The best GBA emulator in 2026 depends on the device in your hands, and the biggest shake-up landed this month. Delta 2.0 shipped for iPhone and iPad, adding Sega Genesis support, RetroAchievements and a Liquid Glass redesign, according to Digital Trends. On desktop, mGBA 0.10.5 is still the latest numbered stable release we could confirm. RetroArch sits at 1.22.2. Android players still choose between RetroArch cores and the paid Pizza Boy A Pro.
This comparison covers the five names that keep showing up in searches for a GBA emulator: mGBA, RetroArch, Delta, Pizza Boy A and VisualBoyAdvance-M (VBA-M). We checked each project’s own pages, issue trackers and recent press coverage as of October 29, 2026. Where the evidence is thin, we say so instead of padding the page with invented scores. If you only care about a head-to-head between desktop options, our earlier mGBA vs VBA-M vs SkyEmu accuracy test goes deeper on that narrower question.
Here is the short version. mGBA wins on desktop. Delta wins on iPhone and iPad. RetroArch wins if you want one app for many consoles. Pizza Boy A Pro wins if you want a polished paid app on Android. VBA-M is the veteran you try when an old guide tells you to. The rest of this article explains why, shows the specs side by side, prices each option, walks through seven real events from 2026 and ends with a migration guide for moving your saves.
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Best GBA Emulator in 2026: The Short Answer
Pick by platform first and by features second. That sounds obvious, yet most “best GBA emulator” lists mix iOS apps, Android apps and desktop programs into one ranking, which hides the real decision. You cannot install Delta on Windows, and you cannot put mGBA’s desktop build on an iPhone through the App Store. Once you filter by the device you own, the field shrinks to two or three realistic choices.
- Windows, macOS and Linux: mGBA. It is a dedicated Game Boy Advance emulator, it also handles Game Boy and Game Boy Color, and it is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
- iPhone and iPad: Delta 2.0. It is a free download on the App Store and through AltStore PAL, and the 2.0 update added Sega Genesis and Mega Drive support.
- Android, free: RetroArch with the mGBA core. You get the same emulation engine inside a frontend that handles shaders, controllers and many other systems.
- Android, paid and simple: Pizza Boy A Pro. One report from August 2026 listed it at $5.99, with rewind, cheats, skins and Google Drive sync.
- Many consoles in one launcher: RetroArch. It is not a GBA emulator by itself, so its GBA quality depends on the core you load.
- Old guides and legacy habits: VBA-M. It is still developed, but its release trail is hard to read, which makes it a weaker recommendation for newcomers.
If you also play original Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles, most of these tools cover them, and our guide to the best Game Boy Color emulators for Pokémon shows how that side of the family compares. For a single pick with no other context, we name mGBA as the best GBA emulator for most people on a computer, and Delta for most people on an Apple phone. The verdict section at the end backs that up with the data we could verify.
How We Compared These GBA Emulators
A fair comparison starts with rules. We built this page from a current-facts sheet compiled on October 29, 2026, drawing on each project’s official pages, public GitHub issue trackers, Libretro documentation, app-store listings and press coverage from outlets such as Digital Trends, The Verge and ComputerBase. Every version number, price and date in the tables passed one test: it appeared on a page we could open today and in a second, independent source. Anything weaker shows up in running text with a hedge such as “reportedly”.
We also drew a line around what we could not measure. We did not run frame-time captures across all five programs, and we did not find a published, standardized benchmark that does. Rather than invent one, the evidence section later in this article lays out what each source type can and cannot tell you. That choice costs us a flashy chart, but it keeps every claim traceable. A comparison that you cannot check is just an opinion with formatting.
Finally, we scored products by what a buyer or installer actually faces. The questions were simple. Does the project ship a clearly identified current release? Does it run on your hardware? What does it cost? Is somebody still fixing bugs? Those four questions explain nearly every recommendation below, and they work for any emulator you evaluate in the future.
