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

RetroArch vs GSE

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score RetroArch #3 in Game Boy Advance Emulators 7.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit RetroArch
GSE #6 in Game Boy Advance Emulators 6.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit GSE

RetroArch 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 scoreRetroArch · 7.7/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresGSE · 3 of 5

RetroArch scores higher on our rubric for game boy advance emulators: 7.7 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

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

RetroArch is the better fit for multi-platform users wanting netplay and broad features. GSE is the better fit for speedrunners needing accurate timing and logging.

  • RetroArch fits best

    Multi-platform users wanting netplay and broad features

  • 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 RetroArch 7.7/10 Visit ↗ GSE 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.7 6.9
Ranking #3 in Game Boy Advance Emulators #6 in Game Boy Advance Emulators
Best for Multi-platform users wanting netplay and broad features Speedrunners needing accurate timing and logging
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features RetroArch 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
  • Free and open source across web, desktop, iOS, and Android
  • Netplay includes lobbies, hosting, joining, and spectator mode
  • Playlists, remapping, shaders, recording, rewind, and latency features
  • 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
  • Core and feature availability varies by platform and distribution
  • BIOS requirements vary by core and content
  • Does not distribute copyrighted BIOS files
  • No cheat support
  • Its design prioritizes speedrunning over general-purpose emulation
  • The feature set is narrower than a broader gaming-focused emulator
Our verdict

RetroArch is an open-source frontend for the libretro API, combining emulator, game-engine, and media-player cores in one graphical interface. It is aimed at users who want to launch supported games, organize collections, configure…

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. RetroArchGame Boy Advance Emulators 7.7Free plan
  2. GSEGame Boy Advance Emulators 6.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • RetroArch — where it wins

    • Free and open source across web, desktop, iOS, and Android
    • Netplay includes lobbies, hosting, joining, and spectator mode
    • Playlists, remapping, shaders, recording, rewind, and latency features

    Where it doesn't

    • Core and feature availability varies by platform and distribution
    • BIOS requirements vary by core and content
    • Does not distribute copyrighted BIOS files

  • 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
  • RetroArch7.7/10 · Free plan

    A free, open-source frontend with netplay and extensive configuration across web, desktop, and mobile.

    Visit RetroArchFull 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