Are you looking for Android Emulator for PC? I have got your back. In this article, you are going to get the latest version of Android Emulator. Here is a list of the best Android emulators to run Android games and apps on desktop computers. These emulators support Windows PC, Mac and Linux platforms.
An Android emulator emulates the Android OS on Windows 10 or Windows 7, or Mac OS. This emulation allows users to run virtual Android OS on their computers. Therefore, by installing an Android emulator on your computer, you can use Android Apps, Play Android Games, and test your Android Applications without Android Phone.
This article will give you the list of the best Android emulators for PC and links to download all of these Android emulators for free. If you are thinking of running your favorite android apps and games or testing your own Android Apps and lacking the appropriate Android device, you must use An Android emulator on your PC.
Note: I highly recommend you try 3-5 emulators and stick to the one you like most. Because most of the emulators have many bugs, performance issues & some of them even have serious malware issues. So, based on your PC configuration, you should pick the emulator that works well with your PC.
Are you in a hurry? Can’t read our in-depth review? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Our Expert Verdict
| #1 Overall | #1 For Gaming | #1 For Developers |
|---|---|---|
| Bluestacks | Gameloop | Android Studio |
| Free or 2/Mon | Free | Free |
| Windows & Mac | Windows Only | Windows & Mac |
Even though they are many android emulators in the market, not all of them function correctly. Here is a list of some of the best Android emulators for PCs tested by me and accepted by millions of users. These top Android Emulators will help you achieve a fantastic Android user experience on your laptop or desktop.
Contents
1. Bluestacks
Bluestacks earns the leading position as the best Android emulator because of its high performance and stability. Bluestacks emulator is very popular and has been on the market for a while. Primarily, Bluestacks App Player targets gamers and developers who create apps and test gaming content.
Bluestacks App Player Features
- Bluestacks is available for both Mac OS and Windows 10 PC users, so you can run and play games on it regardless of your operating system.
- Most gamers prefer Bluestacks because it’s optimized for gaming and has the right proportion of features like power, processing, and graphics. It’s quite easy to install and use it.
- It features a built-in Google Play store that allows users to download games and apps quickly.
- Also, the Bluestacks Android emulator has its App store, which is optimized for downloading games. The best part is you can earn monetary benefits through its affiliate option.
Bluestacks Emulator System Requirements
| Name | Bluestacks |
|---|---|
| OS Platforms | Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, MAC |
| Cost | Free |
| System Requirements | 4GB RAM, Dual Core 2.3 GHz, 5GB Disk Space |
| Name | Bluestacks |
|---|---|
| Category | Android Emulator |
| Version | 4.215.0.1019 |
| Platform | |
| File Size | 0.00 KB |
| Last Updated Date | September 30, 2020 |
| Downloads | 38980 |
2. Nox App Player
Nox App Player is the best emulator for enjoying the whole Android experience. It’s smoother, stable, and fully optimized for both games and apps. With this emulator, you receive the same gaming experience as that of a gaming console.
Nox App Player Features
- Unlike other consoles that can crush easily, Nox is stable and works perfectly without crashes. This is because developers regularly update it to fix bugs.
- Just like Bluestacks, it has a built-in Google play store so that you can download apps and games.
- The NoxPlayer emulator offers several options, such as initiative keyboard mapping, multi-instance, and script recording. All these features provide you with the best gaming experience.
- You can choose how much CPU core, RAM, or FPS you want to allocate to the emulator with various customization options.
- Furthermore, it offers you two graphics rendering modes: OpenGL and DirectX, which can be used when facing compatibility issues with any game.
- You can download Nox Emulator for free on both PC & Mac devices.
| Name | Bluestacks |
|---|---|
| Category | Android Emulator |
| Version | 4.215.0.1019 |
| Platform | |
| File Size | 0.00 KB |
| Last Updated Date | September 30, 2020 |
| Downloads | 38980 |
3. Gameloop
Do you want to get a grip on that Android game you like, but you lack the right hardware? Don’t worry! GameLoop got you covered. Being a product of Tencent Gaming Buddy, the GameLoop android emulator focuses entirely on fusing mobile gaming with Windows 10 PCs.
- GameLoop acts as the official gaming utility for Tencent Games.
- It has been optimized and refined to easily play massive mobile games such as PUBG and Call of Duty.
