There are times when we wish to run our favourite games and apps on Windows PC or Mac, and it's possible via emulators. Relatively modern PCs are more capable of running Android apps and games without hiccups than your older Android device. Therefore, here's a curated list of 10 best Android emulators you can use on Windows and Mac.
1
BlueStacks 5
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BlueStacks needs no introduction. It's been the go-to choice for users new to Android emulation on Windows and Mac because it's extremely easy to use. The latest BlueStacks 5 is based on Android 11 and is easily one of the best emulators for running games like PUBG, Free Fire, Genshin Impact and more.
The emulator features built-in key mapping, macro recording and game pad support, allowing users to enjoy games in more ways. On the other hand, features like multi-instance manager allow users to run multiple games simultaneously in separate windows, making it ideal for multitasking.
BlueStacks 5 brings performance and compatibility improvements, and also consumes fewer resources, making it a great choice for users who don't have a dedicated GPU. While it's available for Mac, the emulator has historically lagged behind in terms of updates and due to macOS' stringent security policies. However, it is available for the newer Apple Silicon and reports suggest it performs well. Overall, it's easily one of the best Android emulators for PC and Mac.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Great for games | Resource extensive |
Features like customisable controls and multi-instance | Ads and bloat |
Excellent app compatibility | Not ideal for running apps |
Available for both Windows and macOS |
Pricing: Free
2
GameLoop
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GameLoop, formerly Tencent Gaming buddy, is an emulator meant especially for playing Android games. For those unaware, it's from the developers of a popular battle royale games, PUBG. While it can run the same effortlessly, it can also run other games like Roblox, Free Fire MAX, Genshin Impact and many more.
The emulator also markets itself as capable of running Android apps, primarily Art and Design apps, but the store selection is primarily centred around games, so you won't find many apps. One of the other best things about it is that it feels relatively cleaner with minimal bloat compared to BlueStacks, which some users would appreciate.
The emulator brings all the necessary features such as custom mapping, resource optimisation and built-in game recording. Besides, the app also gives you an option to install Google Play Store via a module. It's pretty much the go-to emulator if you play PUBG as it's more optimised for the same, but it also works for any other Android game as long as your PC's hardware is capable. Unfortunately, GameLoop is not available on Mac.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Optimised for Tencent games | Limited to gaming |
Fast and lightweight | Only available on Windows |
Feature-rich |
Pricing: Free
3
NoxPlayer
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NoxPlayer is available on both Windows and macOS and is targeted toward users who want to emulate both apps and games. The user interface is quite clean, making it great for both beginners and power users. The emulator is currently based on Android 9 with Android 12 being in Beta, which isn't great considering BlueStacks is based on Android 11 which is already half a decade old.
What sets NoxPlayer apart is the sheer amount of features on offer, including keyboard and gamepad mapping, multi-instance support and root access out of the box, which could come in handy for developers and power users. You also get a built-in macro recorder, screen capture tool and script support. It also offers decent performance on relatively old PCs and is considered pretty efficient.
However, most of NoxPlayer's criticism stems from the presence of bloatware and several controversies. Previous releases triggers anti-viruses due to the app installing bloatware against users' will, and the emulator's server was hacked back in 2021, with the attackers injecting malware. Therefore, while it's a feature-packed emulator, we'd recommend trying the above recommendations first. While NoxPlayer is available on Windows, support for Apple Silicon is missing. However, it is supported on older Intel-powered Macs.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Easy APK sideloading | No Apple Silicon support |
Root access support | Ads and bloatware |
Multi-instance and macro reorder support | Old Android version |
Pricing: Free
4
Google Play Games
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Playing Android games via an emulator from the makers of Android is the way to go for great compatibility and privacy. Unlike other emulators that have their own storefronts, Google Play Store on Google Play Games allows you to directly download and play games, hassle-free. While Play Games only lets you play Android games, the Google Play Games emulator can let you run apps with support for sideloading, so if you're a developer, you might want to try that instead.
While Play Games isn't as feature-rich as the above emulators on the list, it does feature keyboard and mouse support and seamless syncing. Google has also added game pad support for games that support it. Unfortunately, Google Play Games is only available on Windows, with no word on potential macOS release.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Official and safe to use | No Mac support |
Cross-platform sync | Game support is still limited |
Keyboard and mouse support | Can't run apps |
Fast and lightweight |
Pricing: Free
5
MEmu Play
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MEmu Play is a powerful Android emulator for Windows that delivers high performance, making it great for gamers. With support for Intel and AMD, it's compatible with different hardware setups. The latest MEmu Play emulator release runs on Android 7.1.2 with access to Android 9 through downloadable image packages. The emulator is also loaded with features like key mapping customisation, multi-instance management, macro support, drag and drop APK installation and shared folders between Android and Windows for seamlessness.
