---
title: Genymotion Desktop
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/genymotion-desktop/
category: Virtual Machine Software
points: 43
rank: 12 of 12
facts_checked: 2026-10-09
---

# Genymotion Desktop

Android emulator for Windows, macOS and Linux with a free personal edition.

43 points out of 100. #12 of 12 virtual machine programs. Vendor: Genymobile. Website: https://www.genymotion.com/

- The free personal-use edition costs $0; the Individual edition for freelancers is $239.99 a year per computer [1].
- The Business edition, for employees and companies, costs $479.99 a year per user and workstation [1].
- Virtual devices run Android only; the documentation lists no Windows or Linux guests [2].
- Windows 11, macOS 15 and 26, and Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora are supported hosts [2].
- The terms prohibit copying or modifying the software, so it is not open source [5].

Verdict: Genymotion Desktop suits people who need Android virtual devices on a PC, not general-purpose virtual machines [2][4]. The personal edition is free, but work use needs a paid licence starting at $239.99 a year [1]. Its network modes and clipboard sharing are documented, while snapshots, USB and shared folders are not described in its documentation [2][3][7]. It is proprietary software [5]. Best for: Developers and testers who need local Android virtual devices.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems | Guest systems | None | 0/8 | The documentation describes Android virtual devices only; no Windows or Linux guests are listed [2]. |
| Systems | Also runs on other hosts | macOS, Linux | 4/4 | Installation guides cover macOS 15 and 26, plus Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 13 and Fedora 43 [2]. |
| Systems | Works on Windows Home | Yes | 5/5 | Lists Windows 11 with no edition limit; Pro or Enterprise is recommended, and Home users are told to use VirtualBox [2]. |
| Virtual machines | Snapshots | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on the vendor's docs [2]. Quick boot is mentioned, but it is unavailable in the free edition [4]. |
| Virtual machines | Virtual TPM and Secure Boot | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on the vendor's docs [2]. |
| Virtual machines | Network modes | NAT, Bridged | 4/6 | With the VirtualBox hypervisor, NAT is the default and Bridged is an option; host-only is not mentioned [3]. |
| Virtual machines | Nested virtualization | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's docs [2][3]. |
| Virtual machines | Starts from a ready-made image | Yes | 4/4 | The new-device wizard lets you pick an Android image and hardware profile from the vendor's list [2]. |
| Devices | 3D graphics for guests | Yes | 8/8 | The product page says virtual devices use host GPU acceleration; the requirements ask for an OpenGL 3.3 video card [4][2]. |
| Devices | USB devices in the guest | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's docs [2][3]. |
| Devices | Shared folders | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's docs. Dragged files are copied to the device, which is not a shared folder [3]. |
| Devices | Shared clipboard | Yes | 4/4 | Clipboard sharing is switched on per device; text copies in both directions [7]. |
| Openness and upkeep | Open source | No | 0/6 | The terms bar copying, decompiling and reverse engineering, and do not offer source code [5]. |
| Openness and upkeep | Security advisories published | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's pages [2][5]. |
| Openness and upkeep | Updated in the last 12 months | Yes | 4/4 | Changelog lists 3.10.0 with release date 04/01/2026 and an update to 3.11.0 dated 09/24/2026 [6]. |
| Price | Free edition | Yes | 6/6 | The free personal-use edition needs no licence key, and the pricing page states no time limit [1]. |
| Price | Cheapest licence for work use | $239.99/yr | 4/12 | Individual edition, $239.99 a year per computer, for freelancers and self-employed people. Business is $479.99 [1]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Free (personal use) | Free [1] | $0 |
| Educational | $49/year [1] | $4.08 |
| Individual | $239.99/year [1] | $20 |
| Business | $479.99/year [1] | $40 |
| Premium | Quote [1] | - |

The price line uses Individual at $239.99 a year, the cheapest edition that allows work use by one self-employed person. Employees need Business at $479.99 [1].

## Strengths

- A free personal-use edition needs no licence key, and the pricing page lists no time limit [1].
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux hosts [2].
- Documents NAT and bridged networking for its VirtualBox mode [3].
- Copies text between the computer and the virtual device [7].
- The changelog lists an update to version 3.11.0 dated 09/24/2026 [6].

## Limits

- Only Android virtual devices are documented, with no Windows or Linux guests [2].
- Free use is limited to personal use, and Quick boot and the latest Android version are unavailable in it [1][4].
- Cheapest work licence is $239.99 a year per computer, for freelancers only [1].
- Source code is not public; the terms forbid copying and reverse engineering [5].
- The documentation lists Windows 11 only and recommends Pro or Enterprise [2].

## Vendor claims (not scored)

- Genymobile says its virtual devices use the host machine's GPU acceleration [4].

## Sources

1. [Genymotion pricing](https://www.genymotion.com/pricing/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09
2. [Get Started with Genymotion Desktop](https://docs.genymotion.com/quickstart/desktop_install/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09
3. [Virtual Devices Settings](https://docs.genymotion.com/usage/desktop/vd_settings/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09
4. [Genymotion Desktop](https://www.genymotion.com/product-desktop/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09
5. [Legal terms and conditions](https://www.genymotion.com/legal-terms-and-conditions/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09
6. [Genymotion Desktop changelog](https://docs.genymotion.com/changelog/desktop/3_x/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09
7. [Clipboard](https://docs.genymotion.com/features/clipboard/), Genymobile, accessed 2026-10-09