ES-DE Frontend vs OpenEmu
ES-DE Frontend
es-de.org
OpenEmu
openemu.orgSide by side
| Figure | ES-DE Frontend | OpenEmu |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Library Managers | 9.2 (#1) | 8.1 (#8) |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 9.3 (#3) | 8.1 (#21) |
| Controller support | The interface supports full controller navigation. | Generic HID USB and Bluetooth controllers are supported, with automatic mapping for recognized devices. |
| Licence | The project repository is licensed under the MIT License. | The OpenEmu-Silicon project says the original application and SDK largely retain BSD 3-Clause headers, while individual cores can have different licences. |
| Purpose | ES-DE browses and launches games from a multi-platform collection and can also run locally installed games and applications. | OpenEmu is open-source video game emulation software for Mac. |
| Support | The official installation page directs users to the user guide, FAQs and Discord for support. | The project directs users to read its contributing guide before reporting bugs through GitHub Issues or IRC. |
| Supported systems | The official site says ES-DE supports more than 150 game systems. | The repository lists cores for systems including Atari, NES, Game Boy, GameCube, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Sega systems, PlayStation, PSP, Super Nintendo, TurboGrafx, Vectrex, Virtual Boy and WonderSwan. |
| What it does | ES-DE is a frontend for browsing and launching games from a multi-platform collection. | OpenEmu is an open-source macOS application that emulates many classic video-game systems through a single native front end. |
Plans
ES-DE Frontend
- Windows, macOS and LinuxFree
- Windows, macOS and Linux desktopFree
- Android (Samsung Galaxy Store)$6.50, paid once
- AndroidPrice not published
In their own words
ES-DE Frontend
ES-DE Frontend browses and launches games from a multi-platform collection and can also run locally installed games and applications. It supports more than 150 game systems and comes configured for a large selection of emulators, game engines, game managers, and gaming services. Its built-in scraper downloads game details and media, including images, videos, and manuals. Users can adjust configuration options and themes, and download additional themes through the built-in theme downloader. The interface supports full controller navigation. Windows, macOS, and Linux editions are free to download and use, fully open source, and may be distributed freely. The Android release is a paid, partially closed-source app, and no price is listed. It is available through Patreon, Samsung Galaxy Store, and Huawei AppGallery. The Android FAQ gives 64-bit Android 10 or later as the basic requirement and says one purchase can be used on all of the buyer’s devices without a subscription or additional costs. Support links include a user guide, FAQs, and Discord.
OpenEmu
OpenEmu is free, open-source video game emulation software for macOS. It organizes game backups into a unified library, adds box art and supports collections spanning consoles. Users drag and drop backups for scanning and organization. Modular cores from open-source projects emulate systems including Atari, Game Boy, Nintendo, Sega, Sony PlayStation and Super Nintendo; the project lists 31 supported systems. Generic HID-compliant USB or Bluetooth controllers can work immediately, with automatic mapping for recognized devices. OpenEmu is intended for games users already own, and BIOS files are required. The wiki describes an experimental arcade core plugin that is strictly unsupported. The latest release page identifies OpenEmu 2.4.1 binaries as Intel-only. The official site offers a macOS (OS X) application, but the version requirement was not rendered. The project lists save states, CD audio and cheat support, while online netplay is not available.