Android Emulator for PC like Windows & Mac, is software that allows a PC to create an Android environment to run Android Applications. And the Best Android Emulators for PC are listed here in this article.
Maybe you are switching from iPhone to Android, or you merely want to test out a Custom ROM, the possibilities with Android Emulators on Windows 10 and Mac are endless. There are various reasons why someone would run Android Emulators on their PC or laptop. Someone wants to use apps on a PC. App developers might want to test their application before sharing it out.
About Android OS
The Android OS is a pretty great Operating System that encompasses all the features that are needed by a smartphone and also provide users with amazing access to their mobile device’s features.
With Android Operating System, users can install 3rd party applications on their smartphone and also install a new UI system if they desire it. Users can fully customize the display and functions of their smartphones.
This level of customization is even greater than the one found in the iOS devices as iOS users cannot install 3rd party apps that are not on the Apple pay store and they are unable to change the UI. All these factors are why people decide to create an Android Simulator for PC and not an iOS Simulator.
What is an Android Emulator?
A software that can be used to make a PC act like another operating system is known as an Android Emulator. An Android Emulator will help create an environment on your PC that will be able to support various kinds of Android Applications and run them smoothly.
What is the Use of Android Emulators for PC?
Android Emulators can be used on the PC for several purposes ranging from Usability testing for apps to gameplay.
In order to test their apps before it goes live, developers can decide to use an Android Emulator on their PC and test the app on their PC.
Sometimes gamers also use an Android Emulator because they want to use a gaming mouse and keyboard to play their game on a PC.
Benefits of Android Emulators for PC
Android Emulators enable PC users to develop and run an Android environment on a Mac OS or Windows Operating System. However, your system features and specifications will determine how well the mobile apps will run on your PC.
If you have a PC with a good specification, you will be able to play some pretty great games on your PC. The Android Emulator will enable you to get the full Android experience on your Mac OS or Windows PC.
There are a lot of Android Emulators available on the internet, but a good number of them are unable to carry out their functions properly. This is why it can be particularly challenging to find the best android emulators on PC.
Here are some of the best android emulators on PC.
Best Android Emulators for PC
- LDPlayer
- Bluestacks
- Nox Player
- MEmu
- Gameloop
- Genymotion
- ARChon
- Android Studio
- Bliss OS
- Xamarin
- KO Player
- Droid 4X
- Andy
LDPlayer
The LDPlayer Android Emulator is one of the best Android Emulators on PC around and it was specifically developed for running mobile games on Windows devices.
This piece of software enables users to play various kinds of mobile games on their PC with their Keyboard and Mouse. It is also compatible with various multiplayer Android mobile games and it provides great graphics for games if your system specifications can handle it. This particular software also enables users to run more than one mobile game at the same time.
The default Android OS for this software is Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and it also provides access to Google Play Store. You can play FPS games like PUBG, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Black Desert online with this software.
Bluestacks
Considered to be one of the best Android Emulators on PC of all time, Bluestacks is the most popular Android Emulator available on the market. They can be used on both Windows and Mac Operating Systems. Bluestacks is one of the first Android Emulators that was developed and worked well while still getting various updates.
This amazing piece of software is able to perfectly balance graphics and processing power without having to compromise one for the other. This is one of the things that makes it one of the best Android Emulators on PC around currently.
This is also why it is often preferred by a lot of gamers that want to run their high-end and high-graphics mobile games on their PC. However, for you to be able to get these good graphics, you have to make sure that your PC has a good specification that can handle the graphic level.
Bluestack is not just one of the best Android Emulators on Computer, it is also one of the most trusted by PC users all around the world for both Windows and iOS devices. This is why a lot of people are excited about the latest “Nougat Version” which is said to be about six times faster than typical smartphones.
Nox Player
One of the best Android Emulators around currently is the Nox Player. Nox Player is compatible with both Windows and Mac devices. Although this piece is based mainly on the Android version Lollipop 5.1.1, users can still decide to run more than one Android version (up to the Nougat version at least) on the software using its Multi-Drive option.
