Best Emulator Software in 2026
Updated
37 emulator software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
37ranked
0free plans on this page
5 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Emulator Software 12 channels on this page · 31 of 96 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromSupported targetsHost operating systemsHardware accelerationSnapshots and restoreDebugging toolsNetwork simulation Spec sheet Score
26 Wind River Conductor Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsARM, Intel, Power, RISC-V, MIPS, SPARC, MicroBlaze, 8051, 68000, and modeled embedded devicesHost operating systems64-bit Linux distributions and 64-bit Windows 10/11 or equivalent server versionsHardware accelerationYesSnapshots and restoreYesDebugging toolsYesNetwork simulationYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.3
27 z390 Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsIBM System/360 subset, System/370, System/390, and z/Architecture instruction sets through z17Host operating systemsWindows, macOS, and Unix-like systemsHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsYesNetwork simulationnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.1
28 Apple Simulator Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsiOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS, watchOSHost operating systemsmacOSHardware accelerationYesSnapshots and restoreYesDebugging toolsYesNetwork simulationYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.0
29 Arm Fast Models Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsCortex-A, Cortex-R, Cortex-M, Arm System IPHost operating systemsLinux, WindowsHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restoreYesDebugging toolsYesNetwork simulationnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.0
30 DOSBox-X Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.8
31 FCEUX Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.8
32 Spike (RISC-V ISA Simulator) Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsRISC-V harts; RV32 and RV64 base ISAs; documented RISC-V ISA extensionsHost operating systemsLinux; OpenBSDHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsYesNetwork simulationnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 5.7
33 Vita3K Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.7
34 86Box Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.6
35 Cemu Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.6
36 Mesen Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.6
37 OpenEmulator Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported targetsnot statedHost operating systemsnot statedHardware accelerationnot statedSnapshots and restorenot statedDebugging toolsnot statedNetwork simulationnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.2
Compare all 12 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | Free plan | Paid from | Supported targets | Host operating systems |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Wind River Conductor | 6.3 | No | — | — | ARM, Intel, Power, RISC-V, MIPS, SPARC, MicroBlaze, 8051, 68000, and modeled embedded devices | 64-bit Linux distributions and 64-bit Windows 10/11 or equivalent server versions |
| 27 | z390 | 6.1 | No | Yes | — | IBM System/360 subset, System/370, System/390, and z/Architecture instruction sets through z17 | Windows, macOS, and Unix-like systems |
| 28 | Apple Simulator | 6.0 | No | Yes | — | iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS, watchOS | macOS |
| 29 | Arm Fast Models | 6.0 | No | — | — | Cortex-A, Cortex-R, Cortex-M, Arm System IP | Linux, Windows |
| 30 | DOSBox-X | 5.8 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 31 | FCEUX | 5.8 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 32 | Spike (RISC-V ISA Simulator) | 5.7 | No | — | — | RISC-V harts; RV32 and RV64 base ISAs; documented RISC-V ISA extensions | Linux; OpenBSD |
| 33 | Vita3K | 5.7 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 34 | 86Box | 5.6 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 35 | Cemu | 5.6 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 36 | Mesen | 5.6 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
| 37 | OpenEmulator | 5.2 | No | Yes | — | — | — |
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