- It brings fluid gameplay and controls with PC’s Keyboard and mouse that matches Android devices’ touch controls.
- Although it offers support to non-gaming apps, it’s not as versatile for non-gaming apps as other emulators. Nonetheless, it delivers excellent results.
- Recently, GameLoop released its latest version of GameLoop 3.0 to the public and its new beta testing version.
- Not only does the new version provide exciting games for all players and exciting features, but it also solves most design and settings issues players might face when playing games.
| Name | Gameloop |
|---|---|
| Category | Android Emulator |
| Version | 3.2 |
| Platform | |
| File Size | 17.98 MB |
| Last Updated Date | July 30, 2020 |
| Downloads | 23340 |
GameLoop has proven to handle mobile games on PC with so much ease, making it a notable competitor to other mobile gaming emulators. So, go ahead and download the new version and have a fantastic gaming experience on GameLoop.
4. MEmu
MEmu is still new in the market, but it’s gaining popularity rapidly for its high performance- it’s giving competitors a run for their money. It solely targets Windows 10 PCs, with its focus being on gaming.
- With a simple installation process and several features like Keyboard mapping, Memu is efficient in gaming, just like Nox App Player and Bluestacks. You can install the emulator using the APK and test it by running it on multiple occasions.
- Like other emulators, this one also features customization options for the RAM and CPU and supports a 4K gaming experience.
- MEmu emulator stands out because it offers support for Intel, Nvidia, and AMD chipsets. (very few emulators support AMD). The deep integration of the mouse and Keyboard allowed by the emulator results in to smooth gameplay experience.
- The only downside is its graphic quality, which is weak compared to other emulators. However, this doesn’t limit it from providing a high-quality gaming experience. The emulator is updated regularly to fix any bugs within its games and apps.
- The latest version of MEmu now supports a 64-bit Android emulator. This means MEmu can now play games that are coded with only 64-bit architecture like arm64-v8a and x86-64. Such a game that requires 64-bit android is Lineage 2m by NCsoft.
- Note: Memu is not Available for Mac.
- You can download the Memu free Android emulator on Windows 10 PC.
| Name | Memu |
|---|---|
| Category | Android Emulator |
| Version | 2.3 |
| Platform | |
| File Size | 3.91 MB |
| Last Updated Date | April 5, 2020 |
| Downloads | 861 |
5. Android Studio Emulator
Android Studio is the latest Android IDE, supported by Google’s Android system. It has incredibly versatile functionality and can start consumer apps quicker than actual computers. With more flexibility and a more comprehensive view, consumers can reach superior output and perspective in their smartphone applications. It facilitates limited memory high-definition games on the device.
Features
- Android Studio supports a Multifunctional Simulator with a good user experience and apps.
- It allows users to choose the style of the simulator window for an excellent user interface.
- It enables users to concurrently use various applications and grab screenshots while they are in the system.
- This simulator is founded on Java language and has high efficiency and features.
- Android Studio is the official Google simulator and is therefore highly stable and well designed.
- It offers too many alternatives beyond mobile device connectivity, such as checking software, high-definition gaming, etc.
6. ARChon
Last but not least, we have ARChon. ARChon is different from the emulators on this list. It’s not like common emulators that you download and install as software on their own. Instead, you install this emulator as an extension on Google Chrome.
- ARChon is also a bit more challenging to operate compared to other emulators.
- After you download the APKs you’ll use, you’ll also have to download another tool to make these files compatible and executable on Chrome.
- Despite the difficulties in using ARChon, the setup is only hard at the beginning. Once you get used to it and become more familiar with the emulator, it’ll be hassle-free to set up.
- ARChon is decent for high-end games, but there are other better options if your primary purpose is for gaming.
- Where this emulator excels is in using productivity apps since it is integrated into Chrome.
- ARChon is a great choice for Windows 7 users as it is a browser-based Android emulator.
7. Genymotion
If you are a developer looking for software to run various Android versions so you can check your app, then Genymotion is your best bet. Genymotion is the best Android emulator for App development.
Some of the most prominent emulators focus mainly on gaming, but Genymotion took a different path and focused entirely on Android development. This emulator features a design that assists app creators in testing their apps in a safe environment.