Nox Player is one of the best Android Emulators on PC for gaming on Windows and Mac devices. It is capable of running high FPS games like PUBG Mobile and CODM without any issues.
It also features support for a keypad, script recording, and gamepad. And, if you notice that the graphics you need to play the game are a little higher than your system can handle, you can decide to optimize the quality and tweak the controls in the settings.
MEmu
When compared to Bluestack, MEmu is a relatively new piece of software. However, although it is still relatively new, it is still a pretty great Android Emulator for PC, which is why it is considered one of the best Android Emulator for PC, both Windows and Mac devices.
One of the things that make MEmu stand out from other Android Emulator for PC is the fact that it is compatible with both AMD, NVIDIA and Intel Chipsets. It also supports more than one version of Android including Kit Kat, Lollipop, and the Android Jelly Bean.
It also comes with a pre-installed Google Play Store. And if your system has the specification, you can use it to play high-end games with great graphics.
Gameloop
If you are the type of person that like mobile games, then there is a chance that you are familiar with the famous gaming developer company commonly known as Tencent.
Tencent is responsible for the development of some of the most popular mobile games around and some of the most common ones are Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) and PUBG Mobile. However, Tencent is also responsible for the development of the amazing Android Emulator for PC known as Gameloop (previously known as Gaming Buddy).
Gameloop is one of the best Android Emulators for PC available, even though it was specifically developed for playing mobile games on PC. The company even went as far as announcing that Gameloop is the official Android emulator for mobile games. However, this piece of software can also be used for other high-end (mostly FPS) games apart from the ones created by Tencent.
Genymotion
If you are a developer and you are looking for the best Android Emulator for Computers to test out your latest app projects, then you should definitely try out this piece of software.
This particular Android emulator enables users to customize their own ecosystem for a range of devices with different Android versions to test out their latest applications before it is made live. This software is very easy to use and you can easily switch between various Android devices.
ARChon
ARChon is not exactly like other Android Emulators for Windows and Mac PC due to the fact that it is installed in a completely different way.
In order to use this particular Android Emulator on your PC, you will have to install it just like you will install a Google Chrome Extension. Apart from that unique difference it has with other Android Emulators, it can also be used to operate Android Applications and Games on the PC.
However, it requires users to use a particular tool to change the APK file in order to make it more compatible with the Android Emulator. Currently, ARChon often comes with Android 4.4 as its default Android version.
Android Studio
Android Studio is one of the best Android Emulator on PC and it is also one of the most common Android Emulator for App testing.
This software is used by a lot of Android App developers to test their new mobile apps and games before they go Live. It also comes with a wide range of amazing features that are designed to help developers test and improve their mobile apps.
Developers can monitor the performance of their apps in different Android environments with this software. They can test the apps with different RAM, Battery, GPU, Signal Strength, and storage.
Bliss OS
This particular PC Emulator for Android is also a bit different than most of the other Android Emulators due to the act that it operates through a Virtual Machine. This software can however also be used on the PC with the aid of a USB Stick.
This particular Android Emulator is often used by developers that are looking for a great Android OS to test out their mobile apps. Unlike most of the other Android Emulators, it can run on Android Pie and not just Marshmellow Version of Android. However, there is a chance that this piece of software will not be compatible with your PC.
Xamarin
Another great Android Emulator for Developers to test out their apps on Windows devices is Xamarin. This particular software is preferred by a lot of professional app developers.
Xamarin is just like the Android Studio software except for the fact that it is capable of creating a bigger ecosystem for development by plugging into tools like Microsoft Visual Studio.
It also comes with a lot of features to help the developers test and debug the new app. This software can also be used to test new iOS apps before they go live.
KO Player
The KO Player emulator runs on Android 4.4.4, which is a bit dated, but that won’t stop your applications from working.
We like it very much, for several reasons. First, it is easy to configure and we can do it in detail: keyboard settings, resolution adjustment, increased game performance, and even access to your practical webcam for certain applications, on which you must put your face.
KO Player also has a button to record your screen, which will delight YouTubers and creators of tutorial or live game session content. Like its competitors, KO Player plays applications that you download directly from the Play Store, but also APK files.
