Hercules vs MAME
Hercules
hercules-390.euMAME
mamedev.orgSide by side
| Figure | Hercules | MAME |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Emulator Software | 7.8 (#25) | 8.5 (#8) |
| License | Hercules is OSI Certified Open Source Software licensed under the Q Public Licence. | The project as a whole is distributed under GPL-2.0, and the site says over 90% of its files, including core files, are under BSD-3-Clause. |
| Purpose | Hercules is an open-source software implementation of the System/370, ESA/390 and 64-bit z/Architecture mainframe architectures. | MAME is a multi-purpose emulation framework intended to preserve software history by documenting hardware and how it functions. |
| Security | The networking documentation warns that unrestricted access to hercifc can create a potential security exposure. | MAME says it is not designed for secure sites, has not been audited for such use, and should not be run as administrator or root. |
| Support | Paid technical support may be available through Open Source Mainframes, Inc., while free support is provided through Hercules discussion forums. | Users can report information or code through the MAME GitHub page, MAME Forums, or the project contact page. |
Plans
In their own words
Hercules
Hercules is a free, open-source emulator for IBM System/370, ESA/390, and 64-bit z/Architecture mainframes. It lets a PC execute programs designed for those systems and represents mainframe I/O devices with PC resources, including DASD files and local tn3270 sessions. It does not provide an operating system, so users must supply one or run a standalone program. With legally licensed software, it can run z/OS, z/VM, z/VSE, OS/390, VM/ESA, VSE/ESA, and older related IBM operating systems. Features include dynamic reconfiguration, an integrated console, interpretive execution, debugging tools, and snapshots and restore. Guest TCP/IP networking can connect to the host through TUN/TAP and hercifc, and multiple instances can share devices. Hercules is licensed under the Q Public Licence and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows; the host list also names Solaris and FreeBSD. Documented unsupported areas include ESCON, FICON, PR/SM, coupling links, and several z/Architecture facilities. Its FAQ says it has not claimed production capability and was intended as a system programmer's toy.
MAME
MAME is a free emulation framework intended to preserve software history by documenting and reproducing the inner components of arcade machines, computers, consoles, calculators, and other electronic amusement systems. It can emulate over 32,000 individual systems from the last five decades. Alongside emulation, it includes an interactive low-level debugger for investigating software behavior, diagnosing emulation issues, and developing software for vintage systems. Its Lua interface can inspect device state, access CPU registers, read and write memory, and draw overlays, though the API may change without notice. Plugins support uses such as external-program communication and alternate interfaces; included examples are Discord Presence and a GDB Stub. MAME can save and load states, record inputs for playback, and capture screenshots or video. It is available for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows; official Windows binaries require Windows 10 or later. BIOS dumps and copyrighted software are generally not included. The project is distributed under GPL-2.0 overall, while more than 90% of files, including core files, are under BSD-3-Clause.