17-04-2021

Emulator Mac Os For Android



If you are looking for Android Emulators for PC & Mac, you want to do at least one of the following – develop apps for Android or, you want to enjoy Android games on a big screen. There may be other reasons as well like testing out a new ROM or perhaps you are just planning on making a switch from iOS to Android and want to get a taste of Android before you end up making the actual switch.

In this article, I will sum up the best Android emulators for PC & Mac that I have personally used and tested to find out their strengths and weaknesses. I will rank them in the order of my preference but albeit, you may have a different order altogether.

1.BlueStacks

BlueStacks is one of THE MOST POPULAR emulators available today. It has been in the market for quite some time. One of the primary reasons why I used BlueStacks was gaming.

Why not productivity? That’s simply because I have access to every productivity tool I need on my desktop. I don’t need an Android device for productivity and as far as mobility is concerned, I will definitely not carry around my desktop to work with BlueStacks!

While on the move, I will be invariably stuck with a tiny device (running Android) that will anyway cripple my productivity. So, I find whining about BlueStacks performing sluggishly while dealing with productivity tools senseless.

Along these lines, this article enrolls a portion of the 5 best Android emulators accessible in the market for a Mac OS: NOX. Nox is a basic Android emulator to set up, works amazingly on Mac, doesn’t cost anything and has a scope of cutting edge apparatuses that let you allot apparently mobile-only activities -, for example, tilting left. Android Emulators basically are a type of emulators or simulation applications software; designed & developed to run Android like environment on a compatible machine, such as on your computer system. It happens by virtualizing a mobile device that runs on your PC or laptop.

Pros of BlueStacks

  • BlueStacks has a super easy setup. Just download, install, put in your Gmail login credentials, and you are good to go!
  • Not only did BlueStacks allow me to access Play Store, but it also gave me access to its very own app store that has apps optimized for BlueStacks!
  • It has a clean and intuitive interface that makes navigating around quite simple!
  • It allows keyboard mapping. It found it quite beneficial while playing games.
  • It supports multiple accounts!
  • It is a freemium software, which means that you can test it for free before you decide to make a purchase.
  1. Nox is an android emulator for both windows PC and mac. Get the official download links of Nox app player 6.1.0.1 for PC or mac OS.
  2. But the one we'll use for this tutorial is Nox, the top pick in our roundup of the best Android emulators for Mac. To find the emulator visit the Nox site and click on the download button.
  3. Free Android Emulator for Windows 7/8/10 and Mac. As we all know free is not always free. So, even these free Android Emulators are not absolutely free. But, yet they are worth to use as a free Android Emulator to run the Android app on PC. We have featured top free Android Emulator for PC including Windows and Mac.

Cons of BlueStacks

  • It doesn’t perform well with touch gestures. So, before you go ahead and install it on a touchscreen-enabled laptop, think twice. I will instead suggest sticking around with your keyboard.
  • Because BlueStacks’ free version is meant to remain free forever, you will occasionally see advertisements popping up. That’s quite frustrating.
  • On computers with low-end hardware, BlueStacks gave significant lags while playing games. So, if you don’t like delays (which no one does), don’t bother putting it on laptops or desktops that do not have powerful hardware.

Minimum System Requirements for BlueStacks

I installed and used BlueStacks 4. This version has the following minimum system requirements:

  • OS – Windows 7 or higher.
  • AMD or Intel Processor.
  • At least 2 GB RAM.
  • At least 5 GB of free space on your hard disk.
  • Administrator rights to your PC.
  • Up-to-date graphics driver from chipset vendor or Microsoft.

The minimum system requirements for running BlueStacks 4 on Mac are:

  • OS – macOS Sierra (10.12), High Sierra (10.13), or Mojave (10.14).
  • Minimum 4 GB RAM.
  • Minimum 4 GB of free space on the hard disk.
  • Up-to-date graphics drivers from the manufacturer of the graphics card.
  • Latest App Store updates applied on Mac.

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This is the minimum requirement, but BlueStacks has what is called recommended system requirements for best performance. Do check that out.

2.GameLoop

Honestly, I have a mixed feeling for this one in particular, and I don’t know whether to hate it or love it. It was previously known as Tencent Gaming Buddy. It has exclusive support for CODM or Call of Duty: Mobile, but it does support other games as well. What made me say that I don’t know whether to hate it or love it? Read the pros and cons to find out!