The only downside, it is rarely updated and it sometimes freezes from time to time, which is annoying! But apart from this concern, it is one of the best Android PC emulators of the moment.
Droid 4X
Complete and appreciated by FPS players or racing games, this emulator allows you to run larger software on your PC. It also has a graphics performance booster and is fully configurable. Those who swear by the mouse + keyboard combo will be happy to apply their method on favorite Android games.
The interface, which is quite cold, will not, however, be exotic for those who frequently use their smartphones and tablets. We would have liked a little more color, but the set is quite easy to use. In addition, we like the possibility of launching an APK by simply dragging it onto the Droid 4X program. Fast and efficient, we don’t ask for more!
Andy
Here is an emulator completely free and very easy to access.
We tested it when it first came out. Although it had some problems at the time, it still managed to prove that it could replace apps like Bluestacks. Today it is really functional. In our opinion, it remains a little worse than the emulator proposed above, but it is still nice.
Finally, note that the Andy Emulator software is available on Windows PC, but also compatible with Mac.
Bottom Line – Best Android Emulators for PC
I’ve listed all the best Android Emulator for PC that can be installed and run on both the Windows and Mac OS to test or run Android applications. You can download, install and run desired Android Emulator on your PC according to your requirements.
Android Emulators FAQs
What is the best Android Emulator?The Bluestacks is considered the best Android Emulator of all time.
Is there any PC emulator for Android?No, there is no PC emulator for an Android device.
Is Android Emulator free?Yes, most of the Android emulators mentioned in this post are free to use.
Is Android Emulator safe?You can consider the above mentioned Android emulators safe, as they have good reputation. But you’ve to check the online reviews before using anyone of them.
Which Android emulator is best for 4GB RAM PC?The Bluestacks is the best Android emulator of all time for all kind of PCs. But you can also use use any of the Android Emulators mentioned in post.
Back in 2012, When I started using Android Apps and playing Android games on my Windows PC there were not many Android emulators out there to choose from.
But now in 2021, this situation is quite opposite to that. There are over 30 Android emulators available for Windows 10 OS and Mac OS.
So, if you are not an expert then it is really hard to pick the right one for your needs.
To give you the best advice I have decided to test most of these Android emulators myself. So that you don’t need to spend hours and days downloading and installing all of these Android Emulators.
After testing the simulators for days finally, I have come to my conclusion.
I have tested more than 20 Android emulators on my Windows PC and most of one most of them were not really good. But there are some really amazing Android emulators out there that we can use to play games or use any of our favorite Android Apps like Snapchat Instagram WhatsApp or any Other Android App. Here’s the list of the Best Android emulators for PC.
Here’s the overall difference between the major Android emulators.
| # | Best Overall | Best For Gaming | Best For Developers | Lightweight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Bluestacks | Gameloop | Android Studio | Youwave |
| Link | Download Bluestacks | Download Gameloop | Download | Download |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Platform | Windows & Mac | Windows OS | Windows OS | Windows OS |
Before installing any Android emulator it is the most important thing you should know,
Most of the Great Android emulators Use a lot of your PC resources that means multitasking will become very difficult. Especially if your PC has a low configuration like an i5 processor and maybe 8GB RAM.
Even if you have a low configuration PC or laptop then you can still use these emulators but the thing is that The simulators will work better if you close all other softwares.
Once you have tried some of these Android emulators on PC, don’t forget to share which one is your favourite one and which App do you use the most.
So without any further ado let’s see the list of best Android emulators for Windows 10 PC and Mac.
1. Bluestacks – The Best Android Emulator
Bluestacks Android Emulator is probably the best emulator to use to run Android Apps on MAC or Windows 10 PC. The performance of the Bluestacks is excellent. You will experience unmatched Android performance with this emulator.
Bluestacks is easy to install and use. The User Interface is so good. Even a third-grade student can use Bluestacks emulator without any guidance.
It does not require any virtualization, and it is easy to install and play android games on Windows PC using BlueStacks Android Emulator.The great performance and user experience of Bluestacks come with a catch. Bluestacks slows down many PCs and Laptops significantly.
