c2db9237 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -103,15 +103,12 @@ Imports:
     cli,
     data.table,
     futile.logger (>= 1.4),
-    future,
-    future.apply,
     ggplot2,
     lifecycle,
     lubridate,
     methods,
     patchwork,
     posterior,
-    progressr,
     purrr,
     R.utils (>= 2.0.0),
     Rcpp (>= 0.12.0), 
@@ -126,9 +123,12 @@ Imports:
 Suggests:
     cmdstanr,
     covr,
+    future,
+    future.apply,
     here,
     knitr,
     precommit,
+    progressr,
     rmarkdown,
     spelling,
     testthat,
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index f2d0c3cb2..75ed3d18e 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -167,10 +167,6 @@ importFrom(futile.logger,flog.threshold)
 importFrom(futile.logger,flog.trace)
 importFrom(futile.logger,flog.warn)
 importFrom(futile.logger,ftry)
-importFrom(future,availableCores)
-importFrom(future,plan)
-importFrom(future,tweak)
-importFrom(future.apply,future_lapply)
 importFrom(ggplot2,.data)
 importFrom(ggplot2,aes)
 importFrom(ggplot2,coord_cartesian)
@@ -205,8 +201,6 @@ importFrom(lubridate,days)
 importFrom(lubridate,wday)
 importFrom(patchwork,plot_layout)
 importFrom(posterior,mcse_mean)
-importFrom(progressr,progressor)
-importFrom(progressr,with_progress)
 importFrom(purrr,compact)
 importFrom(purrr,flatten)
 importFrom(purrr,keep)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 94400f744..471a3ef79 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 - `fix_dist()` has been renamed to `fix_parameters()` because it removes the uncertainty in a distribution's parameters. By @sbfnk in #733 and reviewed by @jamesmbaazam.
 - `plot.dist_spec` now uses color instead of line types to display pmfs vs cmfs. By @jamesmbaazam in #788 and reviewed by @sbfnk.
+- The use of the `{progressr}` package for displaying progress bars is now optional, as is the use of `{future}` and `{future.apply}` for parallelisation. By @sbfnk in #798 and reviewed by @seabbs.
 
 ## Bug fixes
 
diff --git a/R/deprecated.R b/R/deprecated.R
index 3cc3d90a4..ada3a16d6 100644
--- a/R/deprecated.R
+++ b/R/deprecated.R
@@ -221,7 +221,6 @@ lognorm_dist_def <- function(mean, mean_sd,
 #' @inheritParams estimate_infections
 #' @inheritParams adjust_infection_to_report
 #' @importFrom data.table data.table rbindlist
-#' @importFrom future.apply future_lapply
 report_cases <- function(case_estimates,
                          case_forecast = NULL,
                          delays,
diff --git a/R/estimate_delay.R b/R/estimate_delay.R
index 05c2d9aef..76af0a97b 100644
--- a/R/estimate_delay.R
+++ b/R/estimate_delay.R
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ dist_fit <- function(values = NULL, samples = 1000, cores = 1,
 #'
 #' @return A `<dist_spec>` object summarising the bootstrapped distribution
 #' @importFrom purrr list_transpose
-#' @importFrom future.apply future_lapply
 #' @importFrom rstan extract
 #' @importFrom data.table data.table rbindlist
 #' @importFrom cli cli_abort col_blue
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ bootstrapped_dist_fit <- function(values, dist = "lognormal",
     dist_samples <- get_single_dist(values, samples = samples)
   } else {
     ## Fit each sub sample
-    dist_samples <- future.apply::future_lapply(1:bootstraps,
+    dist_samples <- lapply_func(1:bootstraps,
       function(boot) {
         get_single_dist(
           sample(values,
@@ -209,12 +208,15 @@ bootstrapped_dist_fit <- function(values, dist = "lognormal",
           samples = ceiling(samples / bootstraps)
         )
       },
-      future.scheduling = Inf,
-      future.globals = c(
-        "values", "bootstraps", "samples",
-        "bootstrap_samples", "get_single_dist"
-      ),
-      future.packages = "data.table", future.seed = TRUE
+      future.opts = list(
+        future.scheduling = Inf,
+        future.globals = c(
+          "values", "bootstraps", "samples",
+          "bootstrap_samples", "get_single_dist"
+        ),
+        future.packages = "data.table",
+        future.seed = TRUE
+      )
     )
 
