--- title: Android Emulator canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/android-emulator/ category: Virtual Machine Software points: 57 rank: 9 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-09 --- # Android Emulator Google's Android virtual devices, included with Android Studio on Windows, macOS and Linux. 57 points out of 100. #9 of 12 virtual machine programs. Vendor: Google. Website: https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator - It comes with Android Studio and runs on 64-bit Windows 10 or higher, macOS 12 or higher, and Linux [1]. - The Android SDK licence is royalty-free, and no price is listed [7]. - General snapshots and a Quick Boot snapshot save the full state of a virtual device [3]. - Version 37.2.12 was released on October 1, 2026 [5]. - Source code is public under the Android Open Source Project, in a QEMU-based repository under GPL v2 [8][9]. Verdict: Android Emulator suits developers who want Android virtual devices at no cost, with snapshots and host GPU acceleration [1][2][3]. It runs Android only, not Windows or Linux guests, and its documentation says it has no virtual USB hardware [1][6][10]. On Windows it relies on Microsoft's Windows Hypervisor Platform [2]. Best for: Android developers who need free virtual phones, tablets and TVs. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Guest systems | None | 0/8 | The documentation covers Android virtual devices only, including phones, tablets, Wear OS, Automotive and TV; no Windows or Linux guests [1]. | | Systems | Also runs on other hosts | macOS, Linux | 4/4 | The emulator page lists macOS 12 or higher and Linux as host systems, besides Windows [1]. | | Systems | Works on Windows Home | Yes | 5/5 | Requires 64-bit Windows 10 or higher, with no edition limit; Windows Hypervisor Platform is the recommended accelerator [1][2]. | | Virtual machines | Snapshots | Yes | 8/8 | A snapshot preserves the full state of a virtual device; you can take and load general snapshots [3]. | | Virtual machines | Virtual TPM and Secure Boot | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on the vendor's emulator pages [1][3]. | | Virtual machines | Network modes | None | 0/6 | Each instance has a virtual router on 10.0.2/24; the docs do not describe NAT, bridged or host-only modes [4]. | | Virtual machines | Nested virtualization | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's pages. They only say a VM-accelerated emulator cannot run inside another VM [2]. | | Virtual machines | Starts from a ready-made image | Yes | 4/4 | Device Manager creates a virtual device by picking a system image, which it downloads from the vendor's list [6]. | | Devices | 3D graphics for guests | Yes | 8/8 | The Hardware graphics option uses the computer's graphics card for rendering [6][2]. | | Devices | USB devices in the guest | No | 0/6 | The emulator documentation lists USB among the virtual hardware the Android Emulator does not include [10]. | | Devices | Shared folders | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's emulator pages [1][3][6]. | | Devices | Shared clipboard | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's emulator pages [1][6]. | | Openness and upkeep | Open source | Yes | 6/6 | Emulator source is public in the Android Open Source Project; the repository's licence file is the QEMU GPL v2 text [8][9]. | | Openness and upkeep | Security advisories published | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's pages [1][3][5]. | | Openness and upkeep | Updated in the last 12 months | Yes | 4/4 | Release notes list version 37.2.12 dated October 1, 2026 [5]. | | Price | Free edition | Yes | 6/6 | Bundled with Android Studio under a royalty-free SDK licence; no paid edition is listed [1][7]. | | Price | Cheapest licence for work use | $0 | 12/12 | No price is listed; the SDK licence is royalty-free and covers developing Android apps [7]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Android Emulator (with Android Studio) | Free [1][7] | $0 | The SDK licence grants use to develop Android applications and lists no price [7]. ## Strengths - Included with Android Studio, under a royalty-free SDK licence [1][7]. - Snapshots save the whole device state, with one Quick Boot snapshot and any number of general snapshots [3]. - The graphics setting can use the computer's GPU [2][6]. - Source code is public [8][9]. - Updated in October 2026 [5]. ## Limits - Runs Android virtual devices only; the documentation lists no other guest systems [1][6]. - A VM-accelerated emulator cannot run inside another VM, such as VirtualBox or VMware [2]. - The old Android Emulator hypervisor driver is being sunset on December 31, 2026, so Windows users move to Windows Hypervisor Platform [2]. - The documentation says the emulator has no virtual USB hardware, and does not cover shared folders or clipboard sharing [1][3][6][10]. ## Vendor claims (not scored) - Google says the emulator provides almost all the capabilities of a real Android device [1]. ## Sources 1. [Run apps on the Android Emulator](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 2. [Configure hardware acceleration for the Android Emulator](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-acceleration), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 3. [Use emulator snapshots](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-snapshots), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 4. [Network address space](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-networking-address), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 5. [Android Emulator release notes](https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/emulator), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 6. [Create and manage virtual devices](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/managing-avds), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 7. [Android Studio and SDK licence agreement](https://developer.android.com/studio), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09 8. [platform/external/qemu LICENSE](https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/qemu/+/refs/heads/emu-master-dev/LICENSE), Android Open Source Project, accessed 2026-10-09 9. [Welcome to the Android Emulator (README)](https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/qemu/+/refs/heads/emu-master-dev/README.md), Android Open Source Project, accessed 2026-10-09 10. [Advanced emulator usage](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/advanced-emulator-usage), Android Developers, accessed 2026-10-09