mGBA vs VisualBoyAdvance-M

mGBA9.0Visit VisualBoyAdvance-M8.2Visit

Higher score mGBA #1 in Game Boy Advance Emulators 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit mGBA

vs

VisualBoyAdvance-M #2 in Game Boy Advance Emulators 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit site

• mGBA fits best

  Desktop users wanting a complete open-source emulator

• VisualBoyAdvance-M fits best

  Cross-platform users needing linking and upscaling

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Side by side

Feature	mGBA 9.0/10 Visit ↗	VisualBoyAdvance-M 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.2
Ranking	#1 in Game Boy Advance Emulators	#2 in Game Boy Advance Emulators
Best for	Desktop users wanting a complete open-source emulator	Cross-platform users needing linking and upscaling
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	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features mGBA 1/5 · VisualBoyAdvance-M 1/5
Save states	Not published	Not published
Link multiplayer	Not published	Not published
Cheat support	Not published	Not published
Graphics enhancements	Not published	Not published
Open source	✓	✓
Specs
Platform scope	Not published	Not published
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	Supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance software Offers xBRZ, ScaleFX, Vulkan output, and a Libretro core Includes linking, recording, Lua scripting, and Android builds
Cons	No netplay support Official Android and iOS versions are not currently available Link-cable support is partial	Reliable link netplay remains future work Android builds are provided through the nightly channel Different project pages may show different release versions
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 →	VisualBoyAdvance-M is an open-source emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance software. It is aimed at users who want one emulator across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, with additional tools for improving visuals,… Read the review →

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

• VisualBoyAdvance-M — where it wins

  • Supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance software
  • Offers xBRZ, ScaleFX, Vulkan output, and a Libretro core
  • Includes linking, recording, Lua scripting, and Android builds

  Where it doesn't

  • Reliable link netplay remains future work
  • Android builds are provided through the nightly channel
  • Different project pages may show different release versions

• mGBA9.0/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit mGBAFull verdict →
• VisualBoyAdvance-M8.2/10 · Free plan

  A free, cross-platform emulator with linking, upscaling, recording, and scripting.

  Visit siteFull verdict →