Best Nintendo Switch Emulators in 2026
Updated
In short: Eden is ranked #1 of 19 as of 7 October 2026, ahead of NeXium and Ruzu. The best-ranked option with a free plan is NeXium.
Nintendo Switch emulators vary in their listed graphics options, play features, and platform support. Compared on graphics APIs and resolution scaling, the entries also show motion controls, online multiplayer, and save states. Supported platforms and source availability offer further compatibility and access details to consider, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing are additional comparison points. Eden, NeXium, and Ruzu are among the options shown, alongside Voland and Citron NEO. Check the features that matter for your setup and play requirements, then compare each entry’s listed capabilities rather than assuming every emulator supports the same combination.
19 Nintendo switch emulators ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
6 of the 19 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 | EdenWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | NeXiumWindows · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 3 | RuzuWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 4 | HydraWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 5 | VolandWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 6 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 6 | Citron NEOWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 7 | NuzuWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 8 | RyubingWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 9 | Ryujinx ClassicWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 10 | SumiWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 11 | TorzuWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | NxEmuWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 5.4 | |
| 13 | EggNSAndroid | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 14 | StratoAndroid | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 15 | AstrisMac | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 16 | Pineapple PicturesWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 5.2 | |
| 17 | HyjinxWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 18 | MeloNXiPhone | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 19 | OpenNativeAndroid | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
Compare all 19 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Source available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eden | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, macOS, Android | Yes |
| 2 | NeXium | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, Android | Yes |
| 3 | Ruzu | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck, Ubuntu | Yes |
| 4 | Hydra | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | Voland | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | web, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, visionOS, Android, Android TV, macOS, Windows, Linux, Xbox | Yes |
| 6 | Citron NEO | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, macOS, Android | Yes |
| 7 | Nuzu | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, macOS, Android | Yes |
| 8 | Ryubing | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes |
| 9 | Ryujinx Classic | 5.6 | No | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes |
| 10 | Sumi | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | Android, Windows, Linux | Yes |
| 11 | Torzu | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | Linux, Windows, Android, macOS | Yes |
| 12 | NxEmu | 5.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows | Yes |
| 13 | EggNS | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | Android | — |
| 14 | Strato | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | android | Yes |
| 15 | Astris | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | macOS | No |
| 16 | Pineapple Pictures | 5.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | — |
| 17 | Hyjinx | 5.1 | No | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 18 | MeloNX | 5.1 | No | — | — | — | iOS (iPhone and iPad) | Yes |
| 19 | OpenNative | 5.1 | No | — | Yes | — | Android ARM64 | Yes |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which Nintendo switch emulator is ranked first on Freedom251?
Eden is ranked #1 of 19 with a score of 6.7. NeXium is second and Ruzu third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 19 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.