Manic EMU vs OpenEmu
Manic EMU
github.com
OpenEmu
openemu.orgSide by side
| Figure | Manic EMU | OpenEmu |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.42/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 9 | 1 |
| Spec score · TurboGrafx-16 Emulators | 8.9 (#2) | 8.1 (#8) |
| Spec score · SNES Emulators | 8.9 (#2) | 8.1 (#8) |
| Spec score · Multi-System Emulators | 8.8 (#6) | 8.0 (#23) |
| Spec score · Game Gear Emulators | 8.8 (#4) | 8.0 (#14) |
| Spec score · Sega CD Emulators | 8.8 (#4) | 8.0 (#11) |
| Controllers | Supported input includes Joy-Con, DualShock, Xbox, Bluetooth controllers, keyboards and multiple simultaneous controllers. | Generic HID-compliant USB or Bluetooth game controllers can work out of the box, with automatic button mapping for recognized devices. |
| Game library | The app provides a library with cover artwork, metadata, categories, collapsible sections and manufacturer sorting. | It organizes game backups into a unified library, adds box art, and lets users create collections across consoles. |
| Purpose | Manic EMU is an all-in-one retro game emulator for iPhone and iPad. | OpenEmu is open-source video game emulation software for Mac. |
| Support | The official site links users to FAQ and guides, GitHub, and Discord for support resources. | The project directs users to read its contributing guide before reporting bugs through GitHub Issues or IRC. |
| Supported systems | The project lists Nintendo, PlayStation, Sega, Atari, arcade, MS-DOS, J2ME, Commodore, Neo Geo Pocket, PC Engine, Nokia Symbian and related 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 | Manic EMU is an all-in-one iOS emulator for console, handheld, arcade, computer and mobile Java systems. | OpenEmu is an open-source macOS application that emulates many classic video-game systems through a single native front end. |
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
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.
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.