GBA Emulator Specs Table: mGBA vs RetroArch vs Delta vs Pizza Boy vs VBA-M
The table below uses only details that appear on a project’s own pages or in at least two independent sources checked on October 29, 2026. A cell that reads “Not confirmed” means we could not verify the fact, not that the feature is missing. Treat those cells as a prompt to check the project’s site yourself before you commit.
| Spec | mGBA | RetroArch | Delta | Pizza Boy A Pro | VBA-M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Standalone emulator | Frontend that loads emulator cores | iOS and iPadOS app | Android app | Standalone emulator plus libretro core |
| Newest stable we could confirm | 0.10.5 | 1.22.2 | 2.0 (October 22, 2026) | Listing data conflicts | No clearly documented 2026 stable release |
| License or model | Mozilla Public License 2.0 | GNU GPLv3 | Free app with optional Patron purchase | Paid Pro edition | Not confirmed |
| Base price | Open source, no paid edition | Open source, no paid tier confirmed | Free download | $5.99 reported | No paid edition confirmed |
| Desktop support | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes, through the frontend | Not the main target | No | Yes |
| Phone support | No official mobile build confirmed | Android confirmed | iPhone, iPad | Android | Not confirmed |
| GBA focus | Dedicated | Depends on the core | One of several systems | Dedicated GBA app | Dedicated |
| Game Boy and Color | Same program | Through other cores | Yes | Separate Pizza Boy C apps | Not confirmed |
| Other systems | Game Boy family only | Many, through cores | Nintendo systems, plus Sega Genesis since 2.0 | None in the GBA app | Not confirmed |
| Standout features in sources | Active bug tracker, 0.11 development | Runahead latency reduction, GPU shaders | RetroAchievements, animated skins | Rewind, cheats, skins, Google Drive sync | Libretro core, repository maintenance |
| Where you get it | mgba.io | retroarch.com | App Store, AltStore PAL | Google Play | Project repository |
| Development status, Oct. 2026 | Active | Active | Active, major release shipped | Active on Android | Repository activity, unclear releases |
Two details deserve a second look. First, RetroArch’s version number comes with a caveat. Its official site still leads with 1.21.0 on the public homepage, while the download page lists 1.22.2 as the verified stable build, so some guides quote an older number than the one you should install. Second, Pizza Boy listings disagree. Third-party analytics pages report conflicting version information, which is why the table does not print a single version.
The Game Boy Advance is an old, low-power handheld, and none of these programs asks much from a modern device. That is why spec differences here are less about raw speed and more about interface, platform fit, update cadence and extras such as achievements and cloud sync. Keep that in mind as you read the individual breakdowns that follow.
mGBA: The Accuracy-First Pick for Windows, macOS and Linux
mGBA is the emulator we recommend first for any computer. The project describes itself as an open-source Game Boy Advance emulator, with copyright running from 2013 through 2026, and it states that it has no affiliation with Nintendo. Current project descriptions list support for Game Boy Advance, Game Boy and Game Boy Color on Windows, macOS and Linux, and a retro-gaming reference site marked the project as active on October 27, 2026. The license is the Mozilla Public License 2.0, which lets other projects reuse the code with fewer strings than a strict GPL license.
The latest numbered stable release is 0.10.5. The official release notes call it a bugfix release with several important fixes and add that, in the project’s own words, “This will be the last release before 0.11 unless a major issue is discovered.” The same page warns that 0.10.5 may be the last version to support Windows 7 through 8.1 and macOS 10.9 through 10.12. If you run an old machine, download 0.10.5 now and keep the installer, because newer builds may drop your operating system. You can read the notes on the official mGBA site.
What is happening on the 0.11 branch
Development has continued without a new numbered stable release. An October 19 report said upstream commits kept arriving while nothing newer than 0.10.5 shipped in the preceding one to three months. A development build string, 0.11-9155-143adf5aa, was observed on October 12, and GitHub lists 0.11.1 as a milestone with no date attached. That pattern is normal for a volunteer project, but it means you should not wait for a feature that has no release date. Install 0.10.5 today.
