Stella

Windows · Mac · Linux

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Freedom report

Three barsScore 6.5

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely3 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Stella is ranked #6 of 21 in Atari emulators on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

Stella plans and pricing

All plans

Stella Free Atari 2600 VCS emulation · donations are voluntary stella-emu.github.io · 3 Oct 2026

Compared on Atari emulators

Free plan: Yes
Atari systems: Atari 2600 VCS
Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Save states: Yes
Controller remapping: Yes

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The record

Purpose: Stella is software that emulates the Atari 2600 VCS so users can play its games on a computer.
License: Stella is released under the GNU General Public License and is described as open-source and free software.
Emulation: Features include cycle-exact TIA video and sound emulation, stereo sound support, and dynamic sound resampling.
Controllers: Stella emulates Atari and other controllers using a computer keyboard, joystick, or mouse, and supports real Atari controllers through Stelladaptor and 2600-daptor devices.
Game formats: Stella supports A26, BIN, and ROM images, including images stored in ZIP files, and supports Supercharger games.
Save features: Stella supports saving and loading system states, automatic timeline recording, and high-score saving.
Debugger: Stella includes a debugger with static analysis using the Distella disassembler and runtime analysis of code, graphics, and data sections.
Display: Stella supports NTSC, PAL, and SECAM television standards, plus customizable CRT-style filtering and bezels.
Download platforms: The listed stable downloads include Windows binaries, a macOS disk image, an Ubuntu 22.04 DEB package, and source code for all systems.
Requirements: The guide lists SDL 2.0.14 or later and 256 MB of RAM for emulation among its general requirements.
Intended users: The project says one of its main goals is to help Atari 2600 homebrew developers, and describes playing a game as plug and play.
Maintenance: Stephen Anthony is the current maintainer, and the listed team also includes Christian Speckner and Thomas Jentzsch.
Donations: Donations are voluntary; the project says monetary contributions go toward purchasing hardware and cartridges for testing.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Atari Emulators in 2026#6 of 21

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Sources

stella-emu.github.io· checked 3 Oct 2026
stella-emu.github.io/donations.html· checked 3 Oct 2026
stella-emu.github.io/docs/index.html· checked 3 Oct 2026
stella-emu.github.io/downloads.html· checked 3 Oct 2026
stella-emu.github.io/theteam.html· checked 3 Oct 2026