Best emulators
Apps that emulate game consoles, handhelds and arcade machines on your computer.
15 apps, ordered by visits from AppBreakup and how often our research lists each one as an alternative. Open any app to see its alternatives.
All emulators
- Alternatives to RetroArch
Open-source front end that runs dozens of emulator cores behind one interface.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS - Alternatives to OpenEmu
Free Mac app that wraps many retro console emulators in one polished game library.
Open sourcemacOS - Alternatives to PPSSPP
Open-source PlayStation Portable emulator for desktop, Android and iOS.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS - Alternatives to Dolphin
Open-source emulator for Nintendo GameCube and Wii games on PC and Android.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android - Alternatives to PCSX2
Free, open-source PlayStation 2 emulator for playing PS2 games on a computer.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to MAME
Free, open-source emulator for thousands of arcade machines and vintage computers.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to Flycast
Open-source emulator for Sega Dreamcast and the Naomi and Atomiswave arcade boards.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android - Alternatives to Supermodel
Free, open-source emulator for Sega's Model 3 arcade board.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to DOSBox Staging
Modern, actively developed DOS emulator for running classic PC games on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to RetroDECK
All-in-one retro gaming package for Linux and Steam Deck, shipped as a single Flatpak.
Open sourceLinux - Alternatives to ScummVM
Free program that runs hundreds of classic point-and-click adventure and role-playing games.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android - Alternatives to Batocera.linux
Free, open-source retro gaming Linux distribution that turns a PC or single-board computer into a console.
Open sourceLinux - Alternatives to xemu
Free, open-source emulator for the original Microsoft Xbox on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to melonDS
Open-source Nintendo DS and DSi emulator for Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to Play!
Open-source PlayStation 2 emulator that runs without a BIOS on desktop, mobile and web.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web
Our picks by need
Common questions
What are the best emulators?
Based on how often our research lists them as alternatives and visits from AppBreakup, the leading emulators right now are RetroArch, OpenEmu, PPSSPP, Dolphin and PCSX2.
Are there free emulators?
Yes. RetroArch (open source), OpenEmu (open source), PPSSPP (open source), Dolphin (open source) and PCSX2 (open source) have a free option, out of 15 free or freemium apps we track.
Which emulators are open source?
RetroArch, OpenEmu, PPSSPP, Dolphin, PCSX2 and MAME, and 9 more.