The Best SNES Emulators in 2026
These SNES emulators were researched from official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation, then ranked on the category’s core job, value for money and verified features. Compare platform coverage, enhancement tools and multiplayer support to find the right emulator for Super Nintendo and Super Famicom games.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Snes9x#1 of 299.4/10A free, open-source SNES emulator with broad hardware, graphics, save, and cheat support.
Free plan
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Runner-up
bsnes#2 of 299.2/10A feature-rich, open-source SNES emulator for users who value platform coverage.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
bsnes-mercury Accuracy#3 of 298.8/10A focused SNES/SFC core with netplay, rewind and cross-platform Libretro support.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 29 tools, best first
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Best forMost SNES players on desktop and Android
A free, open-source SNES emulator with broad hardware, graphics, save, and cheat support.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Snes9x -
Best forSNES users wanting broad platform coverage
A feature-rich, open-source SNES emulator for users who value platform coverage.
- Shader support
- Cheat support
- Rewind
9.2/10★★★★★Visit bsnes -
Best forCross-platform SNES users who want netplay
A focused SNES/SFC core with netplay, rewind and cross-platform Libretro support.
- RetroAchievements
- Online multiplayer
- Cheat support
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Libretro -
Best forUsers wanting a broad multi-platform emulator hub
A broad, free emulator hub with unified controls, scanning, shaders, and netplay.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit RetroArch -
Best forFree Android and Linux SNES emulation
A focused, free SNES emulator with strong input, save, cheat, and archive support.
- Shader support
- Cheat support
- Rewind
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Snes9x EX+ -
Best forLibretro users wanting simple SNES netplay
A focused SNES core with saves, rewind, netplay, and flexible display controls.
- Online multiplayer
- Rewind
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Libretro -
Best forSwitch users wanting a curated classic-game library
A focused classic-game library with rewind, saves, and online play on Nintendo Switch.
- Online multiplayer
- Rewind
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Nintendo -
Best forTool-assisted SNES gameplay and debugging
A free Windows and Linux emulator for SNES play, TAS recording, and debugging.
- RetroAchievements
- Shader support
- Cheat support
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit BizHawk -
Best forTechnical users wanting a broad open-source emulator
A broad, free emulator with strong preservation features, though it is not SNES-specific.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit ares -
Best forAccuracy-focused classic-system emulation
A free, open-source choice for accurate Super Famicom emulation and preservation.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit higan -
Best forTAS and debugging enthusiasts
A desktop emulator built for TAS work, debugging, recording, and rollback netplay.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Nexen -
Best foriOS users wanting polished cloud-backed emulation
A polished iOS emulator with broad system support, library tools, saves, filters, and cloud sync.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Provenance -
Best forDesktop users wanting netplay and multi-system support
A free, open-source desktop emulator with broad system support and server-based netplay.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Mednafen -
Best forAndroid users wanting multiplayer and core variety
A free, open-source Android emulator with SNES support, multiplayer, and broad core coverage.
- Online multiplayer
- Shader support
- Rewind
7.0/10★★★★☆View Vortex -
Best forNintendo console owners using Wii hardware
Free, open-source SNES emulation with broad controller, storage, display and save options.
- Cheat support
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Snes9x GX -
Best forDevelopers debugging SNES emulation
A focused, open-source SNES emulator for developers who need deep debugging tools.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit SnesFox -
Best forWindows developers needing SNES debugging tools
A Windows-only emulator built for homebrew development, ROM hacking, and SNES debugging.
- Cheat support
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit bsnes-plus -
Best forAndroid users wanting simple mobile emulation
A free Android emulator with flexible controls, save states, and Dropbox support.
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit John NESS -
Best forAndroid users wanting a simple free library
A capable free Android emulator with library management, saves, and flexible controls.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Lemuroid -
Best forApple users wanting inexpensive multi-system emulation
An inexpensive Apple emulator with broad Nintendo support and modular add-ons.
- Online multiplayer
- Shader support
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit NiN10 -
Best foriOS users needing cloud imports and achievements
A feature-rich iOS emulator for SNES players who want cloud imports and achievements.
