Flycast vs Provenance
Flycast
github.com
Provenance
provenance-emu.comSide by side
| Figure | Flycast | Provenance |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · Multi-System Emulators | 8.8 (#5) | 8.5 (#8) |
| Build requirements | The Linux build instructions list a C/C++ toolchain, CMake, make, libcurl, libudev, SDL2, and Vulkan or OpenGL. | Building from source requires macOS 13.5 or later, Xcode 15 or later, iOS/tvOS 16 SDKs and an Apple Developer account. |
| Controllers | The v2.5 release notes list support for physical Dreamcast controllers with DreamConn+ and DreamPicoPort adapters. | Apple TV support includes MFi, Xbox, and PlayStation gamepads. |
| Documentation | Configuration and supported-feature guidance is delegated to TheArcadeStriker Flycast wiki, with community discussion on Discord. | The community wiki includes installation, importing, controllers, skins, saves, shaders, cheats, multiplayer, RetroAchievements, troubleshooting and contribution guides. |
| Licence | The repository uses the GNU General Public License version 2. | The Provenance project uses a permissive custom licence that allows source and binary redistribution with attribution and prohibits commercial use of its branding; bundled cores have separate licences. |
| Save states | The Android version provides ten save-state slots. | The emulator provides save states with visual thumbnail previews and a screenshot browser. |
| What it does | Flycast emulates Sega Dreamcast, Naomi, Naomi 2 and Atomiswave systems and is derived from reicast. | Provenance is a multi-console emulator frontend for playing games from classic Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony and other systems. |
Plans
Provenance
- FreeFree
- Monthly$3.99 a month
- Annual$39.99 a year
- Lifetime$99.99, paid once
In their own words
Flycast
Flycast is a free emulator for Sega Dreamcast, Naomi, Naomi 2, and Atomiswave, derived from reicast. It runs on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with releases available as stable tagged versions, master builds, and experimental nightly builds. Android users are directed to Google Play; Linux instructions cover Flatpak and Flathub, while macOS instructions use Homebrew. Windows documentation provides a bootstrap script for building from source. Xbox One and Series users can install a build through Xbox Device Portal. Flycast supports online play, with release notes describing modem-emulation improvements and fixes for online features in several games. Its DCNet service is a free dedicated VPN for Dreamcast games; 30 game servers were available when it was released. Physical Dreamcast controllers work with DreamConn+ and DreamPicoPort adapters. On Android, Google Auto Backup can back up VMU saves and non-volatile memory. The project lists GPL-2.0 as its license and says iOS support has been dropped.
Provenance
Provenance is a free, open-source retro game emulator frontend for Apple platforms, available for iOS and macOS. It supports more than 38 console systems, including systems from Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. Its library can display automatically downloaded box art, screenshots, release details, ratings, and scanned manuals. Listed emulation features include save states, cheats, fast forward, shaders, visual filters, controller support, RetroAchievements, and multiplayer. Apple integration includes native tvOS, Apple TV TopShelf, Siri Remote, Spotlight search, Siri shortcuts, and iCloud sync; Apple TV supports MFi, Xbox, and PlayStation gamepads. Nearly all CD-based cores support CHD disc images, and the native Mednafen core has a custom CHD implementation. The source is published on GitHub under the BSD license. Installation options include the App Store, sideloading with AltStore or SideStore, and building from source. The free plan includes emulation features when sideloaded or built from source. Plus adds iCloud sync and priority support.