13 best Android emulators for PC and Mac of 2018

There are a lot of valid reasons why someone would want to run Android emulators on their PC. App developers may be trying to test their application before shipping it out. Gamers may want to use a mouse and keyboard on their games. Maybe you just want it there to have it. In any case, Android emulation on PC is possible and we’re going to take a look at the best Android emulators for PC. Please note, the process is rarely easy and some of these require some technical knowledge. There are only a few emulators where it’s as easy as downloading, opening, and using them. The market slowed down a lot in recent years with many old favorites (Andy, AmiduOS, and Leapdroid) permanently leaving the space. You can find out about their fates at the bottom of the article.

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Android Studio's emulator
Android Studio's emulator
Price: Free
DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY
Android Studio is the Google-approved development IDE for Android. It comes with a bunch of tools to help developers make apps and games specifically for Android. As it turns out, there is also a built-in emulator that you can use to test out your app or game. Clearly, this is not good for consumer level stuff. However, those developing apps do already have a powerful (and free) tool at their disposal to help test their apps. It's a pain in the neck to set up. It's not too bad once you do, though.

ARChon
ARChon
Price: Free
DOWNLOAD FROM GITHUB
ARChon isn't a traditional emulator. You install it into Google Chrome. It then gives Chrome the ability to run Android apps. It's not an easy emulator to get running. You'll have to install the thing to Chrome. From there, you have to obtain APKs and load them in. As an added rub, you may need to use a tool to change the APK in order to make it compatible. We have the basic instructions linked up at the button above. This one is compatible with Mac, PC, and Linux. It's also one of the most difficult to set up, but it's also one of the most unique Android emulators.
ARChon
Bliss
Bliss
Price: Free
DOWNLOAD FROM XDA-DEVELOPERS
Bliss is something a little bit different. It works as an Android emulator for PC via virtual machine. However, it can also just flat run on your computer through a USB stick. This is definitely a power user option and not recommended for the less tech savvy. As a VM install, the process is fairly simple, if tedious. The USB installation method is even more complicated, but it lets your computer actually run Android natively if your system is compatible. Of course, it only really runs well if your system is compatible and that is a bit of a crapshoot right now. The system runs Android Oreo which is a step up even from Bluestacks' Nougat. This is a bit of a diamond in the rough, but again, we only recommend this one to the tech savvy.
Bliss
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Bluestacks 4
Bluestacks 4
Price: Free / $2 per month
DOWNLOAD FROM BLUESTACKS!
Bluestacks is the most mainstream of all Android emulators. There are several reasons for that. For starters, it's compatible with Windows and Mac. It was one of the first ones to work reasonably well. The emulator targets mobile gamers. Earlier versions of Bluestacks were kind of bloated. The newest Bluestacks, dubbed Bluestacks 4, came out in 2018. It's not the cleanest experience out there. However, it has the ability to launch multiple instances so you can play multiple games at once (or the same game multiple times). It also includes keymapping and settings for many games installed. That should help make things much easier. It's one of the heaviest emulators on the list. However, it also has the most features for better or for worse. Recent updates put Bluestacks at Android 7.1.2 (Nougat), one of the most recent of any emulator. The update to Bluestacks 4 also improved speed, even on older computers. It's heavier than most but it works quite well in most situations.

Droid4X
Droid4X
Price: Free
DOWNLOAD ON DROID4X
Droid4X has had its ups and downs. However, it's one of the classic Android emulators for PC. It features a simple design that should be easy for most people to use. It markets itself towards gamers and boasts support for simpler, casual games. However, like most Android emulators, you can do productivity stuff if you want to. This one is not in active development anymore. Its last update was March 28th, 2016. Thus, we recommend you tread with caution as this could be a buggy and unstable product. Droid4x is also Mac compatible. Finding the installer for that is a little difficult, though.
Droid4X
Genymotion
Genymotion
Price: Free with paid options
DOWNLOAD FROM GENYMOTION
This Android emulator is mostly for developers. It lets you test your apps on a variety of devices without owning them. You can configure the emulator for a variety of devices with various versions of Android to help suit your needs. For instance, you can run a Nexus One with Android 4.2 or a Nexus 6 with Android 6.0. You can easily switch between virtual devices at will. It’s not great for consumer uses, but Genymotion does offer their services for free for personal use. It's usable both in the cloud and on your computer

KoPlayer
KoPlayer
Price: Free
DOWNLOAD FROM KOPLAYER!
KoPlayer is a newer Android emulator for PC. It has also managed to fly under most radars until recently. Its main focus is for gaming. You'll be able to use keymapping to emulate a controller with your keyboard. Players will also be able to record game play and upload it wherever they want. The install process is easy enough and it seems to work alright. Like most emulators, it does have issues that you'll run into randomly. It bills itself as a middle-of-the-road emulator. You'll be able to use it for a variety of things. The only bad side is that it is still buggy. Nevertheless, it's a good, free option.