 
diff --git a/R/fit.R b/R/fit.R
index 953f78996..ead410bd6 100644
--- a/R/fit.R
+++ b/R/fit.R
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #'
 #' @importFrom futile.logger flog.debug flog.info flog.error
 #' @importFrom R.utils withTimeout
-#' @importFrom future.apply future_lapply
 #' @importFrom purrr compact
 #' @importFrom rstan sflist2stanfit sampling
 #' @importFrom rlang abort cnd_muffle
@@ -103,12 +102,11 @@ fit_model_with_nuts <- function(args, future = FALSE, max_execution_time = Inf,
     chains <- args$chains
     args$chains <- 1
     args$cores <- 1
-    fits <- future.apply::future_lapply(1:chains,
+    fits <- lapply_func(1:chains,
       fit_chain,
       stan_args = args,
       max_time = max_execution_time,
-      catch = TRUE,
-      future.seed = TRUE
+      catch = TRUE
     )
     if (stuck_chains > 0) {
       fits[1:stuck_chains] <- NULL
diff --git a/R/regional_epinow.R b/R/regional_epinow.R
index cc0296e89..09d305031 100644
--- a/R/regional_epinow.R
+++ b/R/regional_epinow.R
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #'
 #' Regions can be estimated in parallel using the `{future}` package (see
 #' [setup_future()]). The progress of producing estimates across multiple
-#' regions is tracked using the `{progressr}` package. Modify this behaviour
+#' regions can be tracked using the `{progressr}` package. Modify this behaviour
 #' using [progressr::handlers()] and enable it in batch by setting
 #' `R_PROGRESSR_ENABLE=TRUE` as an environment variable.
 #'
@@ -54,13 +54,11 @@
 #' @export
 #' @seealso [epinow()] [estimate_infections()] [setup_future()]
 #' [regional_summary()]
-#' @importFrom future.apply future_lapply
 #' @importFrom data.table as.data.table setDT copy setorder
 #' @importFrom purrr safely map compact keep
 #' @importFrom futile.logger flog.info flog.warn flog.trace
 #' @importFrom R.utils withTimeout
 #' @importFrom rlang cnd_muffle
-#' @importFrom progressr with_progress progressor
 #' @examples
 #' \donttest{
 #' # set number of cores to use
@@ -161,9 +159,8 @@ regional_epinow <- function(data,
     " function"
   )
 
-  progressr::with_progress({
-    progress_fn <- progressr::progressor(along = regions)
-    regional_out <- future.apply::future_lapply(regions, run_region,
+  run_regions <- function(progress_fn = NULL) {
+    lapply_func(regions, run_region,
       generation_time = generation_time,
       delays = delays,
       truncation = truncation,
@@ -186,10 +183,19 @@ regional_epinow <- function(data,
       progress_fn = progress_fn,
       verbose = verbose,
       ...,
-      future.scheduling = Inf,
-      future.seed = TRUE
+      future.opts = list(
+        future.scheduling = Inf,
+        future.seed = TRUE
+      )
     )
-  })
+  }
+  if (requireNamespace("progressr", quietly = TRUE)) {
+    progressr::with_progress({
+      regional_out <- run_regions(progressr::progressor(along = regions))
+    })
+  } else {
+    regional_out <- run_regions()
+  }
 
   out <- process_regions(regional_out, regions)
   regional_out <- out$all
@@ -313,7 +319,7 @@ clean_regions <- function(data, non_zero_points) {
 #'
 #' @param target_region Character string indicating the region being evaluated
 #' @param progress_fn Function as returned by [progressr::progressor()]. Allows
-#' the use of a  progress bar.
+#' the use of a  progress bar. If NULL (default), no progress bar is used.
 #'
 #' @param complete_logger Character string indicating the logger to output
 #' the completion of estimation to.
@@ -341,7 +347,7 @@ run_region <- function(target_region,
                        output,
                        complete_logger,
                        verbose,
-                       progress_fn,
+                       progress_fn = NULL,
                        ...) {
   futile.logger::flog.info("Initialising estimates for: %s", target_region,
     name = "EpiNow2.epinow"
@@ -390,7 +396,7 @@ run_region <- function(target_region,
     complete_logger
   )
 