One caution about version numbers. A third-party AppImage project published an mGBA 0.10.5-5 build on October 22, and a nightly build dated October 27 also surfaced. Both are packaging or nightly builds from outside the official team, not official upstream releases. The latest numbered stable release remains mGBA 0.10.5, so if a website tells you a newer official version is out, treat that claim as unverified.
Who should choose mGBA
Choose mGBA when you want a program that does one job well, opens quickly and gets out of the way. It suits Pokémon players who need reliable saves and cheat support, speedrunners who want predictable behavior, and anyone who dislikes the menu depth of a multi-system frontend. Our step-by-step mGBA setup for Pokémon GBA games walks through controller mapping, save locations and patching in order. The one real weakness is mobile. We found no official mobile build, so Android and iOS readers should look at the other entries in this comparison.
RetroArch: One Frontend, Many Cores, a GBA Result That Depends on the Core
RetroArch is not a GBA emulator, and that is the most common misunderstanding in this category. It is a free frontend released under the GNU GPLv3 that loads separate emulator cores. For Game Boy Advance, the core you pick decides accuracy, speed and quirks, and mGBA is a confirmed, actively used option. VBA-M can also run as a core. So a question like “mGBA or RetroArch?” is partly a trick question, because the best RetroArch setup for GBA often runs mGBA underneath.
The stable version to install is 1.22.2, which the RetroArch download page lists as the verified stable build. A Libretro forum thread from mid-October indicates the next stable release is taking longer because the developers want a substantial quality jump, and the official GitLab mirror reportedly still listed 1.22.2 as the newest tag in September. In practice, that means nightly builds are where fixes land first, and stable users wait. If you need a fix urgently, you will have to accept nightly-build risk.
The features that justify the complexity
RetroArch’s official pages highlight two features that matter for a handheld as small as the GBA. The first is runahead, introduced in 2018, which runs a second session of the game slightly ahead so that input and video latency drop without obvious ghosting when it works. The second is GPU-based shaders, supported since 2011, which let you recreate the look of a Game Boy Advance screen or a CRT on a modern display. A new CRT-style shader called Lola Retro was posted for community feedback in late October and was tested on 1.22.2.
The price of that flexibility is setup time. Cores must be downloaded, controllers mapped per system and overlays chosen. On Android, development work on October 5 targeted problems with core installation and launching, including full core paths and a clearer message that RetroArch needs a core to run anything. If you want the simplest route to a working game on Android, compare RetroArch with the paid alternatives in our My Boy! vs John GBAC vs RetroArch Android comparison.
Known bugs exist too. Tracker entries from October 2026 reportedly describe input-remapping behavior that resets after a core closes, Android touch-overlay haptics that still failed on at least one Samsung device after a fix attempt on October 11, and a 3DS pixel-grid problem still documented against 1.22.2. None of those hit a typical GBA session, but they show why RetroArch rewards patient users more than impatient ones.
Delta 2.0: The Best GBA Emulator for iPhone and iPad
Delta changed the most in the last month. Version 2.0 arrived this month for iOS and iPadOS. Coverage from The Verge, Digital Trends, ComputerBase and others describes a release that adds Sega Genesis and Mega Drive emulation, RetroAchievements, a Liquid Glass interface, animated controller skins and optimization for Apple’s iPhone Duo. A new optional Become a Patron in-app purchase also arrived worldwide with 2.0. Riley Testut is identified in current coverage as Delta’s creator.
Distribution is the part that matters for most readers. The base app is a free download on the App Store and is also available through AltStore PAL in supported regions. October’s release was reported as Delta’s first appearance on the EU App Store, which removes the alternative-marketplace step that European users needed before. Delta first reached the App Store in April 2024 with Nintendo and Game Boy family systems plus the Nintendo DS, so the October update widens a library that already covered GBA well. Our Delta emulator guide for Pokémon on iPhone covers the install flow in twelve steps.
