Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience real numbers from our own analytics — open to see them
–Visitors
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · counted by iTechGuides's own first-party analytics, bots removed, every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Game Boy Advance Emulators

mGBA vs GSE

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score mGBA #1 in Game Boy Advance Emulators 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit mGBA
GSE #6 in Game Boy Advance Emulators 6.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit GSE

mGBA leads on 0 checks, GSE on 2, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoremGBA · 9.0/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresGSE · 3 of 5

mGBA scores higher on our rubric for game boy advance emulators: 9.0 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #6.

GSE offers save states; mGBA doesn't publish it. GSE offers graphics enhancements; mGBA doesn't publish it.

mGBA is the better fit for desktop users wanting a complete open-source emulator. GSE is the better fit for speedrunners needing accurate timing and logging.

  • mGBA fits best

    Desktop users wanting a complete open-source emulator

  • GSE fits best

    Speedrunners needing accurate timing and logging

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature mGBA 9.0/10 Visit ↗ GSE 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 6.9
Ranking #1 in Game Boy Advance Emulators #6 in Game Boy Advance Emulators
Best for Desktop users wanting a complete open-source emulator Speedrunners needing accurate timing and logging
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features mGBA 1/5 · GSE 3/5
Save states Not published ✓ (best)
Link multiplayer Not published Not published
Cheat support Not published —
Graphics enhancements Not published ✓ (best)
Open source ✓ ✓
Specs
Platform scope Not published Desktop and mobile
Our review
Pros
  • Supports Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color
  • Emulates peripherals, saves, cheats, scripting, and graphics upscaling
  • Includes map and frame inspection for debugging workflows
  • Console-accurate timing for supported Game Boy Advance speedruns
  • Input logging and 100 savestate slots support run verification
  • Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android releases
Cons
  • No netplay support
  • Official Android and iOS versions are not currently available
  • Link-cable support is partial
  • No cheat support
  • Its design prioritizes speedrunning over general-purpose emulation
  • The feature set is narrower than a broader gaming-focused emulator
Our verdict

mGBA is a free, open-source emulator for Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color software. It is aimed at desktop users on Windows, macOS, and Linux, while also offering homebrew downloads for Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Wii, and…

Read the review →

GSE is a free, open-source emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games. Its primary audience is speedrunners, especially those who need accurate timing, consistent frame pacing, low input latency, input logging, and…

Read the review →
  1. mGBAGame Boy Advance Emulators 9.0Free plan
  2. GSEGame Boy Advance Emulators 6.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • mGBA — where it wins

    • Supports Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color
    • Emulates peripherals, saves, cheats, scripting, and graphics upscaling
    • Includes map and frame inspection for debugging workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • No netplay support
    • Official Android and iOS versions are not currently available
    • Link-cable support is partial

  • GSE — where it wins

    • Console-accurate timing for supported Game Boy Advance speedruns
    • Input logging and 100 savestate slots support run verification
    • Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android releases

    Where it doesn't

    • No cheat support
    • Its design prioritizes speedrunning over general-purpose emulation
    • The feature set is narrower than a broader gaming-focused emulator
  • mGBA9.0/10 · Free plan

    A free, open-source desktop emulator with broad emulation and debugging tools.

    Visit mGBAFull verdict →
  • GSE6.9/10 · Free plan

    A focused, free emulator for speedrunners who need timing accuracy and run verification.

    Visit GSEFull verdict →

More comparisons

All game boy advance emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Guides on game boy advance emulators

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update