OpenEmu vs Zeta
OpenEmu
openemu.orgZeta
zemu.appSide by side
| Figure | OpenEmu | Zeta |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Spec score · Sega Genesis Emulators | 7.9 (#12) | 7.0 (#26) |
| Controllers | Generic HID-compliant USB or Bluetooth game controllers can work out of the box, with automatic button mapping for recognized devices. | The FAQ lists Xbox Wireless, PlayStation DualShock and DualSense, Nintendo Switch Pro, and MFi-certified iOS controllers connected over Bluetooth. |
| Security | The GitHub project page displays “Security and quality 0.” | The privacy policy describes TLS/SSL encryption in transit, access controls, security assessments, vulnerability scanning, firewalls, and iOS sandbox protection for local game data. |
| Support | The project directs users to read its contributing guide before reporting bugs through GitHub Issues or IRC. | Zeta offers FAQ and help center pages and directs users to email support; its home page says the small team personally reads and replies to every email. |
Plans
Zeta
- FreeFree
- Premium featuresPrice not published
- Premium subscriptionPrice not published
- Premium subscriptionPrice not published
In their own words
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.
Zeta
Zeta is an iPhone emulator for playing games from a range of classic systems on modern devices. It supports iPhones running iOS 16.0 or later; iPad and Mac are not supported. Users can drag game files into the app or select a library folder through its file browser, after which Zeta recognizes games and displays cover art. Listed systems include Nintendo 3DS, DS, Wii, GameCube, Game Boy, PlayStation 2, PSP, PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast, and Genesis. Gameplay features include manual and automatic save states, speed-up to 5×, cheat codes, custom controls, one-tap combos, skins, filters, and screenshots. Bluetooth controller support covers Xbox Wireless, PlayStation DualShock and DualSense, Nintendo Switch Pro, and MFi-certified iOS controllers. The app also lists multi-controller play, link play, AirPlay casting, and a console mode. The free plan includes core emulation, ROM loading, save states, basic controller support, and screen recording. Premium options are a monthly subscription or one-time purchase, with prices shown in-app or in the App Store.