-  if (!missing(progress_fn)) {
+  if (!is.null(progress_fn)) {
     progress_fn(sprintf("Region: %s", target_region))
   }
   return(out)
diff --git a/R/setup.R b/R/setup.R
index 2dfd8c96d..a7964a088 100644
--- a/R/setup.R
+++ b/R/setup.R
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ setup_default_logging <- function(logs = tempdir(check = TRUE),
 #' A utility function that aims to streamline the set up
 #' of the required future backend with sensible defaults for most users of
 #' [regional_epinow()]. More advanced users are recommended to setup their own
-#' `{future}` backend based on their available resources.
+#' `{future}` backend based on their available resources. Running this requires
+#' the `{future}` package to be installed.
 #'
 #' @param strategies A vector length 1 to 2 of strategies to pass to
 #' [future::plan()]. Nesting of parallelisation is from the top level down.
@@ -136,7 +137,6 @@ setup_default_logging <- function(logs = tempdir(check = TRUE),
 #'
 #' @inheritParams regional_epinow
 #' @importFrom futile.logger flog.error flog.info flog.debug
-#' @importFrom future availableCores plan tweak
 #' @importFrom cli cli_abort
 #' @export
 #' @return Numeric number of cores to use per worker. If greater than 1 pass to
@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ setup_default_logging <- function(logs = tempdir(check = TRUE),
 setup_future <- function(data,
                          strategies = c("multisession", "multisession"),
                          min_cores_per_worker = 4) {
+  if (!requireNamespace("future", quietly = TRUE)) {
+    futile.logger::flog.error(
+      "The future package is required for parallelisation"
+                   )
+    cli_abort(
+      c(
+        "!" = "The future package is required for parallelisation."
+      )
+    )
+  }
   if (length(strategies) > 2 || length(strategies) == 0) {
     futile.logger::flog.error("1 or 2 strategies should be used")
     cli_abort(
diff --git a/R/simulate_infections.R b/R/simulate_infections.R
index f2b106b48..3170220e7 100644
--- a/R/simulate_infections.R
+++ b/R/simulate_infections.R
@@ -249,13 +249,11 @@ simulate_infections <- function(estimates, R, initial_infections,
 #' simulate. May decrease run times due to reduced IO costs but this is still
 #' being evaluated. If set to NULL then all simulations are done at once.
 #'
-#' @param verbose Logical defaults to [interactive()]. Should a progress bar
-#' (from `progressr`) be shown.
+#' @param verbose Logical defaults to [interactive()]. If the `progressr`
+#' package is available, a progress bar will be shown.
 #' @inheritParams stan_opts
 #' @importFrom rstan extract sampling
 #' @importFrom purrr list_transpose map safely compact
-#' @importFrom future.apply future_lapply
-#' @importFrom progressr with_progress progressor
 #' @importFrom data.table rbindlist as.data.table
 #' @importFrom lubridate days
 #' @importFrom checkmate assert_class assert_names test_numeric test_data_frame
@@ -472,20 +470,10 @@ forecast_infections <- function(estimates,
 
   safe_batch <- safely(batch_simulate)
 
-  if (backend == "cmdstanr") {
-    lapply_func <- lapply ## future_lapply can't handle cmdstanr
-  } else {
-    lapply_func <- function(...) future_lapply(future.seed = TRUE, ...)
-  }
-
-  ## simulate in batches
-  with_progress({
-    if (verbose) {
-      p <- progressor(along = batches)
-    }
-    out <- lapply_func(batches,
+  process_batches <- function(p = NULL) {
+    lapply_func(batches,
       function(batch) {
-        if (verbose) {
+        if (!is.null(p)) {
           p()
         }
         safe_batch(
@@ -493,18 +481,32 @@ forecast_infections <- function(estimates,
           shift, dates, batch[[1]],
           batch[[2]]
         )[[1]]
-      }
+      },
+      future.opts = list(
+        future.seed = TRUE
+      ),
+      backend = backend
     )
-  })
+  }
+
+  ## simulate in batches
+  if (verbose && requireNamespace("progressr", quietly = TRUE)) {
+    p <- progressr::progressor(along = batches)
+    progressr::with_progress({
+      regional_out <- process_batches(p)
+    })
+  } else {
+    regional_out <- process_batches()
+  }
 
   ## join batches
-  out <- compact(out)
-  out <- list_transpose(out, simplify = FALSE)
-  out <- map(out, rbindlist)
+  regional_out <- compact(regional_out)
+  regional_out <- list_transpose(regional_out, simplify = FALSE)
+  regional_out <- map(regional_out, rbindlist)
 
   ## format output
   format_out <- format_fit(
-    posterior_samples = out,
+    posterior_samples = regional_out,
     horizon = estimates$args$horizon,
     shift = shift,
     burn_in = 0,
diff --git a/R/utilities.R b/R/utilities.R
index a06b6e206..91867b062 100644
--- a/R/utilities.R
+++ b/R/utilities.R
@@ -402,6 +402,21 @@ set_dt_single_thread <- function() {
   )
 }
 