Features such as plugins, tools, and support make the overall installation process of the emulator hassle-free. Genymotion is made up of salient features like OpenGL and supports different versions of Android operating systems.
When you want to create a new virtual device, you must know that you need to first log in to a Genymotion account. Once you have logged in, it presents you with a launch screen. From here, you can select and download an Android device you want to emulate.
Overall, Genymotion is faster than Bluestacks because it’s developed on X9 architecture. If you have a powerful PC, then you are in for a treat, as its performance translates into a rapid, virtual Android experience.
8. Andy Android Emulator
Andy is one of the oldest and trusted emulators among users. Andy developers are always quick to upgrade the Android OS engine used in their Virtual OS emulation.
This exactly means that if Google updates the Android OS, then Andy users will have the same Android version on Windows 10 PC. Generally, other developers take months before they update their emulation engine.
Andy App is famous for its syncing capabilities between Windows 10 Operating System and Android mobile phone.
The best feature of Andy Android emulator for Windows 10 is that you can use your Android phone as a Joystick for your Desktop or PC.
This enables you to use features like Gyro movements and touch combinations or multi-touch while playing games like Pubg Mobile or Call of Duty mobile.
You can receive your Instagram DMs, Whatsapp text messages, or Snapchat pictures directly on your home or work Computer.
9. Bliss OS
Android Emulator For Mac Free
Bliss OS is quite different from all the above Android emulators. This software works as an Android OS for PC. For installation, you can use a Virtual Box or create a bootable USB drive. It runs well if you have a compatible system, so always prepared with a backup of the current operating system.
10. Remix OS Player
Remix OS Player is one of the outdated Android emulators for PC. This player is a product of Jide Technology, owned by a company by Google’s former employees. Remix OS Player is excellent for productivity apps but does not go well with heavy gaming. Moreover, it is the only player, which allows its users to play several games simultaneously.
Remix OS Player is known for providing the most personal Android interface on Windows 10 computers. The software also provides the primary mapping tool that helps Android games, including touch handling systems. It helps the players to interact with the keyboard as well as the mouse more effectively.
Remix OS Player Features
- Remix OS Player is a strong simulator designed to incorporate Android, which provides high compatibility in a free preview of Android apps.
- It provides Google marshmallows and enables gaming platforms in high definition.
- It will allow Android programmers to automate Android or Chrome applications since it supports multi-window systems.
- Users should map a variety of buttons to provide game programs with access control.
11. Phoenix OS
Among the latest Android emulators is Phoenix OS. It gives the games a whole new experience and improves the performance of the desktop. This implies that it suits best the productivity sector. Google play services are available on Phoenix OS though it is quite hard to update the facilities. You can get phoenix OS from its web page for free.
Note: XDA developers run Phoenix OS forums, and it supports Android 7.1
12. Xamarin
Xamarin is almost similar to Android Studio. The main difference is that Xamarin can plug into Microsoft visual studio, something which Android studio cannot accomplish.
- Xamarin comes with an in-built emulator app used for testing the game, just like Android studio.
- The emulator comes free for regular use, but companies must settle on the pricing for heavy usage.
- You can download the app from the Microsoft official website.
13. KoPlayer
Ko Player focuses on providing lightweight software with a lag-free gaming experience. This emulator is free of cost; that’s why you might see a few ads there. Ko Player is easy to install and supports gamepad emulation and keyboard mapping.
KoPlayer was discontinued in 2019, so it’s better if you don’t use Koplayer Emulator.
Which is the best Android emulator for PC?
Bluestacks App Player is the best Android emulator for Windows 10 PC and Mac OS.
Which Android emulator is the fastest?
After testing many emulators for days, I can surely say, Gameloop and BlueStacks Android emulators are faster and smoother than all other emulators out there.
Are Android emulators safe for PC?
Yes. Android Emulators are safe to download and use on a PC.
Is BlueStacks or NOX better?
I have tried both Bluestacks and Nox emulators. There is no significant difference, but BlueStacks is better than Nox.
Which Android emulator is best for low-end PC?
It is recommended to use Gameloop or Nox App Player for low-end Windows 10 PC.
Are Android emulators illegal?
Yes. Android emulators are legal. Android OS is an open-source project. So, as long as you use the emulators for the right purposes, it is legal and safe.
