ByBarbara ThompsonUpdated
An Android emulator is a software application that allows your mobile to imitate Android OS features into your PC. It allows you to install Android Apps on your computer or laptop and use them natively. It is mainly used for debugging purposes.
Following is a handpicked list of Top Android Emulator, with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source(free) and commercial(paid) software.
Top Pick
BlueStacks is the safest and fastest Android emulator in the market, with phenomenal support and frequent upgrades. It comes loaded with game-specific controls, customizations and top features.
Top Android Emulator for Windows PC, Mac
| Name | Supported Platform | Free Trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlueStacks | Windows, and macOS | Lifetime Free Basic Plan | Learn More |
| LDPlayer | Windows | Lifetime Free | Learn More |
| NoxPlayer | Windows, Android and iOS | Lifetime Free Basic Plan | Learn More |
| Memu | Android, iOS, Windows and Mac | Lifetime Free Basic Plan | Learn More |
| Genymotion | Windows, Linux and Mac | 30-Days Free Trial | Learn More |
#1) BlueStacks
BlueStacks is the world’s most popular Android emulator. It offers custom key mapping for keyboard configurations. It is the only gaming platform to have Android 11 support. With the convenience of keyboard and mouse, BlueStacks helps you to improve your target and reaction time while playing a game with the keyboard and mouse. One of the biggest strengths of BlueStacks is it provides game-specific customizations enhancing gameplay and game experience.
Features:
- You can play multiple games simultaneously.
- It supports Android 11, the highest Android version
- Record and replay any action in real-time.
- Offers Native Gamepad Support, Performance Modes, Trim Memory, Performance Modes, Trim Memory, Script, High FPS, High Definition, Utility, and UTC Converter
- Available for Microsoft Windows 10 (version 1903 and above) and Windows 11, Mac
- Gamers can play top games at the highest FPS, say 90 and 120 fps
- Play popular games like State of Survival, Zombie War, RAID: Shadow Legends, MARVEL Strike Force – Squad RPG, Evony, The King’s Return, Merge Dragons!, Arknights, Tower Defense, Frost & Flame: King of Avalon, Noah’s Heart, Star Trek Fleet Command, The Lord of the Rings: War, Land of Empires: Immortal, Kingdom Maker and Summoners War.
- Minimum system requirements for installing Bluestacks – Intel/Nvidia/ATI, Onboard or Discrete GPU with benchmark score >= 750.
- Minimum RAM requirements – 4GB
- Runs on Android 9, 10 and latest supports Android 11
- It provides customer support via Email, Chat, Reddit, and social media
- Multi-Touch Support: Yes
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Windows, and macOS
- Price: Request a Quote from Sales
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free Basic Plan
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| You can run almost all of your Android apps with this device | It may not work well on low-end PCs or laptops |
| Integrated with Play and Win, one can win exciting prizes by doing quests and missions | Ads are included in the application but comes with the option to disable them |
| Easy to use and set up, with a sleek design and user interface | |
| It can run multiple instances | |
| Multiple games can be played at the same time | |
| Support for multiple accounts |
Lifetime Free Basic Plan
#2) LDPlayer
LDPlayer offers an ideal Android emulation system. It provides plenty of comprehensive features to fulfill every which is performed by any Android device.
Features:
- You can download Android Games and apps from pre-installed LD Store or Google Play.
- It helps you to manage your gaming automatically.
- Offers custom control with keyboard and mouse
- It allows you to open several games simultaneously.
- Offers Function Instruction, Virtual Phone Model, Device Optimization, Network Bridging, Gamepad Support, Data Recovery/Backup and Game Troubleshooting
- Play popular games like Arknights, Garena Free Fire, 5th Anniv, Ragnarok X, Bang Bang, Clash of Clans, etc.
- Minimum system requirements for installing LDPlayer – NVIDIA GeForce, Intel or AMD Processor x86 / x64
- Minimum RAM requirements – 2GB
- Available for Windows XP XP3 / Win7 / Win8 / Win8.1 / Win10
- Running on Android 3.0, 4.0, 9.0 or above
- It provides customer support via Email
- Multi-Touch Support: Yes
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Windows
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Execution speed is fast and the code is lightweight | The audio quality seems low |
| Updates are available on a regular basis | Pubg mobile does not run smoothly |
| An easy way to access shortcuts for Android | |
| Supports tweaking the allocation of resources |
Lifetime Free
#3) NoxPlayer
Nox Player is another Android Emulator which is recognized by gaming lovers around the world. You can run this Emulator on various devices that allows running multiple functions.