Pros of GameLoop

  • It is highly optimized for CODM, and the experience is surprisingly smooth, with no lags or stuttering! That was a pleasant surprise.
  • It has support for PUBG Mobile.
  • Completely free.
  • Excellent integration of keyboard and mouse!
  • Shallow system requirements. Mostly it can run on a gaming PC that was built back in 2005!
  • It is a minimal app and doesn’t eat up much space on my computer’s hard disk. So, I don’t mind keeping it installed forever!

Cons of GameLoop

  • It can play a limited number of games and supports a very limited number of apps. It was designed and developed specifically to be compatible with Call of Duty: Mobile.
  • It is not available for Mac users. Bad luck!
  • Because it has minimal support for apps, it is useless for app developers.

Minimum System Requirements for GameLoop

This thing can run literally on a dinosaur. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to test it on a system with low-end hardware because my desktops are quite powerful and can run almost every resource-intensive game or application I throw at them. But if you don’t have a high-end computer, here is a quick list of the primary system requirements:

  • A dual-core CPU either from Intel or AMD clocked at 1.8 GHz.
  • Minimum 2 GB RAM.
  • Minimum 1 GB of free space on your hard disk.
  • OS – Windows 7 and above.
  • GPU – ATI/AMD Radeon HD2600/3600 or Nvidia GeForce 8600/9600GT.

3.MEmu

MEmu Play is a relatively new player in the market. It was launched back in the year 2015 and it is based on Android Lollipop. It is quite decent for gaming but does exceptionally well in dealing with productivity apps. Here are the pros and cons that I found while using MEmu:

Pros of MEmu

  • To start with, MEmu Play is very fast.
  • Though it is based on Android Lollipop, it can actually support other versions like Jelly Bean and Kit Kat.
  • It comes with support for both Nvidia and AMD chips.
  • The key mapping feature is terrific.
  • You can even set virtual locations on Google Maps.
  • It supports a lot of Windows operating systems, including XP, Windows 7, 8, and 10.
  • It allows you to launch multiple instances and play games separately in each situation. Alternately, it also allows running multiple accounts on a single instance for the same game.
  • Best of all, it is free.

Cons of MEmu

  • Though MEmu touts of high performance in gaming, it is not true! I will like to see better performance in graphics.
  • It has no support for Mac.

Minimum System Requirements for MEmu

  • You need to have Intel or AMD CPU with either 32-bit support or 64-bit support.
  • OS- Windows XP (SP3), Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10.
  • You will need at least 2 GB of RAM.
  • You will need at least 2 GB of space on the hard disk.
  • Your BIOS should have Hardware Virtualization Technology enabled.

While these are the basic requirements, it works best with recommended system requirements. Do check out the recommended requirements.

4.Android Studio

In my experience, use this emulator only and only if you are trying to develop an Android app or if you want to play fundamental games. Android Studio is not a proper emulator. It is a development IDE. IDE stands for Integrated Development Environment.

There is an integrated emulator that you can always use, but even it is best used for testing different apps. Playing games just don’t work well.

Pros of Android Studio

  • When it comes to Android app development, this is almost always a standard choice.
  • It has been developed by Google and receives regular updates.
  • It allows for faster deployment of fresh builds.
  • Developers can enjoy accurate programming.
  • It allows developers to create only a single build and then test it on multiple devices using the feature called Cloud Test Lab Integration. This will enable developers to ditch the prospect of creating numerous builds.
  • It comes with a lot of built-in plugins and tools that allow developers to test their apps with ease.

Cons of Android Studio

  • I found Android Studio to be pretty slow on Windows. It performed comparatively better on Mac. It was, however, flawless on Ubuntu. On Ubuntu, it was fast, and even the emulator launched pretty quickly as compared to the time taken on Windows.
  • It is designed for the development of apps. It cannot work if you want to play games like Call of Duty: Mobile or PUBG or, as a matter of fact, any resource-intensive game.

Minimum System Requirements for Android Studio

For Windows:

  • Windows 7/8/10 – Only 64-bit OS.
  • Minimum 4 GB RAM.
  • Minimum 2 GB of available space on the hard disk.
  • Minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 800.

For Mac:

  • Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) to macOS Mojave 10.14.
  • Minimum 4 GB of RAM.
  • Minimum 2 GB of available space on the hard disk.
  • Minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 800.

For Linux:

  • Debian-based KDE or Gnome desktops.
  • 64-bit system with support for running 32-bit applications.
  • glibc (GNU C Library) 2.19 or higher.
  • Minimum 4 GB of RAM.
  • Minimum 2 GB of space on the hard disk.
  • Minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 800.