- RetroAchievements
- Online multiplayer
- Shader support
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Manic EMU -
Best forMac users wanting an organized emulator library
A polished Mac library for organizing and playing games across 31 systems.
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit OpenEmu -
Best forWeb and desktop users wanting lightweight emulation
A lightweight, cross-platform emulator with useful video and save controls.
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit jgenesis -
Best forBrowser users wanting a focused technical SNES core
A focused, open-source browser emulator with accurate CPU and audio foundations.
5.7/10★★★☆☆Visit rust-wasm-snes -
Best forUsers wanting minimal browser SNES emulation
A minimal, open-source SNES emulator for browser play and native execution.
5.6/10★★★☆☆Visit SNES Emulator -
Best forPlayStation 2 homebrew users
A feature-rich PS2 emulator for users who want SNES, NES, saves, and ROM browsing.
5.4/10★★★☆☆Try SNESticle Revive -
Best forDreamcast homebrew users
A focused Dreamcast SNES emulator with practical ROM, save, and display controls.
- Shader support
5.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Super Famicast -
Best forDesktop users exploring multi-system emulation
A desktop emulator for exploring 17 classic systems, with functional GBA support and developer tools.
5.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Hemulator -
Best forDevelopers needing command-line diff tools
A capable command-line diff pager, but not an SNES emulator.
2.0/10★☆☆☆☆Visit Delta
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snes9x | Yes | Free | 9.4 | |
| 2 | bsnes | Yes | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | 9.2 |
| 3 | bsnes-mercury Accuracy | Yes | Free | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | 8.8 |
| 4 | RetroArch | Yes | Free | 8.6 | |
| 5 | Snes9x EX+ | Yes | Free | Android, Linux | 8.2 |
| 6 | nSide Balanced | Yes | Free | Libretro frontend; RetroArch | 8.1 |
| 7 | Super Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics | No | $19.99/user/yr | Nintendo Switch | 7.9 |
| 8 | BizHawk | Yes | Free | Windows, Linux | 7.8 |
| 9 | ares | Yes | Free | 7.7 | |
| 10 | higan | Yes | Free | Windows, macOS, Ubuntu Linux, FreeBSD | 7.6 |
| 11 | Nexen | Free | 7.5 | ||
| 12 | Provenance | Yes | $39.99/yr | 7.4 | |
| 13 | Mednafen | Yes | Free | 7.3 | |
| 14 | Vortex Universal Emulator | Yes | Free | android | 7.0 |
| 15 | Snes9x GX | Yes | Free | Wii, Wii U, GameCube | 6.9 |
| 16 | SnesFox | Yes | Free | macOS, Windows | 6.8 |
| 17 | bsnes-plus | Free | Windows 64-bit | 6.7 | |
| 18 | John NESS | Yes | 6.3 | ||
| 19 | Lemuroid | Yes | Free | 6.2 | |
| 20 | NiN10 | Yes | $0.99 one-time | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision, Mac | 6.1 |
| 21 | Manic EMU | Free | iOS | 6.0 | |
| 22 | OpenEmu | Yes | Free | 5.9 | |
| 23 | jgenesis | Yes | Free | 5.8 | |
| 24 | rust-wasm-snes | Yes | Free | web | 5.7 |
| 25 | SNES Emulator | Free | web; native | 5.6 | |
| 26 | SNESticle Revive | Yes | Free | PlayStation 2 | 5.4 |
| 27 | Super Famicast | Free | Sega Dreamcast | 5.3 | |
| 28 | Hemulator | Yes | Free | 5.2 | |
| 29 | delta | Free | 2.0 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- Snes9x vs bsnes
- Snes9x vs bsnes-mercury Accuracy
- Snes9x vs RetroArch
- Snes9x vs Snes9x EX+
- Snes9x vs nSide Balanced
- Snes9x vs Super Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics
- Snes9x vs BizHawk
- bsnes vs bsnes-mercury Accuracy
- bsnes vs RetroArch
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How we rank SNES emulators
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update