We need to keep installing some kind of Apps every day to keep using Bluestacks for free. This is the worst thing about Bluestacks App Player.
- Available for both Windows OS & MAC OS.
- Price: Free or $2 per month for premium features.
2. Nox App Player – Great Android emulator for macOS
Nox App Player Android Emulator is perfect for gamers. If you want to play Android games on Windows 10 PC, then you can use Nox App Player.
You can control and play games with a mouse and keyboard. Due to its speed, many use it to test their Android games.
It has a lot of exciting features like one-click to hide or show root. It has keyboard mapping, where you can use a keyboard if you want to click anywhere while playing games.
- Available for both Windows & MAC.
- Price: Free
Nox Player has built-in GPS controller settings, through which you can play GPS based games like Pokemon on Nox Player in Windows OS.
3. Gameloop – Great Android Emulator for Gaming
Gameloop emulator has launched just a year ago but this emulator has become very very popular within no time.
- If you want to play Android games then look no further, Gameloop is the best emulator to play games on PC for free.
- Right now this is the second most downloaded Android emulator on Windows PC with over 400 Million installs.
- The reason why this emulator became so famous within a short time is that it was developed by the Tencent company.
In case, if you don’t know about the Tencent company then you should know that it is the same company behind developing the most amazing games on Android mobiles that is PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile.
This is the official Android emulator to play PUBG and Call of Duty games on Windows 10 PC
If you’re looking to play only Android games on your Windows 10 PC then this is the only in Android emulator that you need to use there is nothing that can be compared to the Gameloop emulator.
When it comes to Android gaming performance on your Windows 10 PC, Gameloop is the best.
The only problem with the Gameloop emulator is that it is not available for Mac devices & It only supports Android games it does not support any other Android Apps as BlueStacks does. You can download Gameloop for free using the download link below.
- Price: Free
- Available Platforms: Windows 10
4. MEmu Android Emulator
- MEmu is another fascinating Android emulator for Windows 10 laptops.
- The latest version of Memu Player supports Android Nougat, and it is compatible with AMD and Intel Chipsets.
- It has a lot many features as it comes with root access. If you are looking for productivity and gaming, then the MEmu android emulator can be chosen.
- Memu is a free emulator.
- Memu emulator is not available for Mac OS devices.
5. Android Studio – No 1. Android emulator for Testing Apps
- If you are new to Android emulators, then initially, you need to get your hands-on this Official Emulator.
- This is the official Android emulator released by Google for testing Apps in different Android versions.
- It is highly recommended for Android App developers.
- Developers can choose from 100’s phone models to emulate and see how the App works on different phones.
- It has a complete guide and documentation to make it easy to use, and you need to try it.
- Keep in mind that the setup of Android Studio very complex and I only recommend this for Android Developers, not for normal users.
6. Andy OS – Android emulator for low-End PCs
Android Andy OS is another unique emulator for PC. It stands unique when compared to other android emulators due to its unique features.
It allows you to use your phone as a remote control to play games. Using your desktop browser, you can install apps directly in Android Andy OS Emulator. It requires Virtualbox to be installed on your system.
7. YouWave – Great Choice for Windows 7
- YouWave is another Android emulator for Windows 10 PC. It has a lot of exciting features and is the best choice for Windows 10 PCs. It has got easy to use user interface and has gained popularity in a short period.
- YouWave Android emulator works with all Windows versions. It supports Android 5.1 Lollipop and has SD Card functionality. It supports dynamic rotating and can play multiplayer online games.
8. Windroy Emulator
Windroy is said to be one of the best Android Emulators for Windows as it runs on the Windows Kernel. It does not require any Virtual Box support the same as BlueStacks.
It is handy and easy to use. You need to make sure the path you install Windroy should not have spaces.
9. GenyMotion -Best Android Emulator for Enterprises
GenyMotion Android emulator for Windows 10 PC has salient features like OpenGL and support for hardware acceleration.
It is a bit different form of BlueStacks due to its unique features. It is faster when compared to BlueStacks as it is built on X86 architecture.