MEmu is great for gaming, but it's not without drawbacks. The emulator is filled with ads and bloatware, and the UI feels cluttered. Users have reported game compatibility and performance issues throughout and with the multi-instance management. There's also no macOS variant, but despite that, it remains a decent choice to run Android apps and games on Windows PC.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Good gaming performance | Windows-only |
Keymapping and other customisations | Resource-heavy |
Drag and drop APK installation | Ads and bloatware |
Pricing: Free
6
Android Studio
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Android Studio and Android Virtual Device (AVD) are the go-to set of tools for app development, mainly because of their ease of use and setup. It's the official IDE for Android app development with robust tools for design, code editing and device emulation. Android Virtual Device manager lets you create and run emulated Android devices on your computer, allowing you to test apps across different Android versions.
While not exactly suited for gaming, Android Studio is an excellent tool for app developers, and the only tool they will need. AVD tends to be resource intensive and lacks any kind of gaming features found in the above emulators. Android Studio is available on both Windows and macOS, and is easily THE best tool to develop and test apps.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Official too to develop apps for Android | Resource-intensive |
Powerful Virtual Device | Not suited for gaming |
Available on Windows and macOS | Steep learning curve |
Great for app development |
Pricing: Free
7
Genymotion
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Genymotion is yet another powerful Android emulator primarily designed for app development and is not for gamers. Like AVD, it offers a wide range of virtual devices with different Android versions and hardware profiles. One of the differentiating features between AVD and Genymotion is cloud-based emulation via Genymotion Cloud, which allows you to run emulators in a web browser.
As mentioned earlier, Genymotion is not for gaming. It lacks Google Play Store and is quite resource-intensive. Therefore, you're better off using the emulators mentioned above for gaming purposes. Also, Genymotion is free for personal usage and is available on both Windows and macOS.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Great for app developers | Not free for commercial use |
Fast and lightweight | Not recommended for gaming |
Available on Windows and Mac |
Pricing: Free/ $149 (approximately Rs 12,800)/month
8
LDPlayer
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LDPlayer is optimized for gaming and is one of the best Android emulators for gaming. It stands out for its smoother gameplay and faster loading times with compatibility with popular titles like PUBG, Garena Free Fire Max and Genshin Impact. The emulator runs Android 9 with a host of gaming-features like custom key mapping, multi-instance manager, macro support and controller compatibility.
LDPlayer could be worth trying on PCs that are not too powerful, as it markets itself as a relatively lightweight emulator. While Windows is supported, there's no word on if it will ever be available on macOS. Also, it's worth noting that the emulator contains bundled software in its installer, which it may automatically install if you're not careful enough. Therefore, we recommend going through the setup very carefully.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Great for gaming | Windows-only |
Multi-instance support | Ads and bloatware |
Lightweight and easy to use | Reported compatibility issues |
Customisable |
Pricing: Free
9
PlayCover
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PlayCover is a completely open-source software and an iOS emulator that allows you to run iOS apps and games on Apple Silicon Mac with mouse, keyboard and controller support. It's essentially a wrapper that mimics an iPad and lets you play games like Genshin Impact and Free Fire Max with ease. The overall setup makes it feel more like a full-featured emulator. Setting up a game via PlayCover requires a decrypted IPA (iOS App Store Package), which could make it difficult for users, especially those new to the software, to get started.
Also, as you may have guessed, it only runs on Apple Silicon Macs. While users haven't reported any bans, you are still at risk of getting banned in your favourite games, which makes it a bit risky. However, if you're willing to take the risk, it's easily one of the best emulators to run games on macOS.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Runs iOS apps natively on Apple Silicon | Mac-only |
Great for gaming | Setup process could be complex |
Free and open source | Limited compatibility |
Feature-rich |
Pricing: Free
10
Bliss OS
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BlissOS is a fully-blown Android operating system with Google Play Store and a variety of features, making it one of the best ways to play Android games on a PC. The latest Bliss OS release is based on Android 13 and the built-in Play Store lets you install Android games. There are performance optimisations that ensure smoother usability on older hardware, and there's also support for hardware-accelerated video decoding.
By far the most challenging part about the OS is installing it on your PC. Since it's a full-fledged operating system, you may require prior experience of installing and dual-booting (if you want to keep your Windows install) in order to play Android games on your PC. It's more of a desktop OS replacement than a gaming emulator, but that doesn't mean it cannot run games. You should be able to run any Android game as long as you have a capable hardware.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Native Android on PC hardware | Complicated installation process |
Can run both apps and games | Limited compatibility with NVIDIA GPUs |
Completely free and open source |
Pricing: Free
So these were some of the best Android emulators for PC and Mac. If we had to pick a few, BlueStacks would be quite above on our list for both Windows and Mac, followed by GameLoop and Google Play Games for PC. For Android development, Android Studio is pretty much your best bet, followed by Genymotion. For Mac, PlayCover is great, but has its own drawbacks. Mac is definitely lacking in terms of emulation, but that's how it's always been. Currently, Windows remains the go-to platform for Android emulation.