5.Nox App Player

Just like BlueStacks, Nox App Player is hands down, one of the best Android emulators you can find. In my opinion, it is also an all-round emulator if you want to play Android games or use productivity apps or get an overall hang of Android.

During my stint with Nox App Player, I found something exciting and yet useless. It allows you to root your virtual Android device in a jiffy. I found it pointless because a real Android device with root access is far more beneficial than a virtual machine. If you can find any practical utility of a rooted virtual Android device, feel free to let me know.

Anyway, here is my impression of Nox App Player:

Pros of Nox App Player

  • Amazing performance with games. No glitches and no lags at all.
  • Allows quick mapping of gamepads, mouse, and keyboards.
  • You can literally specify just how much amount of RAM and CPU should the emulator use.
  • Very much capable of playing very resource-intensive games like PUGB, Call of Duty: Mobile, Justice League, etc.
  • Perfectly capable of dealing with all apps on Google Play Store.
  • It comes with its own optimized app store.
  • The UI is really stunning.
  • You can open and use multiple windows at a time.
  • It has support for Mac users, which is great.

Cons of Nox App Player

  • It has a lot of unwanted software bundled with the installer. If you accidentally install any of them, you may have a really hard time deleting them. So, be careful.
  • Your antivirus may flag Nox App Player files as suspicious.

Minimum System Requirements for Nox App Player

For Windows:

  • OS – Windows XP (SP3)/Vista/7/8/10.
  • Needs DirectX 9.0c.
  • Dual-core processor from AMD or Intel.
  • Support for Open GL 2.0.
  • Minimum of 1.5 GB of RAM.
  • Minimum 1 GB of hard disk space.
  • Broadband connection.

For Mac:

  • OS – Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or higher.
  • Minimum 1.5 GB of RAM.
  • Minimum 1 GB of hard disk space.
  • Internet connection.

6.GenyMotion

In case you are looking for an Android emulator for casual usage, or simply for playing games, GenyMotion is going to disappoint you big time! It is a premium emulator, and it is not cheap. This emulator is targeted for serious Android app developers.

GenyMotion is meant for serious business and comes with different pricing plans, customer support depending on the purchased plan, and it even comes with a whole cloud version. Basically, you can skip installing GenyMotion on your desktop and use it directly on the cloud.

In case you are interested, here are the pros and cons of this Android emulator are:

Pros of GenyMotion

  • Extremely powerful and extremely versatile.
  • It has support for 3000+ Android configurations, allowing developers to test their applications over a wide range of devices.
  • It is entirely compatible with Android Studio and Android SDK tools.
  • It allows testing websites in different Android browsers.
  • It is compatible with multiple platforms.
  • It is even available on the cloud!

Cons of GenyMotion

  • It is not at all designed for casual users and gamers.
  • It is very pricey compared to other emulators, and the minimum price starts at USD 136 per year per user. Genymotion is the price for the desktop version. Cloud versions have different pricing.

Minimum System Requirements for GenyMotion

Hardware requirement

  • At least 8 GB RAM is required. The more, the better!
  • Minimum 1.5 GB of free space on your hard disk.
  • Your desktop or laptop should have a screen resolution higher than 1024 x 768 pixels.
  • You will need a 64-bit CPU with AMD-V, or VT-x capability enabled right from the BIOS.
  • You will need a video card with support for OpenGL 2.0. Some of the compatible video cards are ATI Radeon HD 6000 series, Nvidia GeForce 500 series, and Intel HD Graphics 4000.

Operating System requirement

  • 64-bit Windows 7/8/8.1/10.
  • macOS High Sierra (minimum).
  • 64-bit Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Code Name – Bionic Beaver) or higher version.
  • 64-bit Debian 9.
  • 64-bit Fedora 30 or higher version.

7.PrimeOS

Okay, let me be clear. PrimeOS not just an emulator. It is a full-blown operating system! You can install it on your desktop or laptop as a standalone operating system or you can use dual boot! It is restricted to Windows users only. Mac users cannot enjoy this incredible OS!

Honestly, I did not find a reason that can make me install PrimeOS as a standalone operating system and ditch Windows completely. I use various software like Adobe Suite, Audacity, GIMP, InkSpace, Blender, video editors like Movavi, DaVinci Resolve, etc.

These cannot run on PrimeOS because they are not meant to! PrimeOS is based on Android! Yes, the whole thing is Android that is designed to give you a desktop experience similar to Mac or Windows.

