Best Commodore 64 Emulators in 2026
Updated
In short: VICE is ranked #1 of 30 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Breadbin466 and Buddi. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Breadbin466.
If you want to run Commodore 64 software, compare emulated C64 variants and the disk and tape formats each emulator supports. The entries are also compared on built-in debugger, bundled software library, netplay support, and supported platforms. VICE, Breadbin466, and Buddi are among the names to explore. Consider which formats and features fit your intended use, and whether you need support for a particular device or online play. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing provide additional licensing details to weigh.
30 Commodore 64 emulators ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
6 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VICEWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | Breadbin466Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 3 | BuddiWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 4 | FrodoWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | VirtualC64Web · Mac | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | C64 ForeverWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 7 | emudoreWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 8 | Z64KWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 9 | CCS64Windows · Linux | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 10 | ViciiousWeb · Linux | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 11 | minimal64Web · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 12 | Power64Mac | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 13 | C64 by ChronoCodersWindows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 14 | Emu64Windows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 15 | TRX64Windows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 16 | Zinc64Windows · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 17 | C64netWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 18 | DeniseWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 19 | Hoxs64Windows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 20 | jsc64Web | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 21 | POKE64iPhone | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 22 | simple-emu-c64Web | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 23 | ViceSharpWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 24 | Atari 5200DSNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 25 | BMC64No platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which Commodore 64 emulator is ranked first on Freedom251?
VICE is ranked #1 of 30 with a score of 6.7. Breadbin466 is second and Buddi third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.