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

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · SNES Emulators

Snes9x vs Snes9x EX+

  • 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
Snes9x EX+ #5 in SNES Emulators 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Snes9x EX+

Snes9x leads on 0 checks, Snes9x EX+ 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 featuresSnes9x EX+ · 3 of 5

Snes9x scores higher on our rubric for snes emulators: 9.4 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #5.

Snes9x is the better fit for most SNES players on desktop and Android. Snes9x EX+ is the better fit for free Android and Linux SNES emulation.

  • Snes9x fits best

    Most SNES players on desktop and Android

  • Snes9x EX+ fits best

    Free Android and Linux SNES emulation

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Snes9x 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Snes9x EX+ 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.2
Ranking #1 in SNES Emulators #5 in SNES Emulators
Best for Most SNES players on desktop and Android Free Android and Linux SNES emulation
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Linux, Android
Support Community, Docs Email, Community
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features Snes9x 0/5 · Snes9x EX+ 3/5
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 —
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Android, Linux
Emulation format Not checked yet Standalone
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
  • Supports .smc, .sfc, ZIP, RAR, and 7Z game files
  • Includes saves, save states, rewind, cheats, and HQ2X shaders
  • Works with Bluetooth and USB controllers or keyboards
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
  • Limited to Android and Linux platforms
  • Does not provide online multiplayer
  • Users must supply their own ROM files
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 →

Snes9x EX+ is a free, open-source emulator for Super Nintendo and Super Famicom games. It is aimed at people who want direct SNES emulation on Android devices or Linux desktops, with support for .smc and .sfc ROM formats. Compressed ZIP,…

Read the review →
  1. Snes9xSNES Emulators 9.4Free plan
  2. Snes9x EX+SNES Emulators 8.2Free 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

  • Snes9x EX+ — where it wins

    • Supports .smc, .sfc, ZIP, RAR, and 7Z game files
    • Includes saves, save states, rewind, cheats, and HQ2X shaders
    • Works with Bluetooth and USB controllers or keyboards

    Where it doesn't

    • Limited to Android and Linux platforms
    • Does not provide online multiplayer
    • Users must supply their own ROM files

More comparisons

All SNES emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update