Check out our list of the best Android emulators available for Windows PC and Mac in 2020. Android emulators are seemingly becoming more popular as Android’s popularity keeps growing. From developers testing apps to gamers playing on a large screen, users yearn for experiencing Android OS on a Windows PC, complimented with a mouse and keyboard. Some iOS emulators for PC and Mac are also available but Android ones offer a better performance.Maybe you are switching from iPhone to Android, or you merely want to test out a custom ROM, the possibilities with an Android emulator are endless. While BlueStacks has always topped the list of phone emulators for PC and Mac, few others are catching up insanely fast.
There are three main uses for emulators. The main and the most common use for Android Emulator is gaming. Gamers can use emulators on their computers to make some games easier to play. They don’t have to rely on the battery life of their devices and the existence of macros and other tricks help the process. In most cases, these little tricks aren’t illegal (in most games) so nobody really has a problem with it. So lets take a look at the best Android Emulators of 2020 for PC and Mac.
With most of such devices being powered by Operating Systems such as Windows and macOS, Android emulators come to the rescue when it is necessary on such non-Android platforms. If you are confused about which is the best Mac and PC Android emulator, the following article would serve as a guide.
List of Best Android Emulators in 2020:
Here is the list of our picks for the best Android emulators available for Windows PC, Mac and Linux platforms. PC support for emulators is more common than Mac and Linux. However, we have covered the best ones you can download right away. We have also included a few standalone Android builds that you can install on your computer.
- Nox Player
- BlueStacks
- LDPlayer
- MEmu
- Ko Player
- Genymotion
- Droid4X
- Android Studio Emulator
- Remix OS
- ARChon
- Bliss OS
- Phoenix OS
To know more about these best Android emulators, continue reading ahead:
1. Nox Player
Nox Player especially targets Android gamers. Although the emulator works perfectly fine for other Android apps and enjoying the whole Android experience, it is best suited for playing massive games like PUBG or Justice League. The best part of Nox Emulator is that it’s absolutely free with no sponsored ads at all.
The Nox Player allows you to map keys of keyboard, mouse, and gamepad. You can even assign keyboard keys for gestures, for instance, mapping shortcut for swiping right.Also, you can specify the CPU and RAM usage in the settings option to get the best gaming results. If rooting Android is your focus, Nox Player makes it easy to root the virtual device under one minute.
The only problem with Nox is that it puts a lot of load on the system. Thus, you can’t use tons of other apps. Another thing is it is based on Android 5 Lollipop which might be a concern for you. For a complete setup and install guide, read: How to Install Nox Player 6
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Best Android Emulator For Mac
2. BlueStacks
BlueStacks is probably the most known Android emulator among Android users. The emulator is preferred for gaming and is ridiculously easy to set up. Other than Play Store, you have the option of downloading BlueStacks optimized apps from its own app store. Although, BlueStacks supports keyboard mapping but does not go well with gestures.
A major drawback of BlueStacks emulator is that it gets sluggish in productivity apps. Other than that, the sponsored ads make the emulator lose behind other best free Android emulators for Windows. Talking specifically about BlueStacks 4, it brings an excellent gaming performance, thanks to low CPU and memory usage. It also claims to be 6x faster than Samsung Galaxy S9+. For a complete setup and install guide, read: How to Install Bluestacks 4
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
3. LDPlayer
LDPlayer is a free Android emulator for Windows PC users to play Android games easily on computer. This emulator is built with gaming in behind with all the features targeted for optimization of Android games. LDPlayer is based on Android 5.1.1 and Android 7.1.2 Nougat and provides the best compatibility with games like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile and Free Fire.
The team claims this emulator performs much better than playing Android games on a real phone. You can install games directly from APK + OBB data and you can also download Android games from the Google Play Store.
Compatibility: Windows PC only
4. MEmu
MEmu is relatively a new app player in comparison to the others. Launched in 2015, the MeMu Play, again, is focused on gaming. Regarding the speed, this Android emulator gives similar results as Nox and BlueStacks.One of the most important features of MeMu Android emulator is its support for both AMD and Nvidia chips. It also supports different Android versions like Android Jelly Bean, Kit Kat, and Lollipop. While MeMu advocates for high-performance gaming, the graphics performance is relatively poor. I saw textures and smoothness missing in comparison to other app players.
