Side by side
Hemulator vs mGBA
Both stand on game boy advance emulators. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Hemulator offers customizable emulation and developer tools without a listed price. System support varies, and users need to supply their own legally obtained ROM files.
Visit Hemulator
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
mGBA covers three Game Boy systems and has desktop and listed homebrew builds. Consider its compatibility and controller limitations, especially if you need DS support or unsupported adapters.
Visit mGBAThe facts
| Hemulator | mGBA | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | mgba.io |
| On game boy advance emulators | #10 of 29 | #14 of 29 |
Hemulator: what it does well
- Free and open-source for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Lists 17 emulated systems.
- Provides five save-state slots per game.
- Includes software and OpenGL CRT effects.
- Headless tools support tracing and benchmarking.
What to know first
- System support is at different development stages.
- Users must provide their own legally obtained ROMs.
- NES games using unsupported mappers will not work.
- No macOS package is listed in the download guide.
mGBA: what it does well
- Free and open-source under MPL 2.0.
- Supports Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color.
- Desktop downloads include Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Built-in Lua scripting starts with version 0.10.
- Supports several GBA peripherals.
What to know first
- Game Boy and Game Boy Color support still has bugs.
- DS emulation has poor compatibility.
- Wireless, IR, and Soul Adapters are unsupported.
- FAQ describes controller support as lackluster.
Alternatives to Hemulator Alternatives to mGBA The whole list