Features:
- It is one of the best emulator for PC that offers open keyboard mapping running with a single click, all gaming controls on the mouse, and keyboard.
- Nox player comes with a default macro recorder to record the complex operations.
- It offers the best user experience and superior performance.
- Offers Customize Your Game, Play Different Games At The Same Time, Multi-Drive and Script Recording
- Available for Windows XP SP3 / Win7 / Win8 / WindowsVista / Win10
- Play popular games like Mobile Legends, Summoners War, State of Survival, Three Kingdoms Tactics, etc.
- Minimum system requirements for installing NoxPlayer – NVIDIA and AMD
- Minimum RAM requirements – 1.5GB
- Running on Android 5, Android 7, 9 or above
- It provides customer support via Phone and Email
- Multi-Touch Support: Yes
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Windows, Android and iOS
- Price: Plans start at $14.49 a month.
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free Basic Plan
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast, easy-to-use, and highly customizable | It is laggy when multiple windows are open at the same time |
| A great user experience is provided by this application | Security protocols are poor |
| Supports the use of a joystick and outline board | |
| Updates and bug fixes on a regular basis | |
| Supports multi-instances & Multiple windows on a single device | |
| The mapping of shortcuts on controllers |
Link: https://www.bignox.com/
#4) Memu
Memu is easy to install an Android emulator app. It is one of the best Android emulator for PC which offers support for Intel and AMD chips, as well as integrated and dedicated graphics.
Features:
- Range of keyboard mapping options to enhance your gaming experience.
- Provide an option for virtualization.
- It offers various dedicated keyboard settings for the fast gaming experience.
- Offers New UI design for a better user experience, Core-engine upgraded & great optimization, Ultimate optimization and Efficiency management
- Available for WinXP SP3 / Win7 / Win8 / Win10
- Play popular games like Garena Free Fire, Garena Free Fire Max, PUBG MOBILE, Stumble Guys: Multiplayer Royale, Melon Playground, Bus Simulator Indonesia, Call of Duty Mobile, Brawl Stars, Car Parking Multiplayer, etc.
- Minimum system requirements for installing Memu – Intel/Nvidia/ATI, Onboard or Discrete controller with PassMark score > 750.
- Minimum RAM requirements – 2GB
- Running on Android 7 or above
- It provides customer support via Email and Contact Form
- Multi-Touch Support: Yes
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows and Mac
- Price: Plans start at $2.99 a month.
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free Basic Plan
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| A custom key mapping feature is available | It does not work well on low-end computers |
| Set up your virtual location on Google Maps | It is limited to gaming only |
| Supports both AMD and NVidia graphics cards | |
| One-click rooting and installation of APK files | |
| In terms of gaming performance, it’s really good |
Link: https://www.memuplay.com/
#5) Genymotion
Genymotion is a multi-support Android emulator. The software helps you to speeds up testing, share live demos. You can also monitor performance across all devices.
Features:
- It offers high definition pixel compatibility, which provides better clarity on your PC.
- It is one of the best Android emulator for Linux that allows you to test the products in a secure virtual environment.
- It allows you to use a desktop webcam as the video source to record screencasts.
- This Android emulator for Ubuntu is capable of emulating more than 3000 Android device configurations like the Android version and screen size.
- This Android emulator for Mac has strong sensors, like GPS and multi-touch.
- Offers Compatibility, Simulate User Context And Actions, Automate & Save Time,
Performance, Scalability and Choice - Available for Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 and Linux Ubuntu 18.04LTS or 20.04LTS (64 bit)
- Minimum system requirements for installing Genymotion – NVIDIA or AMD GPUs
- Minimum RAM requirements – 4GB
- Running on Android 4.4 or above
- It provides customer support via Chat and Contact Form
- Multi-Touch Support: Yes
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux and Mac
- Price: Plans start at $0.50 per hour & device
- Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| The best Android emulators for developers | It is not suitable for gaming |
| Supports a wide range of Android versions | The Play Store is not included |
| It supports Android Studio | |
| A large library of emulated and custom devices is available |
Link: https://www.genymotion.com/
#6) PrimeOS
PrimeOS emulator provides a complete desktop experience the same as Mac OS or Windows with access to many Android applications. This Android Emulator is designed to bring you both worlds – a complete fusion of Android and PC.
