Best Game Boy Emulators in 2026
Updated
In short: Virtual Jaguar is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of GBCC and SkyEmu. The best-ranked option with a free plan is GBCC.
A Game Boy emulator's fit depends on the games and devices you want to use. Compare supported systems and platforms, controller support and save states; real-time clock handling may also matter for particular games. Link cable emulation and netplay offer further criteria if connected play is relevant. Virtual Jaguar, GBCC and SkyEmu are among the entries to consider against your preferred setup. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing round out the comparison, so you can weigh compatibility, play features and cost together.
23 Game Boy emulators ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
8 of the 23 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 | Virtual JaguarWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.8 | |
| 2 | GBCCWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | SkyEmuWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 4 | binjgbWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | ChillyGBWeb · Windows · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 6 | Coffee GBWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 7 | GB Enhanced+Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | PyBoyWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 9 | GearlynxWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 10 | oxGBCWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 11 | BGBWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | PHPBoyWeb · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 13 | RetroGBmWindows · Android | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 14 | DocBoyWindows · Linux · Android | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 15 | GoBoyWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 16 | SameBoyWindows · Mac · Linux · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 17 | SDL2-GNUBoyWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 18 | GB-EMUWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 19 | Lynx.emuLinux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 20 | Pizza Boy CAndroid | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 21 | VaporBoyWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 22 | Gameboy by raphamorimMac | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | OcelotNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
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 Game Boy emulator is ranked first on Freedom251?
Virtual Jaguar is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 6.8. GBCC is second and SkyEmu third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 23 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.