On the flip side, however, if you have a spare desktop or laptop that you can dedicate to Android only, that’s fine. I did like PrimeOS a lot! Needless to say, I have PrimeOS on a dual boot and I intend to keep it that way.

Pros of PrimeOS

  • Gives a complete desktop experience while running on Android.
  • Gives full access to millions of Android apps from Google Play Store.
  • It comes with a regular taskbar as found on Windows or other traditional operating systems.
  • It has an app launcher similar to the start menu in Windows.
  • It allows multiple app windows and even has a resizing option for app windows.
  • Setting and notification panel retains the look of Android Nougat.
  • It allows installing any app and game.
  • For gamers, the PrimeOS makes use of all the computer hardware natively, giving an excellent gaming experience, which is far better than any emulator I have seen.
  • Gamers can also enjoy the features of keyboard and mouse mapping.
  • Any and every game including the resource-intensive games like PUBG, CODM, etc. can run smoothly without a glitch.
  • It can be installed as the only OS on a computer or as a dual boot option.
  • Just like Linux, PrimeOS allows testing the OS before committing to an installation. You can run the live OS from a bootable USB disk and navigate around to see how it works and how it feels before installing.

Cons of PrimeOS

There isn’t enough to actually complain about it! Whatever I think is not really a con as such. Here is what I feel:

  • It is not good for designers who use creative software like Adobe Suite, Corel Draw, or 3D Rendering software like Rhinoceros or Maya. After all, such software is not designed to work on Android. So, complaining about them doesn’t really count.
  • In case of productivity, one cannot really utilize certain well-known office productivity suites like SoftMaker or LibreOffice but Android does have its own share of such productivity apps that work smoothly even on PrimeOS and are easily comparable to traditional office suites.
  • It cannot play Windows games.
  • It is not available for Mac users.

If you ask me, you can definitely go ahead and replace your Windows OS with PrimeOS if your computing needs are restricted to social activities, emailing, and usage of office suites. You can even open websites and get into website backend (if you own one)! It is pretty good!

Minimum System Requirements for PrimeOS

This is where things can get a bit complicated. PrimeOS comes in three variants with different system requirements. The three variants are:

  • PrimeOS Classic
  • PrimeOS Standard
  • PrimeOS Mainline

The basic system requirements for each variant are:

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PrimeOS Classic:

  • Designed for older (before 2011) 32-bit systems.
  • CPU: Intel Core i series 1st generation processors and below or Intel Pentium Dual-Core or Intel Pentium G620 or AMD Phenom II X6 1100T, etc.
  • GPU: Works perfectly well with Old Nvidia GPU, Old AMD GPU, and Old Intel GPU.

PrimeOS Standard:

  • Designed for newer (2011 on-wards) 64-bit systems.
  • CPU: Intel Core i series 2nd generation processors and above or Intel Celeron N3350 or AMD A8 5550M, etc.
  • GPU: Works with older Intel, Nvidia, and AMD GPUs.

PrimeOS Mainline:

  • Designed for newer (2014 on-wards) 64-bit systems.
  • CPU: Intel Core i series 5th generation processors and above or Intel Celeron N4000 or AMD A8 7410, etc.
  • GPU: Works with both Intel and AMD GPU but desktops with Nvidia GPU can lead to freezes and lockups. Switch to Standard variant of the OS in case of graphics glitches.

8.Bliss OS

Bliss OS is not an emulator. Android emulators emulate Android on either PC or Mac. Bliss OS, just like PrimeOS, is Android itself. You need to install it separately as an operating system that runs natively on your computer hardware using all the processing power, memory, and storage.

Unfortunately, Bliss OS is not really as polished as PrimeOS and comes with some serious problems. Here is what I found:

Pros of Bliss OS

  • It can be installed as a sole operating system on a desktop or laptop.
  • It can also be used as a dual boot OS. This means that you can keep your existing Windows or Linux operating system. No, you cannot dual-boot it with Mac systems.
  • Once installed, the OS will show a nice taskbar and a start menu.
  • It comes bundled with certain pre-installed applications like Chrome, YouTube, Wallpapers, etc.
  • You can install it one a virtual box or on external storage if you want.
  • It allows keymapping – a great feature for gamers.
  • You can run it as live OS from a bootable USB stick without directly installing it. This helps to get a better understanding of the OS.

