86Box vs Manic EMU
86Box
86box.netManic EMU
github.comSide by side
| Figure | 86Box | Manic EMU |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $0.42/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 9 |
| Spec score · Multi-System Emulators | 8.2 (#15) | 8.8 (#6) |
| License | 86Box is released under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. | The upstream Manic EMU source is licensed under GNU AGPL-3.0, with separate notices for bundled cores and dependencies. |
| Purpose | 86Box emulates x86-based IBM PC systems and compatibles from 1981 through systems based on the PCI bus. | Manic EMU is an all-in-one retro game emulator for iPhone and iPad. |
| Security reporting | The project security policy says to report vulnerabilities by opening a GitHub issue or joining its Discord server. | The project security policy accepts vulnerability reports by email and says it will acknowledge receipt within seven days. |
| Support | The project offers community discussion through IRC and Discord and links to a documentation site. | The official site links users to FAQ and guides, GitHub, and Discord for support resources. |
Plans
Manic EMU
- FreeFree
- SideloadFree
- Sideload / GitHubFree
- Premium Monthly$0.99 a month
- Premium Monthly Plan$0.99 a month
- Premium Annual Plan$4.99 a year
- Premium Annual$5.99 a year
- Premium Forever Access$9.99, paid once
- Forever Access$11.99, paid once
In their own words
86Box
86Box is a free emulator for x86-based IBM PC systems and compatibles, covering machines from 1981 through PCI-bus systems. It emulates processors from the 8086 through the Pentium with an emphasis on accuracy and supports configurable machines such as the IBM PC 5150 and IBM PS/2 line. Users can select video adapters, sound cards, network adapters, hard-disk controllers, and SCSI adapters. Supported guest systems include MS-DOS, older Windows releases, OS/2, many Linux distributions, BeOS, and NEXTSTEP. MIDI output can use Windows MIDI support, FluidSynth, or emulated Roland synthesizers. 86Box runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS and is released under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. The project offers stable and experimental builds; experimental versions may be less stable or slower. Most emulation logic runs in one thread, so results depend on host and guest configuration. A BIOS is required. The project recommends manager applications for multiple virtual machines, while its built-in manager is still a preview.
Manic EMU
Manic EMU is a free retro game emulator for iPhone and iPad, supporting more than 30 classic platforms across consoles, arcade, DOS, Symbian, and J2ME. It includes save states, auto-saves, fast-forward, cheats, shortcuts, filters, screenshots, and custom skins. Cloud import works with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Baidu, Aliyun, WebDAV, and SMB. The project says iCloud sync keeps games, saves, and settings encrypted in the cloud across devices. Manic EMU integrates RetroAchievements and supports local multiplayer and Netplay on eligible Libretro cores. The free App Store build limits fast-forward to 2×, save states and cheat codes to three each, and controllers to one player. Premium plans cost $0.99 a month, $4.99 a year, or 9.99 USD once for lifetime access, and include higher fast-forward speeds, more save states and cheat slots, and extra controller players. A free sideload build includes premium play features but does not provide iCloud save sync. The app does not include ROMs, BIOS files, or game data.