EMU7800 vs Stella
EMU7800
emu7800.github.ioStella
stella-emu.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | EMU7800 | Stella |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Atari Emulators | 8.3 (#2) | 7.3 (#14) |
| Controllers | The homepage says the emulator supports Stelladaptor, 2600-daptor, 2600-daptor II, and Xbox 360 controllers for Windows. | Stella emulates Atari and other controllers using a computer keyboard, joystick, or mouse, and supports real Atari controllers through Stelladaptor and 2600-daptor devices. |
| License | The GitHub repository identifies its license as GPL-2.0. | Stella is released under the GNU General Public License and is described as open-source and free software. |
| Purpose | EMU7800 emulates the Atari 7800 ProSystem and the backward-compatible Atari 2600 Video Computer System. | Stella is software that emulates the Atari 2600 VCS so users can play its games on a computer. |
Plans
In their own words
EMU7800
EMU7800 is a free emulator for the Atari 7800 ProSystem and the backward-compatible Atari 2600 Video Computer System. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS and supports saved game states. The maker says it runs on Windows 11, and its Windows installer does not need administrator permission. Windows users can connect Stelladaptor, 2600-daptor, 2600-daptor II, and Xbox 360 controllers. Saved game state is kept in the user profile at %USERPROFILE%\.emu7800savedgames. The project lists Linux ARM and ARM64 targets using SDL3; Linux systems may need SDL3, SDL3 image, and SDL3 TTF installed. Its macOS x64 and ARM64 targets are described as experimental and untested. Building from source requires the .NET 10.0 SDK and Git. The project was originally completed in 2003 as a .NET programming exercise, is licensed under GPL-2.0, and is maintained as a non-commercial endeavor. The current release listed is v5.7.0.0, released December 31, 2025.
Stella
Stella is free, open-source software for playing Atari 2600 VCS games on a computer. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux under the GNU General Public License. It supports A26, BIN, and ROM images, including files in ZIP archives, as well as Supercharger games. Atari and other controllers can be emulated with a keyboard, joystick, or mouse; real Atari controllers can be used through Stelladaptor and 2600-daptor devices. Emulation features include cycle-exact TIA video and sound, stereo support, and dynamic sound resampling. Stella provides save and load for system states, automatic timeline recording, and high-score saving. Display support covers NTSC, PAL, and SECAM, with customizable CRT-style filters and bezels. A debugger offers static analysis using the Distella disassembler and runtime analysis of code, graphics, and data. The project names homebrew developers among its intended users. General requirements include SDL 2.0.14 or later and 256 MB of RAM for emulation; stable downloads include Windows binaries, a macOS disk image, an Ubuntu 22.04 DEB package, and source code for all systems.