Cons of Bliss OS

  • The applications always launch in the unmaximized state but there is a button to maximize the app window. Unfortunately, there is no minimize button, which I feel should be there when you are porting Android to desktop.
  • Installing apps from Google Play Store can be a headache depending on your system hardware. Some won’t install and some may install but remain buggy.
  • Those installing Bliss OS as dual-boot on a Linux system will not find Bliss OS listed on the boot-loader list after they execute the grub-update or grub2-update command. They need to find a different workaround, which I feel is not worth the time and effort.

Minimum System Requirements for Bliss OS

The minimum requirement for installing Bliss OS (on a system running Windows) are:

  • 1 GB RAM.
  • CPU: Intel Pentium 4 (2.00 GHz).
  • GPU: Nvidia GeForce 6100.
  • OS – Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10.

If you are unsure about your system specs, you can download and run a small utility that will tell you whether it can run Bliss OS or not. You can find the utility here.

9.ARChon

ARChon is far from being a popular Android emulator. It was never meant to be a standalone emulator in the first place. The whole idea behind ARChon development was to allow users to run apps from the Android ecosystem on Chrome OS.

The idea of ARChon was conceived when Google gave support for a couple of Android apps on Chrome Web Browser. Someone independently worked on ARChon after Google’s move to make other Android apps available on Chrome.

So, if you are looking for an emulator that you can use for hardcore gaming, ARChon is not up to the task.

Steps to Install ARChon Runtime

First, download and extract the ARChon runtime from the download link below. Once you have obtained the download link, go to chrome://extensions on your browser URL bar and follow the steps below:

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  1. Step 1: Turn on Developer Mode.
  2. Step 2: Click on the Load Unpacked button.
  3. Step 3: In the popup, select the extracted folder.
  4. Step 4: Click on the Select Folder button.
  5. Now you can see the ARChon Runtime on that page.

Pros of ARChon

  • No fancy installation requirement. It is integrated directly into Chrome.
  • Pretty good if you want to access productivity apps from Google Play Store on your Chrome OS or Chrome browser.
  • Works on Chrome in Windows, Linux, OS X.

Cons of ARChon

  • They are not designed for gaming.
  • Slightly complicated when it comes to usage.

Minimum System Requirements for ARChon

  • You must have an ARM-based Chromebook.
  • For architecture-independent usage, make sure you are using 32-bit Chrome or 32-bit Chrome OS.
  • For systems with Intel x86 architecture, you will need 64-bit Chrome or 64-bit Chrome OS.

Conclusion

Okay, let me be honest with you. The list above is not a complete list of best Android emulators for PC & Mac. There are a few more. For instance, there is MuMu App Player that is developed in China and has both Windows and Mac versions available.

MuMu has English-translated versions available (initially available in Mandarin Chinese), but I did not list it on the grounds of concern over data-leak. You may, however, try it on your own risk. The MuMu emulator does come with a polished interface and a lot of features that put it at par with BlueStacks or Nox App Player.

Again, we have KOPlayer – a famous emulator, but I couldn’t access its website. The website of KOPlayer simply keeps refusing connection irrespective of whether I use a proxy, or a VPN, or a direct connection.

If I can’t access the official site, I don’t see a reason why I should try to find an alternate source. I am not a big fan of Malwares and Spywares that can potentially infect my systems when I use an alternative source.

Last but not least, there is Remix OS. It was the original Android OS designed for desktops and laptops by a company formed by ex-employees of Google.

Something went wrong somewhere in that company, and they stopped supporting Remix OS. Alternates of Remix OS are PrimeOS and Bliss OS. Since Remix OS is no longer supported, I decided to exclude it from the list.

Mostly, this list of best Android emulators or PC & Mac contains only those that are under active development and received enthusiastic support.

Contents of the Article

  • 1.BlueStacks
  • 2.GameLoop
  • 3.MEmu
  • 4.Android Studio
  • 5.Nox App Player
  • 6.GenyMotion
  • 7.PrimeOS
  • 8.Bliss OS
  • 9.ARChon

Recently, we had covered some of the best ways to run Windows apps on macOS. The point was to overcome the lack of multi-platform software. This time, however, we have something different. We are going to talk about the ways to run Android apps on Mac. Yes, about using Instagram, playing Asphalt 8, or listening to Audible on Mac.

This time too, we have found multiple ways to run Android apps on macOS. Since different people have their different purposes, we’ve different methods too. In this article, you will find the best methods to run Android apps on Mac for normal users, gaming enthusiasts and developers. Shall we now check out the options?