MEmu is currently based on Android Lollipop and works top of the class with productivity apps. And if you are looking forward to playing games like Ingress or Pokémon Go, this should be your choice.
Compatibility: Windows PC only
5. Ko Player
Just like other Android gaming emulators out there, Ko Player focuses on delivering lag-free gaming experience with a lightweight software.As Ko Player is free of cost yet you might see few ads here and there. The app player is easy to install and navigate through the apps. It also supports keyboard mapping and gamepad emulation.The downside of this Android emulator is that it sometimes freezes out of the blue. Also, the player is a little buggy and makes it difficult for the user to uninstall the Android emulator.
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
6. Genymotion
Genymotion is not your casual Android emulator; it is only targeted at developers. The Android simulator lets you test apps on a variety of virtual devices with different versions of Android. The emulator is compatible with Android SDK and Android Studio. It even works macOS and Linux.Since Genymotion is inclined towards developers, it is equipped with lots of developer-friendly features. And it might not be the right choice for people looking for Android gaming experience.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac and Linux
7. Droid4X
Droid4x is an Android virtual machine/simulator that runs as a guest operating system on your PC or your Mac. It is a full, working Android operating system with networking (wi-fi), Google Play Store, and functional apps. You can play games, install apps, configure settings, test your apps, navigate the system, and anything else you can do with an Android device. Droid4x works on Windows and on Mac OS X. Android version 4.2.2 is the current version running on Droid4x.
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
8. Android Studio Emulator
Android Studio is a development IDE (Integrated development environment) from Google itself and especially caters to developers. It basically comes with a bunch of tools and plugins to help developers build and test their apps.Android Studio has a built-in emulator but packs fewer features in comparison to Genymotion. The emulator is unquestionably not for general usage and playing heavy games. Android Studio is tough to set up but simultaneously favorite of many developers.
For a complete setup and installation instructions, we would recommend you read through the following tutorials:
- First, download and install the latest Android Studio.
- Second, install and setup Android 10 emulator.
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
9. Remix OS
Well, Remix OS is nothing like other Android emulators out there. It is an entire Android OS which you can boot into. Unlike the other emulators that can easily on top of the Window, Remix OS needs to be installed on a separate partition.Remix OS is a Jide Technology product, a company formed by Google’s former employees. You can put Remix OS on a USB device and boot from there to any computer on the planet. The Android emulator is good for productivity apps but does not support heavy gaming.Although Jide technology has killed its support, you can still download the last Android Marshmallow version. Meanwhile, a similar project known as Phoenix OS is being well-liked among the Remix OS fans. And recently, the project was updated to Android 7 Nougat.
Compatibility: Windows PC only
10. ARChon
ARChon is not some big shot Android emulator, nor it has a huge fan following, it’s more of a fix to run Android apps on Chrome OS.It started out when Google brought support for two or three Android apps on Chrome Web Browser. Following which, a GitHub developer took it a little notch further and released ARChon to run all Android apps on Chrome.The ARChon Android emulator is not suited for hardcore gaming, but it is excellent for using productivity app due to its easy access
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
11. Bliss OS
Bliss OS is a little different from the above emulators. Where ‘Android Emulators’ emulate Android on your Windows PC, Bliss OS, on the other hand, is Android itself and needs to be installed as a separate OS. As for its installation, you could use a Virtual Box or you can create a bootable USB drive and install the Bliss OS ROM on the external storage.Now, installing Bliss OS or any other Android x86 based projects is always better if you are looking for the exact Android experience on your PC. Not to mention the fact is Bliss OS is open source and don’t encompass ads or any Android emulator clutter.
Compatibility: Windows PC only
12. Phoenix OS
Phoenix OS is a big-screen Android operating system that can run on bigger display screens like a computer monitor. This OS is designed with Android at the backend, but is customized to run like a full desktop platform. And most importantly, it has been optimized to run Android games on PC. Phoenix OS also support keymapping for all popular games like PUBG Mobile, Fortnite and other FPS / MOBA games. You can download and install Phoenix in a virtual environment on any laptop or MacBook easily. This emulator is available in two variants. One is based on Android 7.1 Nougat and one is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop.
Compatibility: Windows PC, Mac, Linux
This was a detailed look at different Android emulators available for computers — Mac, Windows and Linux systems. Do you think we missed any? Let us know in the comments!