
virtual machine program · Genymobile
Genymotion Desktop
Android emulator for Windows, macOS and Linux with a free personal edition.
In short
- The free personal-use edition costs $0; the Individual edition for freelancers is $239.99 a year per computer1.
- The Business edition, for employees and companies, costs $479.99 a year per user and workstation1.
- Virtual devices run Android only; the documentation lists no Windows or Linux guests2.
- Windows 11, macOS 15 and 26, and Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora are supported hosts2.
- The terms prohibit copying or modifying the software, so it is not open source5.
Genymotion Desktop suits people who need Android virtual devices on a PC, not general-purpose virtual machines2,4. The personal edition is free, but work use needs a paid licence starting at $239.99 a year1. Its network modes and clipboard sharing are documented, while snapshots, USB and shared folders are not described in its documentation2,3,7. It is proprietary software5.
Best for: Developers and testers who need local Android virtual devices.
Where the points come from
Systems 9 of 17 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Guest systems | NoneThe documentation describes Android virtual devices only; no Windows or Linux guests are listed2. | 0 / 8 |
| Also runs on other hosts | macOS, LinuxInstallation guides cover macOS 15 and 26, plus Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 13 and Fedora 432. | 4 / 4 |
| Works on Windows Home | YesLists Windows 11 with no edition limit; Pro or Enterprise is recommended, and Home users are told to use VirtualBox2. | 5 / 5 |
Virtual machines 8 of 27 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Snapshots | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's docs2. Quick boot is mentioned, but it is unavailable in the free edition4. | 0 / 8 |
| Virtual TPM and Secure Boot | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's docs2. | 0 / 5 |
| Network modes | NAT, BridgedWith the VirtualBox hypervisor, NAT is the default and Bridged is an option; host-only is not mentioned3. | 4 / 6 |
| Nested virtualization | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's docs2,3. | 0 / 4 |
| Starts from a ready-made image | YesThe new-device wizard lets you pick an Android image and hardware profile from the vendor's list2. | 4 / 4 |
Devices 12 of 24 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 3D graphics for guests | YesThe product page says virtual devices use host GPU acceleration; the requirements ask for an OpenGL 3.3 video card4,2. | 8 / 8 |
| USB devices in the guest | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's docs2,3. | 0 / 6 |
| Shared folders | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's docs. Dragged files are copied to the device, which is not a shared folder3. | 0 / 6 |
| Shared clipboard | YesClipboard sharing is switched on per device; text copies in both directions7. | 4 / 4 |
Openness and upkeep 4 of 14 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | NoThe terms bar copying, decompiling and reverse engineering, and do not offer source code5. | 0 / 6 |
| Security advisories published | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pages2,5. | 0 / 4 |
| Updated in the last 12 months | YesChangelog lists 3.10.0 with release date 04/01/2026 and an update to 3.11.0 dated 09/24/20266. | 4 / 4 |
Price 10 of 18 points
The rule behind each line: how we score virtual machine programs.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free (personal use)Personal use only | Free1 | $0 | Limited features, no technical support |
| EducationalStudents and schools | $49/year1 | $4.08 | Per student and workstation; proof required |
| IndividualFreelancers and self-employed | $239.99/year1 | $20 | Per computer; excludes employees and contractors |
| BusinessCompanies and employees | $479.99/year1 | $40 | Per user and workstation; volume discounts by quote |
| PremiumLarge teams | Quote1 | Quote | Includes licence server access |
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 $479.991.
Strengths
- A free personal-use edition needs no licence key, and the pricing page lists no time limit1.
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux hosts2.
- Documents NAT and bridged networking for its VirtualBox mode3.
- Copies text between the computer and the virtual device7.
- The changelog lists an update to version 3.11.0 dated 09/24/20266.
Limits
- Only Android virtual devices are documented, with no Windows or Linux guests2.
- Free use is limited to personal use, and Quick boot and the latest Android version are unavailable in it1,4.
- Cheapest work licence is $239.99 a year per computer, for freelancers only1.
- Source code is not public; the terms forbid copying and reverse engineering5.
- The documentation lists Windows 11 only and recommends Pro or Enterprise2.
What Genymobile says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- Genymobile says its virtual devices use the host machine's GPU acceleration4.
Other virtual machine programs
- 1
Oracle VirtualBoxPeople who want a free, open-source virtual machine app on Windows92/100$0cheapest licence for work use - 2
VMware Workstation ProWindows users who want a free hypervisor with snapshots and shared folders79/100$0cheapest licence for work use - 3
NanaBoxWindows users who want a light Hyper-V front end with GPU and TPM options74/100$0cheapest licence for work use - 4
Microsoft Hyper-VWindows Pro users who want virtual machines without extra software73/100$0cheapest licence for work use
Sources
- Genymotion pricing, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Get Started with Genymotion Desktop, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Virtual Devices Settings, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Genymotion Desktop, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Legal terms and conditions, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Genymotion Desktop changelog, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- Clipboard, Genymobile. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
Website: www.genymotion.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Genymobile.