Features:
- Support for dual boot with a single click with a PrimeOS installer.
- It combines the Android ecosystem with the system interface to provide a great gaming experience.
- It offers high performance when compared to the Windows budget system.
- Offers Multitasking, Android App Compatibility, Device Management and security and Productive for Students
- Available for 64-bit Windows 7 or later
- Play popular games like Call of Duty, FIFA, Battlegrounds and more.
- Minimum system requirements for installing PrimeOS – Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
- Minimum RAM requirements – 4GB
- Running on Android 7, Android 11 or above
- It provides customer support via Email, Phone, Chat and Contact Form
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Windows
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Multiple windows are supported | A number of ads |
| It has a beautiful user interface | There is no one-click installation |
| Runs directly on the hardware and works as a separate operating system | Full-screen support is not available |
| Play Android games on your PC | |
| A key mapping tool will improve performance. |
Link: https://primeos.in/
#7) Android-x86
Android X86 is an open-source platform. This is an open-source Android emulator which is licensed under Apache Public License 2.0.
Features:
- Provide WiFi support with GUI.
- Power Suspend/resume (S3 mode)
- V4l2 Camera support.
- It offers support for netbook native resolution.
- Allows mirror mode on external monitors.
- External storage automount support.
- Support external keyboard
- Offers Wifi support with GUI, Software mouse cursor, Mouse wheel, Support netbook native resolution, Audio (ALSA), V4l2 Camera support, Mirror mode on external monitors, Bluetooth and G-sensor, etc.
- Available for 64-bit Windows 7 or later
- Play popular games like Blackjack and more.
- Minimum system requirements for installing Android-x86 – VT-x or AMD-V
- Minimum RAM requirements – 2GB
- Running on Android 10
- It provides customer support via Email
- Multi-Touch Support: Yes
- ARM Support: Yes
- Battery Status: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Windows
- Free Trial: Open Source Project Download for Free
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Provides stable support for devices. | Performance is slow. |
| Providing high performance. | |
| It is easy to use. | |
| Using an open source operating system |
Link: https://www.android-x86.org/
#8) ARChon
ArChone is Google’s official App Runtime for Chrome package. This streamlined Emulator has the ability to run any Android app as a ChromeOS app.
Features:
- Very lightweight because it is integrated with Google Chrome.
- You can use it with all operating systems.
- It is one of the best Linux Android emulators that provide support for the latest Android system.
- This Android emulator Linux can be used for all applications and Android games.
- Available for Chrome OS 64-bit
- Minimum system requirements for installing ARChon – Intel x86 Chrome 64-bit
- Minimum RAM requirements – 2GB
- Running on Android 2.1.0 or above
- It provides customer support via Reddit Community and ARChon Issue Tracker
- ARM Support: Yes
- Supported Platforms: Linux and Windows
- Free Trial: Open Source Project Free to Download
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| It is integrated into Chrome | Minimum developer support |
| It is lightweight and open source | It is not updated on a regular basis |
| It’s good for apps that make productivity easier |
Link: https://archon-runtime.github.io/
#9) Ko Player
Ko player is an Android emulator tool that helps users gain the quality Android playing experience on their Windows PC or Mac. The main focus of this Emulator is to provide a lag-free gaming experience to its users.
Features:
- It allows you to take advantage of all the features and functions of Android without owning any device.
- Ko player has simple, easy to use, and interactive user interface.
- The built-in video recording allows you to record your favorite videos and enjoy them at your convenient time.
- This Android app emulator also allows you to record videos.
- Enhance gaming performance.
- You can record and share your gameplay with your friends or anyone you want.
- It comes with an inbuilt Google Play Store, thus giving you access to any app you want.
- Offer gamepad, keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera and other peripheral devices
- Available for Windows 7 and above
- Play popular games like Call of Duty, Subway Surfers, Battlegrounds and more.
- Minimum system requirements for installing Ko Player – Dual core AMD or Intel CPU
- Minimum RAM requirements – 2GB
- Running on Android 4 or above
- It provides customer support via Email
- Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use UI and easy to set up | No customization options for usability |
| It enables you to record videos as well | |
| Full access to Play Store |
Link: https://koplayerpc.com/
#10) Droid4x
Droid4X is an Android emulator developed for Windows PC that allows you to user-run mobile applications and games using on a desktop. This Emulator supports most of the games available in the play store.
