Best Multi-System Emulators in 2026
Updated
In short: RetroArch is ranked #1 of 51 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of MAME and ares. The best-ranked option with a free plan is MAME.
For games spanning different platforms, emulator support and setup requirements are central to choosing an option. RetroArch, MAME and ares lead the ranked entries. Compare supported systems with Android and arcade support, and check whether a BIOS is required for the setup you have in mind. Netplay and shader or upscaling features offer further distinctions in play and presentation. License, free-plan availability and paid-from pricing also appear among the comparison points. Use the supported-systems details first to narrow down which entries may fit the games and devices you want to use.
51 multi-system emulators ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported systems | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  RetroArch | 7.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 2 |  MAME | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 3 |  ares | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | 34 | View |
| 4 |  Dolphin | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | 3 | View |
| 5 | Foxol | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 20 | View |
| 6 | Provenance | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 7 | OpenEmu | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | 31 | View |
| 8 |  Mednafen | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 17 | View |
| 9 | Lemuroid | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 23 | View |
| 10 |  Flycast | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | 4 | View |
| 11 |  FinalBurn Neo | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 |  VICE | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | 8 | View |
| 13 |  Happy Chick | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 18 | View |
| 14 |  AmiArcadia/WinArcadia | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 14 | View |
| 15 |  EmulatorJS | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | 36 | View |
| 16 |  Emu198x | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 30 | View |
| 17 | Delta | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 7 | View |
| 18 | QEMU | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 19 | DOSBox-X | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 20 |  jgenesis | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | 11 | View |
| 21 |  TeknoParrot | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 22 |  higan | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 23 |  Atari800 | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 24 |  Nexen | 6.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | 8 | View |
| 25 |  BizHawk | 6.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
Is your platform 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 multi-system emulator is ranked first on Inferse?
RetroArch is ranked #1 of 51 with a score of 7.6. MAME is second and ares third.
How many of these have a free plan?
11 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.