Delta versus other iOS options
Delta is not the only iOS candidate, and our Delta vs Folium vs Provenance comparison weighs it against two rivals on price and system coverage. For a GBA-only player the question is simpler. Delta gives you a native-feeling interface, controller skins that adapt to orientation and an achievements layer that mGBA’s desktop build does not match out of the box. Reports say Delta also supports the Nintendo 64, SNES, NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color and DS, so one install covers a lot of ground.
Two cautions. Pricing for the optional Patron tiers comes from a single App Store listing dated November 2025, which showed $10, $15 and $30 options, so confirm the current amounts in the app before you buy. And a preview called Delta 2.0rc reportedly went to Patrons on October 16, with the public launch following on October 22. Do not confuse the release candidate with the stable build. Delta has no recurring subscription that we could identify.
Pizza Boy A Pro: The Paid Android App That Came Back
Pizza Boy A is the Android family’s GBA product line, with a free Basic edition and a paid Pro edition according to store listings. A FoxData app listing describes Pizza Boy A Pro as a GBA emulator with rewind, cheats, skins and Google Drive synchronization, written in C and assembly. The name is branded “Pizza Boy A”, and “Pizza Boy GBA” is an informal label that readers use when they search. The separate Pizza Boy C Basic and C Pro apps handle original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, so you buy per console family.
The most important 2026 event was availability. A recent report said multiple Pizza Boy listings were back on Google Play, including A Basic, A Pro, C Basic and C Pro, after earlier removals. That report put both Pro apps at $5.99 and warned that Google Play prices vary by country, account and time. A separate listing reportedly showed $6.17 in the Bahamas market, which illustrates the point. Expect to pay roughly the price of a coffee, give or take local tax and currency.
One more point is worth flagging. Pizza Boy A Pro is the right buy if you want rewind and cloud sync without configuring a frontend. If you prefer a different paid Android app, the GBA.emu setup guide covers another route.
VBA-M: Still Developed, Hard to Recommend Without a Clear Release Trail
VisualBoyAdvance-M, usually shortened to VBA-M, is the community continuation of the original VisualBoyAdvance. Its stated purpose remains improving on that older program by combining features from various builds. We found no confirmed acquisition, retirement or rename. Libretro’s documentation of the VBA-M core, hosted in a mirrored documentation repository, indicates there is no confirmed commercial pricing or current leadership information, and that its 2026 activity centers on repository maintenance and platform work instead of clearly documented stable releases.
The release trail is the problem. The project’s official news page reportedly lists VisualBoyAdvance-M 2.1.11 as the newest announced release, and its 2026 activity appears concentrated in repository maintenance and platform and feature work rather than clearly documented stable releases. A third-party comparison also claims a FreeBSD package moved to a newer version, but we found no matching official announcement, so we do not treat that as a confirmed release.
That mix of busy commits and quiet announcements leaves newcomers guessing which build is trustworthy. VBA-M still has a loyal audience, particularly among players who learned the original VisualBoyAdvance years ago and want a familiar layout. If you are in that group, our VBA-M setup for Pokémon shows how to configure it safely. For everyone else, mGBA offers a clearer release history on desktop, and the mGBA core gives RetroArch users the same advantage.
Accuracy, Latency and Compatibility: What the Evidence Supports
Readers often ask for benchmark charts, so here is the honest answer. We found no independent, standardized benchmark that scores mGBA, RetroArch, Delta, Pizza Boy A Pro and VBA-M against each other on the same hardware in 2026. A GBA is a low-power system, and every program in this comparison should run full speed on a recent phone or computer. Publishing frame-time numbers or accuracy percentages without a source would mislead you, so we classify the available evidence by source type instead.
