MEKA vs Provenance
MEKA
smspower.org
Provenance
provenance-emu.comSide by side
| Figure | MEKA | Provenance |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Spec score · Game Gear Emulators | 8.1 (#11) | 8.4 (#7) |
| Founded | 1998 | 2016 |
| Purpose | MEKA is a multi-machine emulator for Sega 8-bit systems and ColecoVision. | Provenance is a free, open-source multi-system retro game emulator frontend for Apple platforms. |
| Supported systems | It supports Sega SG-1000, SC-3000, SF-7000, Mark III, Master System, Game Gear, ColecoVision and Othello Multivision. | The project advertises support for more than 50 systems, including NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, 3DS, PlayStation, PSP, Saturn and Dreamcast. |
Plans
Provenance
- FreeFree
- Monthly$3.99 a month
- Annual$39.99 a year
- Lifetime$99.99, paid once
In their own words
MEKA
MEKA is a free multi-machine emulator for Sega 8-bit systems and ColecoVision. It supports the SG-1000, SC-3000, SF-7000, Mark III, Master System, Game Gear, ColecoVision and Othello Multivision, along with a wide range of peripherals and unusual games. The project includes a debugger and tools for debugging and hacking, aimed at programmers and people working with Sega 8-bit systems. It also provides a game database and compatibility list, which the site describes as receiving fixes and changes. MEKA is free software under a BSD-like license, and its source and data may be browsed and reused without restrictions. The download page lists a Windows x86 build and directs GNU/Linux and macOS users to build from source. That page describes MEKA 0.80 as in development, while the GitHub releases page lists Meka 2025-08-17 as the latest release. Initiated in 1998, the project is maintained by Omar Cornut, known as Bock. The project says it has limited use for the average player.
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.