Atari800 vs Stella

AAtari8009.4Visit Stella8.5Visit

Higher score A Atari800 #1 in Atari Emulators 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Atari800

vs

Stella #7 in Atari Emulators 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Stella

• Atari800 fits best

  Broad Atari computer and 5200 emulation

• Stella fits best

  Atari 2600 users wanting mature desktop tools

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Side by side

Feature	AAtari800 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Stella 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.5
Ranking	#1 in Atari Emulators	#7 in Atari Emulators
Best for	Broad Atari computer and 5200 emulation	Atari 2600 users wanting mature desktop tools
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Atari800 3/4 · Stella 2/4
Save states	✓	✓
Netplay	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Controller remapping	✓	✓
BIOS required	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Atari systems	Atari 400, 800, 1200XL, 600XL, 800XL, 65XE, 130XE, 800XE, XE Game System, 5200 SuperSystem	Atari 2600 VCS
Supported platforms	Linux, Windows, macOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux
Our review
Pros	Emulates Atari 400/800-family systems and the 5200 Supports disk, cartridge and cassette images Save states, controller remapping and four platform builds	Free, open-source Atari 2600 VCS emulation Time Machine saves, remapping, and high-score saving Debugger, CRT effects, launcher, and peripheral support
Cons	Required ROM files must be obtained separately No official netplay feature Broad configuration may require emulator knowledge	Focused on Atari 2600 VCS rather than multiple Atari systems Desktop platforms only: Windows, macOS, and Linux Advanced debugging features may exceed casual players’ needs
Our verdict	Atari800 is a free, open-source emulator for Atari 8-bit computers and the Atari 5200 console. Its supported systems include the Atari 400, 800, 1200XL, 600XL, 800XL, 65XE, 130XE, 800XE, XE Game System and 5200 SuperSystem. Builds are… Read the review →	Stella is a free, open-source emulator for Atari 2600 VCS games, aimed at players, preservation-minded users, and developers inspecting Atari 2600 software. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and loads supported ROM images through an… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Atari800 — where it wins

  • Emulates Atari 400/800-family systems and the 5200
  • Supports disk, cartridge and cassette images
  • Save states, controller remapping and four platform builds

  Where it doesn't

  • Required ROM files must be obtained separately
  • No official netplay feature
  • Broad configuration may require emulator knowledge

• Stella — where it wins

  • Free, open-source Atari 2600 VCS emulation
  • Time Machine saves, remapping, and high-score saving
  • Debugger, CRT effects, launcher, and peripheral support

  Where it doesn't

  • Focused on Atari 2600 VCS rather than multiple Atari systems
  • Desktop platforms only: Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Advanced debugging features may exceed casual players’ needs

• AAtari8009.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad, free Atari emulator with cycle-exact hardware support and flexible media handling.

  Visit Atari800Full verdict →
• Stella8.5/10 · Free plan

  A capable free Atari 2600 emulator for desktop play, inspection, and development.

  Visit StellaFull verdict →