| Evidence source | What it covers | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Official project pages (mGBA, RetroArch, Delta blog) | Release notes, licenses, feature descriptions | mGBA 0.10.5 is a bugfix release, RetroArch 1.22.2 is the verified stable, Delta 2.0 is the current major release |
| Public issue trackers (GitHub) | Bug reports and milestones | A Linux controller-detection bug in mGBA was assigned to the 0.11.1 milestone |
| Press coverage (Digital Trends, The Verge, ComputerBase, Gadget Hacks) | Delta 2.0 launch | Genesis support, RetroAchievements, EU App Store arrival |
| App-store analytics listings (FoxData) | Pizza Boy A Pro description and price | Rewind, cheats, skins and cloud sync, price varies by market |
| Libretro documentation | VBA-M core | No confirmed pricing, activity focused on maintenance |
| Community forums | RetroArch shaders and release discussion | Context on upcoming releases, not a measurement |
Accuracy is the hardest category to summarize. Our own testing history favors mGBA, and the earlier accuracy comparison linked in our introduction carries the scores from that run. This article does not repeat those numbers because they were produced for a different line-up on a different date. What we can say from the sources here is that mGBA’s bug tracker is active, that its core powers RetroArch’s GBA support, and that VBA-M’s recent activity centers on filters and platform support instead of accuracy announcements.
Latency is where RetroArch stands apart on paper. Its runahead feature targets input lag by running the game slightly ahead, and the project says it can cut latency when it works. Delta and Pizza Boy A Pro do not advertise a comparable feature in the sources we checked. For a rhythm-style GBA game or a precise platformer, that difference could matter on desktop, though a wireless controller and a display with slow processing add their own delay. Test with your own gear before assuming a gain.
Compatibility is the area where all five should be strong. The GBA library is small by modern standards, and mature emulators have had many years to fix rare cartridge quirks, such as unusual save types. A game that fails on one emulator will often work on another, which is why RetroArch’s ability to swap cores is useful as a fallback. If a title misbehaves, switch cores before you assume the ROM is bad.
A quick display and input checklist
Most visible differences between emulators come from settings, not from the engine. Set integer scaling so pixels stay square, because a 240 by 160 image stretched to a non-integer size looks soft. Turn on a light LCD-style shader if the flat pixels look harsh, and turn it off if you play on a small phone screen where the effect only dims the picture. Pick vertical sync over tearing, and try a wired controller before blaming the emulator for lag. These four changes will do more for your experience than the choice between two mature emulators.
GBA Emulator Pricing in 2026: Free, Optional Patron and Paid Pro
Price is simple for this category, and the table shows why. Three of the five tools cost nothing to install. One offers an optional purchase and one is a one-time paid app. None of the sources we checked confirmed a recurring subscription for any of them, so you will not meet a monthly fee unless you add a separate cloud service on your own.
| Emulator | Base cost | Paid options | Licensing or model | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mGBA | Open source, no paid edition | None | Mozilla Public License 2.0 | Official site distribution |
| RetroArch | Open source, no paid tier confirmed | None confirmed | GNU GPLv3 | Cores are separate downloads |
| Delta | Free App Store download | Optional Patron in-app purchase | Free app, optional support tier | No recurring plan identified |
| Pizza Boy A Pro | $5.99 reported, varies by country | None | One-time paid Google Play app | Google Play prices vary by account and time |
| VBA-M | No price confirmed | None confirmed | Community project | No paid edition or roadmap identified |
Total cost of ownership is almost entirely about the games and the controller, not the software. A legally owned cartridge, a way to dump it and a decent gamepad will cost more than any app in the table. A Bluetooth controller is optional on a phone, since on-screen touch controls work, but they suit a GBA’s six buttons less well than a physical pad. Budget for a controller before you budget for the emulator.
A sensible spending plan looks like this. Desktop players spend $0 and install mGBA. iPhone players spend $0 and install Delta, then decide later whether the Patron option is worth it. Android players try RetroArch first at no cost, and buy Pizza Boy A Pro only if the frontend feels like too much work. That path wastes no money and lets you compare the options on your own device.
Real-World Examples: 7 Things That Happened to GBA Emulators in 2026
Specs only tell part of the story. These seven events from 2026 show how the five projects behave in practice, and each one points to a buying or installing decision.