Features:
- It helps you to complete user experience on PC and supports the touch screen computer to work across devices.
- This Emulator allows you to customize controls as per their needs and can directly download the app to the Emulator.
- This Android emulator for Windows 10 provides supports for keyboard and gamepad for the quick configuration of games.
- Offers Compatibility, Downloads, Recorder and Developers
- Available for Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
- Play popular games like Clash of Clans or Subway Surfers and many other popular android games
- Minimum system requirements for installing Droid4x – XP or higher
- Minimum RAM requirements – 2GB
- Running on Android 4.2. or above
- It provides customer support via Email
- Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac
- Free Trial: Lifetime Free
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Runs games smoothly without lagging or throttling. | The gyro sensor does not work |
| Customization of the GamePad and Keyboard is supported | It does not support widgets |
| Great gameplay with a very responsive touchscreen | |
| The software is fully secure and safe for your devices |
Link: https://droid4x.cc/
FAQ
❓ What is Android Emulator?
An Android emulator is a software application that allows your mobile to imitate Android OS features into your PC. It allows you to install Android Apps on your computer or laptop and use them natively. It is mainly used for debugging purposes.
🏅 Which are the Best Android Emulators for PC?
Here are some of the best Android emulators for PC:
- BlueStacks – Best for Hybrid cloud or local PC
- LDPlayer – Best for Gamers Like Free Fire, PubG, CoC
- NoxPlayer
- Memu
- Genymotion
- PrimeOS
- Android-x86
⚡ What are the benefits of using Android Emulator software?
Here are some other reasons for using Android Emulator:
- It will have a larger display thus also offers better controls to use applications in computers.
- You don’t need to care about the battery life of your Android devices.
- PCs are highly powerful than Android devices so that it can handle HD games and videos at a decent speed.
💻 How do Android Emulators Work?
Android Emulators work on the principle of platform virtualization for both hardware and software. The AVD manager (Android Virtual Device) helps you to set up and do the configurations for virtual Android devices.
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FAQs
Which is the No 1 Android emulator for PC? ›
1. BlueStacks. BlueStacks is undoubtedly one of the best Android emulators that you can find on Windows. It not only covers gaming but as a general user, if you want to enjoy Android apps on Windows PC then BlueStacks is a great emulator at your disposal.
What is the lightest Android emulator Windows 11? ›LDPlayer is a recent option if compared to the others and it does deserve a spot in our list of the most lightweight Android emulators for PC. It does what it promises, letting users install and enjoy any of the best Android games or the best mobile multiplayer games on their computers with ease!
Does Windows 11 have an Android emulator? ›Your Windows 11 install likely doesn't include one of the most-anticipated features of the operating system — native Android emulation. This allows you to run Android apps directly on your PC.
Is there a better Android emulator than BlueStacks? ›1. Nox player. If you're looking for a BlueStacks alternative, the Nox player won't be a bad option. Its brilliant Android emulator makes it simple to download and play Android games on your PC and Mac.
What is the most powerful Android emulator? ›- MEmu Play.
- Remix OS Player.
- LDPlayer.
- Noxplayer.
- BlueStacks.
- GameLoop.
- Genymotion.
- ARChon.
- NoxPlayer.
- LDPlayer.
- Droid4X (For 2GB RAM PC)
- MeMu Play (2GB RAM Only)
- Andy (3GB RAM)
- Genymotion (64 Bit Emulator)
- An Alternative Tool to Play Game on Low-End PC.
- Final Verdict & FAQs about Android Emulator.
MSI is the best Android emulator for low end PC and functions similarly to the latest version of BlueStack. MSI emulator minimum requirements are 2 GB of RAM, 5GB of hard disk, and Graphics card OpenGL 2.1 intel. You can use this lowend PC emulator on Windows 7, 8, and 10.
Does Windows 11 need BlueStacks? ›With that being said, If you're planning on upgrading to Windows 11 and want to continue playing Android games on PC, then BlueStacks and BlueStacks X are your best bet as it will let you play your games, without the need to compromise the security of your PC by disabling Hyper-V.
Which is the No 1 emulator? ›#1) BlueStacks
BlueStacks is the world's most popular Android emulator. It offers custom key mapping for keyboard configurations. It is the only gaming platform to have Android 11 support.