+#' Choose a parallel or sequential apply function
+#'
+#' Internal function that chooses an appropriate "apply"-type function (either
+#' [lapply()] or [future.apply::future_lapply()])
+#' @return A function that can be used to apply a function to a list
+#' @keywords internal
+#' @inheritParams stan_opts
+lapply_func <- function(..., backend = "rstan", future.opts = list()) {
+  if (requireNamespace("future.apply", quietly = TRUE) && backend == "rstan") {
+    do.call(future.apply::future_lapply, c(list(...), future.opts))
+  } else {
+    lapply(...)
+  }
+}
+
 #' @importFrom stats glm median na.omit pexp pgamma plnorm quasipoisson rexp
 #' @importFrom stats rlnorm rnorm rpois runif sd var rgamma pnorm
 globalVariables(
diff --git a/man/forecast_infections.Rd b/man/forecast_infections.Rd
index 04e617011..e9c4fbde4 100644
--- a/man/forecast_infections.Rd
+++ b/man/forecast_infections.Rd
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ being evaluated. If set to NULL then all simulations are done at once.}
 \item{backend}{Character string indicating the backend to use for fitting
 stan models. Supported arguments are "rstan" (default) or "cmdstanr".}
 
-\item{verbose}{Logical defaults to \code{\link[=interactive]{interactive()}}. Should a progress bar
-(from \code{progressr}) be shown.}
+\item{verbose}{Logical defaults to \code{\link[=interactive]{interactive()}}. If the \code{progressr}
+package is available, a progress bar will be shown.}
 }
 \value{
 A list of output as returned by \code{\link[=estimate_infections]{estimate_infections()}} but based on
diff --git a/man/lapply_func.Rd b/man/lapply_func.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d7d5cc7d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/lapply_func.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/utilities.R
+\name{lapply_func}
+\alias{lapply_func}
+\title{Choose a parallel or sequential apply function}
+\usage{
+lapply_func(..., backend = "rstan", future.opts = list())
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{...}{Additional parameters to pass to underlying option functions,
+\code{\link[=stan_sampling_opts]{stan_sampling_opts()}} or \code{\link[=stan_vb_opts]{stan_vb_opts()}}, depending on the method}
+
+\item{backend}{Character string indicating the backend to use for fitting
+stan models. Supported arguments are "rstan" (default) or "cmdstanr".}
+}
+\value{
+A function that can be used to apply a function to a list
+}
+\description{
+Internal function that chooses an appropriate "apply"-type function (either
+\code{\link[=lapply]{lapply()}} or \code{\link[future.apply:future_lapply]{future.apply::future_lapply()}})
+}
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/man/regional_epinow.Rd b/man/regional_epinow.Rd
index 67ab215c5..4a1c754f7 100644
--- a/man/regional_epinow.Rd
+++ b/man/regional_epinow.Rd
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ available to facilitate building this list.
 
 Regions can be estimated in parallel using the \code{{future}} package (see
 \code{\link[=setup_future]{setup_future()}}). The progress of producing estimates across multiple
-regions is tracked using the \code{{progressr}} package. Modify this behaviour
+regions can be tracked using the \code{{progressr}} package. Modify this behaviour
 using \code{\link[progressr:handlers]{progressr::handlers()}} and enable it in batch by setting
 \code{R_PROGRESSR_ENABLE=TRUE} as an environment variable.
 }
diff --git a/man/run_region.Rd b/man/run_region.Rd
index 078a301d6..7f7881f71 100644
--- a/man/run_region.Rd
+++ b/man/run_region.Rd
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ run_region(
   output,
   complete_logger,
   verbose,
-  progress_fn,
+  progress_fn = NULL,
   ...
 )
 }
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ the completion of estimation to.}
 to the console from \code{\link[=epinow]{epinow()}}.}
 
 \item{progress_fn}{Function as returned by \code{\link[progressr:progressor]{progressr::progressor()}}. Allows
-the use of a  progress bar.}
+the use of a  progress bar. If NULL (default), no progress bar is used.}
 
 \item{...}{Pass additional arguments to \code{\link[=epinow]{epinow()}}. See the documentation for
 \code{\link[=epinow]{epinow()}} for details.}
diff --git a/man/setup_future.Rd b/man/setup_future.Rd
index 3e63e3985..22de21ab3 100644
--- a/man/setup_future.Rd
+++ b/man/setup_future.Rd
@@ -35,5 +35,6 @@ Numeric number of cores to use per worker. If greater than 1 pass to
 A utility function that aims to streamline the set up
 of the required future backend with sensible defaults for most users of
 \code{\link[=regional_epinow]{regional_epinow()}}. More advanced users are recommended to setup their own
-\code{{future}} backend based on their available resources.
+\code{{future}} backend based on their available resources. Running this requires
+the \code{{future}} package to be installed.
 }