- Delta reaches the EU App Store (October 22 to 23). Delta 2.0 became available worldwide on the App Store, including the EU, and ComputerBase reported it as Delta’s first EU App Store availability. AltStore PAL had been the main European route before. The lesson: iPhone owners in Europe no longer need an alternative marketplace.
- Delta targets the iPhone Duo (October 22). Coverage from The Verge and 9to5Mac describes the release as optimized for Apple’s iPhone Duo, and reports mention a dual-screen layout for Nintendo DS games. The lesson: Delta is tracking Apple hardware closely, which favors it for future devices.
- Pizza Boy returns to Google Play (August 18). Several Pizza Boy listings were reported available again after removals that reportedly started in March 2024. The lesson: a store listing can disappear, so keep your own purchase receipts and back up saves.
- mGBA’s Linux controller bug gets a milestone (October 12). A user reported broken gamepad detection on Linux, the issue appeared fixed in development builds, and maintainers assigned it to the 0.11.1 milestone. The lesson: stable 0.10.5 users on Linux may need a workaround until 0.11.1 ships.
- RetroArch fixes Android core launching (October 5). Development work addressed core installation and launching on Android, including full core paths and clearer messaging. The lesson: RetroArch on Android is improving, but you still need to install a core first.
- A Dolphin crash in RetroArch closes in two days (October 9 to 11). A macOS auto-save-state crash against 1.22.2 was reported on October 9 and marked completed on October 11. The lesson: core bugs get fixed quickly, though they land in nightly builds before stable.
- Unofficial mGBA builds appear (October 22 and 27). A third-party AppImage project published “mGBA 0.10.5-5” and a nightly followed. The lesson: download from mgba.io, not from a repackager, and do not read a build tag as an official release.
There is one more detail from the RetroArch tracker that illustrates the stakes of version drift. A Nintendo Switch report from October 19 to 24 said the mGBA core in RetroArch 1.22.2 created an unwanted folder at the SD card root, and the problem also reproduced in nightly builds. It is a small annoyance, not a data-loss bug, but it is the kind of thing a standalone program avoids. If you run homebrew on a console, check the tracker before you file your own report.
Best GBA Emulator by Use Case: 7 Recommendations
Match the emulator to the job. The recommendations below cover the situations readers ask about most, and each one names a primary pick and a backup. For wider roundups across emulation and consoles, our gaming coverage hub collects the rest of our emulator guides.
Playing Pokémon on a Windows or Mac laptop
Pick mGBA. Pokémon GBA games rely on battery saves, a real-time clock in some titles and cheat support for players who want it. mGBA handles those cleanly, and the project’s issue tracker is active. Backup: VBA-M, if you already know its layout. Skip RetroArch unless you plan to add other systems, since the extra menu layers slow down a one-game session.
Playing on iPhone or iPad
Pick Delta 2.0. It is free, it installs through the App Store or AltStore PAL, and the 2.0 update adds RetroAchievements and animated controller skins. Backup: none we would recommend over Delta for GBA in the sources we checked. If you have an iPhone Duo, Delta’s reported dual-screen work is a reason to choose it even if you only play GBA now.
Playing on Android with the least setup
Pick Pizza Boy A Pro. The reported price is around $5.99, and the listed features include rewind, cheats, skins and Google Drive sync. You install one app, load a game and play. Backup: RetroArch with the mGBA core, which costs nothing but needs more setup time.
Building one launcher for many consoles
Pick RetroArch. It runs separate cores for many systems, shares one controller configuration and offers shaders and runahead across the library. Because it uses the mGBA core for GBA, you give up very little on emulation quality. Backup: Delta on Apple devices, where its Nintendo and Genesis coverage fills a similar role.
Running an old computer
Pick mGBA 0.10.5. The project’s official page says it may be the last release to support Windows 7 through 8.1 and older macOS versions, so it is the safest bet for aging machines. Save the installer, because future versions could require a newer operating system.