LDPlayer is considered one of the best Android emulators for gaming. Because of its high speed and stability, it is widely used to play Android games. Moreover, the multitasking feature lets you open multiple windows simultaneously. Unlike other Android emulators on Windows, LDPlayer does not contain too many ads.
Can I install Android APK on Windows 11? ›
Windows 11 has confirmed to support running Android apps in its new versions in February 2022, and now the public is able to install APK on Windows 11 and run favored Android apps through Microsoft Store. So how to install APK to sideload and run the Android app on Windows 11?
Which emulator has the best performance? ›- Comparison of Top 5 Android Emulators for PC and MAC.
- #1) LDPlayer.
- #2) BlueStacks Emulator.
- #3) Android Studio Emulator.
- #4) Remix OS Player Emulator.
- #5) Nox Player Emulator.
- #6) MEmu Emulator.
- #7) Ko Player.
- Genymotion. ...
- MEmu. ...
- Android Studio. ...
- Bliss OS. ...
- Remix OS Player. ...
- ARChon. Free Android emulator for small, non-gaming projects. ...
- BlueStacks. Popular Android emulator with low RAM usage. ...
- KoPlayer. Android emulator that prioritizes stability through new kernel technology.
Nox Player
prop, and a completely user-friendly interface are just some of the things where Nox Player outshines Bluestacks. It is based on Android Nougat 7.0 and sports the Material UI. But one factor where Nox Player truly scores over Bluestacks is root access.
Games such as Call of Duty Warzone and Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) recommend playing with 16GB RAM.
Which emulator is best for 16GB RAM PC? ›Answer. BlueStacks. BlueStacks is undoubtedly one of the best Android emulators that you can find on Windows. ...
Which emulator has no lag? ›LDPlayer. If lag is an important aspect for you, especially with all the online mobile games flooding the market, you can't just use any no-name emulator. That's precisely why LDPlayer is at the top of our list because playing Android games on your PC will feel the same as playing a native PC game.
What is the fastest lightest Android emulator? ›- Android Emulator under 50MB. 1.1. Droid4x (8.3 MB) 1.2. Genymotion (34.4 MB) 1.3. Leapdroid (1 MB)
- Android Emulator under 500MB. 2.1. LDPlayer (326 MB) 2.2. Nox Player (379 MB) 2.3. YouWave (146.65 MB) 2.4. Bluestacks (434 MB)
FAQ 2: Does an emulation PC require a powerful CPU? Yes, but not always. The CPU is definitely the biggest factor in the ability of your PC to play games on emulators, as it does all or most of the simulation of the console hardware.
How much RAM should I give the Android emulator? ›However, the heap size should not be less than 12 MB. o Depending on your computer specs, the recommended ram size is in the range between 512 MB – 1024 MB. Although you can give more ram to the emulator but an actual android device would normally have 512 MB – 1024 MB for ram only.
Is Android Windows 11 better than BlueStacks? ›
So yeah, Android apps on Windows 11 need the WSA to run apps, and it does seem to require more RAM for smooth performance. Overall, Bluestacks seems to be the better choice in terms of performance and optimization when compared to Android apps support on Windows 11.
Why won't BlueStacks work on Windows 11? ›If your Windows 10/11 PC cannot meet the minimum system requirements, BlueStacks cannot open and work on the machine. Let's see the requirements below (take BlueStacks 5 as an example): OS: Windows 7 and above. CPU: Intel or AMD processor.
Why is BlueStacks not opening on Windows 11? ›Check if Virtualization is enabled. Ensure that your PC fulfills the minimum system requirements. Increase the allocated CPU cores and RAM to BlueStacks. Configure your antivirus correctly as it may be interfering with BlueStacks.
Does Microsoft have an Android emulator? ›Deeply-integrated debugging for cross-platform and Android projects. The Visual Studio Emulator for Android is included when you install Visual Studio to develop for Android, iOS, and Windows—all from one code base using familiar languages such as C#, JavaScript, and C++.
Is NOX or BlueStacks better? ›BlueStacks triumphs over most emulators, even NOX, because of its CPU/RAM usage, frames per second, load time, and app compatibility. The performance and speed of NOX decay over time.
Which is the No 1 Android game? ›Candy Crush Saga. It is one of the most popular mobile games in 2022.
Which is better BlueStacks 5 or 10? ›You should download BlueStacks 5 if you want a pure Android emulation experience on PC. BlueStacks 10, on the other hand, is perfect if your computer is on the lower end. That's the most basic answer possible.