Genymotion is a cloud-based Android emulator. You can use Genymotion on AWS, GCloud, and other servers. Genymotion is primarily for developers who want to test their Android Apps performance and scaling up issues.
The price for using Genymotion on the cloud is $.05 per minute. As you can see it is definitely not for regular use.
10. Remix OS Player
- Remix OS Player is the new Android Emulator by Jade, and it comes with Marshmallow.
- It is straightforward to install and simple for productivity and gaming.
- It has a sidebar that helps you to customize the configurations. It does not support AMD Chipset.
11. Droid4X
- Droid4X is the lightweight Android emulator for your PC. This is good for users with old desktops and laptops.
- It has some exciting features, you can try this Droid4x once.
- It comes with Play Store pre-installed in it, and it allows you to configure your keyboard as a controller while playing games.
- It is fast and does not lag any of your games, and it is the right choice.
- Droid4x has been discontinued by the developers. I do not recommend this emulator for beginners.
12. Jar Of Beans
- Jar Of Beans is an Android Jelly Beans Android emulator for Windows 8/10 PC.
- It has priority worldwide and easy to install. You can configure settings as you want and can also create a Virtual SD Card.
- You can download apk and connect them using jar Of Beans.
- I do not recommend this for regular Android emulator users. Anyway, if you wanna give it a try then you can download it.
8. AMIDuos
AMIDuos is one of the recent Android emulators for Windows 10 PC and is perfect for gamers. It is straightforward to install and has an excellent user interface. It is said to be a smooth Android emulator and has things like gaming and productivity well.
It is not said to be developer-friendly as it does not have device-specific configurations, but on the user side, it is perfect to use android apps on Windows PC.
Note: This Android emulator has been discontinued by the developers. So, it is not wise to use this anymore.
14. Many Android Emulator
- Many Android Emulator is one of the underrated Android emulators.
- It comes with in-browser support, and it supports all android versions.
- So, if you are an android app developer, then you can use this to test your Android app in all versions without leaving it. It is easy to download, install, and check your applications.
15. Xamarin
Android Studio Emulator On M1 Mac
- Xamarin Android Emulator is a must need an Android emulator if you want to work with a visual studio as it comes built-in with this.
- It also has Xamarin studio and OpenGL support. Xamarin is not suitable for normal users who want to run Android Apps on PC or Play Android games on Windows 10.
- Xamarin is for people who want to develop Android Games and Applications.
16. LDPlayer – Best Android Emulator for Windows 10
LDplayer is recently released by XUAN ZHI INTERNATIONAL CO., LIMITED. The good thing about the LDPlayer is that you choose the Android OS version. This is the reason LDPlayer has become a choice for many people.
It works with all versions of Windows and is said to be the lightweight android emulator. Android Emulators for Mac Free download.
17. KoPlayer
KoPlayer is another best android emulator in this list, and it is best to play an Android game on Windows 10 Laptop. It has a lot of features that make KoPlayer unique from other Android emulators. You can record the emulator screen while playing games so that you can record the shared video of your gameplay. You can also use multiple accounts simultaneously.
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Android Emulators.
If you are an Android developer, then you can use Android Emulators to test your Apps to know how it works.
There are many such reasons to use Android Emulators. If you are also looking for Android Emulators for Windows 10 PCs or Mac Laptops, then you have landed on the right page.
Android Emulators Conclusion
Have you ever thought of playing Android games on Windows PCs or MAC? Yes, you heard it right. Not only Android games, but you can also use any Android Application on Windows PC using Android Emulators.
Android Emulator Mac M1 Download
Some applications look excellent in your mobile, and using them on the PC will be more impressive, and those same Apps will give you an incredible experience. There are many more such reasons to use Android Emulators on Mac OS laptops or Windows 8/7/10 PCs.
Note: Most of the Android Emulators would drain up your CPU, So I recommend not using any other software while running Emulators. This way, you will not run into any issues.
These are some of the best emulators for Mac & PC. If you have anything to add, please do let us know through comments.
Android Emulator On M1 Machine
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