Using real cartridges and flash carts
An emulator is not the only way to play. If you want original hardware with modern conveniences, our EverDrive GBA Pro setup covers the flash-cart route. You can still use mGBA on a computer to check saves before moving them to the cartridge.
Chasing achievements
Pick Delta 2.0 on Apple devices, because RetroAchievements is a headline feature of the October update. Desktop and Android players can look into achievement support in RetroArch, though we did not verify it for this article, so check the current documentation first.
Pros and Cons of Each GBA Emulator
The table gathers the trade-offs in one place. Every pro and con comes from the sources used earlier in this article, and a few are our own judgment.
| Emulator | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| mGBA | Dedicated GBA focus, covers Game Boy and Color too, MPL 2.0 license, official site distribution, active bug tracker | No official mobile build found, third-party builds create version confusion |
| RetroArch | Many systems in one app, runahead and shaders, open source under GPLv3, can use the mGBA core | Heavier setup, GBA quality depends on the core, stable releases can lag nightly builds |
| Delta | Free App Store download, 2.0 added Genesis and RetroAchievements, EU App Store access, active development | Built for Apple devices, Patron tier prices need checking in the app |
| Pizza Boy A Pro | Rewind, cheats, skins and Google Drive sync, low one-time price, back on Google Play | Android only, price varies by market, Game Boy and Color need separate apps |
| VBA-M | Long history, still receives repository commits, available as a libretro core | No clearly documented 2026 stable release, little official pricing or roadmap information |
Read the table as a map of risk. mGBA and Delta carry the least risk on their respective platforms, because each has a clear current release and an active team. RetroArch carries the most configuration risk but also the most upside. Pizza Boy A Pro carries a small financial risk that a store listing changes. VBA-M carries the most uncertainty and the least upside for new users.
Migration Guide: Moving GBA Saves Between Emulators
Switching emulators does not have to cost you your progress. The key is to separate two kinds of saves. A battery save, usually a file ending in .sav, mimics the cartridge’s own memory and is generally portable between GBA emulators. A save state is a snapshot of the emulator’s internal memory and almost never moves between different programs. Move the battery save, forget the save state, and you keep your in-game progress.
- Save in the game first. Use the game’s own save menu, then close the emulator cleanly so the battery save writes to disk.
- Back up everything. Copy the whole saves folder and the ROM folder to a dated backup before you touch anything.
- Find the .sav file. Look in the old emulator’s save directory. The file normally shares its name with the ROM.
- Match the new emulator’s naming. Rename the .sav so it matches the ROM filename the new program expects, keeping the .sav extension.
- Copy it into the new save directory. Check the destination in the new emulator’s settings, since each program picks its own default folder.
- Launch and verify. Open the game and load your in-game save. If you see a blank file, close the app, check the name and try again.
- Keep the old copy for a week. Delete nothing until you have played a full session on the new setup.
# Back up before any move
cp -r "$HOME/GBA/saves" "$HOME/GBA/saves-backup-2026-10-29"
# Copy a battery save and match the new ROM filename
cp "$HOME/GBA/saves/Game.sav" "$HOME/new-emulator/saves/Game.sav"Cross-device moves need extra care. Delta and Pizza Boy A Pro each offer their own sync or backup options, and Pizza Boy A Pro lists Google Drive synchronization, but a cloud copy from one app will not automatically open in another. Export the raw .sav file when you can. If you want to carry a Pokémon team between programs rather than a whole save, our guide to trading Pokémon between emulators shows a method that avoids file juggling.
How to confirm a download is official
The unofficial mGBA builds that surfaced in October show why this matters. Download desktop builds from the project’s own site, and install Delta and Pizza Boy from their store listings. Check the version number against the project’s release notes, and be wary of any page that offers a version the project has not announced. A repackaged installer can carry bundled software you did not ask for, and a mislabeled version can leave you without the bug fixes you thought you had.
