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Head-to-head · SNES Emulators

Snes9x vs BizHawk

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Snes9x #1 in SNES Emulators 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Snes9x
BizHawk #8 in SNES Emulators 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit BizHawk

Snes9x leads on 0 checks, BizHawk on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSnes9x · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresBizHawk · 4 of 5

Snes9x scores higher on our rubric for snes emulators: 9.4 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #8.

Snes9x is the better fit for most SNES players on desktop and Android. BizHawk is the better fit for tool-assisted SNES gameplay and debugging.

  • Snes9x fits best

    Most SNES players on desktop and Android

  • BizHawk fits best

    Tool-assisted SNES gameplay and debugging

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Side by side

Feature Snes9x 9.4/10 Visit ↗ BizHawk 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 7.8
Ranking #1 in SNES Emulators #8 in SNES Emulators
Best for Most SNES players on desktop and Android Tool-assisted SNES gameplay and debugging
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Windows, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features Snes9x 0/5 · BizHawk 4/5
Online multiplayer Not checked yet —
Rewind Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Shader support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Cheat support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
RetroAchievements Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Windows, Linux
Emulation format Not checked yet Both
Our review
Pros
  • Supports SNES and Super Famicom games across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
  • Covers custom chips, peripherals, filters, save states, and cheat formats
  • Includes recording, playback, and multiplayer support for up to five players
  • Frame stepping, rewind, speed control, and save states
  • Memory tools, Lua and C# scripting, and RAM-based cheats
  • RetroAchievements and shader filter support
Cons
  • Netplay has not been maintained or tested for a long time and may be broken
  • The official website is largely archival and directs users to download mirrors
  • Its focus is limited to SNES and Super Famicom emulation
  • Current supported releases are limited to Windows and Linux
  • Online multiplayer is not included
  • Its debugging and TAS tools may exceed casual players' needs
Our verdict

Snes9x is a free, open-source emulator for Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Famicom games. It is designed for players who want to run this console library on Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android, with libretro core builds…

Read the review →

BizHawk is a free, open-source desktop multi-system emulator from TASEmulators. Its EmuHawk frontend supports Super Nintendo alongside other systems, making it suited to players who want more than conventional emulation. The product is…

Read the review →
  1. Snes9xSNES Emulators 9.4Free plan
  2. BizHawkSNES Emulators 7.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Snes9x — where it wins

    • Supports SNES and Super Famicom games across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
    • Covers custom chips, peripherals, filters, save states, and cheat formats
    • Includes recording, playback, and multiplayer support for up to five players

    Where it doesn't

    • Netplay has not been maintained or tested for a long time and may be broken
    • The official website is largely archival and directs users to download mirrors
    • Its focus is limited to SNES and Super Famicom emulation

  • BizHawk — where it wins

    • Frame stepping, rewind, speed control, and save states
    • Memory tools, Lua and C# scripting, and RAM-based cheats
    • RetroAchievements and shader filter support

    Where it doesn't

    • Current supported releases are limited to Windows and Linux
    • Online multiplayer is not included
    • Its debugging and TAS tools may exceed casual players' needs

More comparisons

All SNES emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update