Legal basics for ROMs and BIOS files
Emulators themselves are legal software, and mGBA’s own pages state that the project is not affiliated with Nintendo. Game files are different. Use dumps of cartridges you own, and do not download commercial ROMs from random sites. RetroArch’s documentation also notes that users must supply legally dumped game and BIOS files where a core requires them. We do not link to ROM sources, and no part of this comparison depends on one.
Verdict: Which GBA Emulator Should You Install
For a computer, install mGBA 0.10.5 from the official site. It has a clear current stable release, a Mozilla Public License 2.0 license, coverage for the Game Boy family, and an issue tracker that shows real activity as recently as October 12. It also supplies the GBA engine that RetroArch users rely on, so choosing it is the lowest-regret decision in the field.
For an iPhone or iPad, install Delta 2.0. It is free, it launched this month, and the update brought Sega Genesis, RetroAchievements and EU App Store access. For Android, start with RetroArch and the mGBA core at no cost, then buy Pizza Boy A Pro at roughly $5.99 if you want a simpler app with rewind, cheats and cloud sync. Leave VBA-M for situations where an old guide or a specific need points you there.
| Your situation | Install this | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows, macOS or Linux | mGBA 0.10.5 | Open source | Dedicated GBA emulator with a clear stable release |
| iPhone or iPad | Delta 2.0 | Free download | Released October 22, 2026 with Genesis and RetroAchievements |
| Android, free | RetroArch 1.22.2 plus mGBA core | Open source | Same engine as mGBA inside a flexible frontend |
| Android, simple | Pizza Boy A Pro | $5.99 reported | Rewind, cheats, skins and Google Drive sync |
| Many consoles, one launcher | RetroArch 1.22.2 | Open source | Cores, shaders and runahead across systems |
| Legacy preference | VBA-M | No price confirmed | Familiar layout, unclear release trail |
This ranking will change. mGBA 0.11.1 is on the roadmap, RetroArch’s next stable release is delayed on purpose, and Delta’s team is still shipping. We will update this comparison when an official release changes the picture. Until then, the best GBA emulator is the one that matches your device, and the table above tells you which that is.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best GBA Emulator
What is the best GBA emulator in 2026?
For Windows, macOS and Linux, mGBA is the best GBA emulator, with 0.10.5 as the latest numbered stable release we could confirm. On iPhone and iPad, Delta 2.0 is the best option. On Android, RetroArch with the mGBA core is the best free route and Pizza Boy A Pro is the simplest paid one.
Is mGBA better than VBA-M?
For most people, yes. mGBA has a clearly identified latest stable release and an active tracker, while VBA-M’s 2026 activity is mostly repository maintenance and its release announcements are harder to follow. VBA-M remains usable, and some players prefer its layout.
Is RetroArch a GBA emulator?
Not by itself. RetroArch is a frontend that loads emulator cores, and its GBA performance depends on the core, such as mGBA or VBA-M. Think of it as the launcher and the core as the engine.
Is Delta free?
The base Delta app is a free download on the App Store and through AltStore PAL. Version 2.0 added an optional Become a Patron in-app purchase, but the free app plays games without it. We found no recurring subscription.
How much does Pizza Boy A Pro cost?
A recent report listed Pizza Boy A Pro at $5.99. Google Play prices vary by country, account and time, so check your own store page before you buy.
Can I move my GBA save from one emulator to another?
Usually yes, if you move the battery save, which is the .sav file. Save states generally do not transfer between different programs. Back up first, rename the file to match the ROM name in the new emulator and test before deleting the old copy.
Are GBA emulators legal?
The emulators are legal software, and mGBA states it has no affiliation with Nintendo. The legal risk sits with game files. Use dumps from cartridges you own and avoid ROM download sites.
Is there a newer mGBA than 0.10.5?
Not officially, as of October 29, 2026. Development builds labeled 0.11 exist, and third-party packages such as a 0.10.5-5 AppImage have appeared, but those are not official releases. The 0.11.1 milestone has no published date.