Run Android Apps on Mac

#1 BlueStacks — Best for Running Apps

BlueStacks (also called BlueStacks App Player) is the oldest and the most popular way of running Android apps for Mac. You will be able to run almost any Android app using this simple emulator. It’s the best choice if you want to run WhatsApp on your Mac or access your Instagram account. You will be able to run your Mac apps and Android apps side by side, which is great.

The BlueStacks interface is equally awesome as well. Apps are opened in individual tabs and you have access to Google Play Store. Depending on the specifications of your Mac, BlueStacks lets you handle multiple apps with ease. Despite the optimizations for running apps, BlueStacks offers a true Android feel as well. You can even make changes from the Settings section.

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Installing and using BlueStacks is like a piece of cake! You have to download the free installer from the official site of BlueStacks and run it. If you have previously installed bluestack, do a clean uninstall, before you reinstall it. Once the installation is done, it may take a few seconds for starting up. Before you can install apps, however, you need to sign into a Google account. Altogether, we think it’s really easy to get started with BlueStacks.

As far as running apps is concerned, BlueStacks does the job very well. We were able to install and use apps like WhatsApp and Instagram without any hassle. We also tried playing some Alto’s Odyssey game.

Pros

  • BlueStacks is really easy to set up
  • It doesn’t involve long installation processes
  • Performance is optimized for apps

Cons

  • Not much suitable for games or development

Who Is It For

We think BlueStacks is the best option for those who need to use Android apps on Mac. It works fine when it comes to running apps like WhatsApp and Instagram. While the gaming performance is okay, we believe there are better options.

Check Out BlueStacks

#2 VirtualBox — Best for More Control

At the core, Android is also a Linux-based operating system. As it happens, you can install Android on Mac using a tool like VirtualBox. In order to do this, you have to create a virtual machine and install Android in it. Compared to the other options we’ve listed, this VirtualBox method offers better control over the Android device and the apps you install.

Once the installation is done, VirtualBox gives you a pure Android experience. This is because we’re installing the basic Android Operating System on the virtual machine. However, you should not expect an optimized environment for running apps or games. Chances are, there are some bugs too. On the bright side, you can deploy Android v8 Oreo in the virtual machine.

We would not say that Android on VirtualBox is easy to set up. There are some downsides that you will have to tolerate in the long run. In order to do this, you need to download Android x86, a project that ports the popular OS to PCs. Then, as we always do, you can create a virtual machine based on Linux, Android. Once the installation is done, you’ll have a full-screen Android experience.

While apps like WhatsApp and Instagram work fine, the performance isn’t the best. We would not suggest this method if you’re into gaming either.

Pros

  • Offers more control over the virtual Android device
  • You can run the latest version of Android
  • It offers a fully-fledged Android OS experience

Cons

  • Installation is somewhat complex
  • Lacks performance optimization or customization options
  • Chances of bugs

Who Is It For

Running Android on Mac using VirtualBox is best when you need better control over the process. As a virtual machine, you can customize performance too. However, in the long run, you will have to compromise overall performance and gaming controls.

Check Out VirtualBox and Android x86

#3 Nox Player Mac — Best Optimized for Gaming

If you want to play some graphic-rich Android games on Mac, Nox Player Mac is the best option in town. It’s an Android emulator that prioritizes speed and performance. There are also some features such as screen capture, on-screen button mapping etc. Once set up, Nox Player Mac offers a standard Android experience as well.

Nox Player Mac manages to run apps as well. However, we found that things aren’t as smooth as BlueStacks when it comes to app downloads and installs. But, the reason you should install Nox Player Mac should be to play high-quality games like PUBG on Mac.

To install Android apps on your Nox Player, you can either login with your Google account and use the built-in Google Play Store or if you don’t want to go through that hassle, you can download the apk using the browser and install it directly.

Nox Player Mac is the easiest to install. It doesn’t even ask you any questions. Just run the installer and in a few seconds, you will find the fully-fledged Android virtual tablet. It runs Android v4 KitKat — which is a downside when compared to others.

Nox Player Mac is perfect when it comes to handling popular apps. So, if you want to bring some common apps and high-end Android games to Mac, choose this program.

Pros

  • Easy to set up and get started
  • Optimized performance for games and apps
  • Advanced features like keyboard mapping and location manipulation

Cons

  • Not suitable for development
  • Runs on Android KitKat
  • Ships with some bloatware

Who Is It For

Nox Player Mac is the best option if you’re into high-end Android games. Even if you have a mid-end MacBook Air, it should offer the best performance. Also, thanks to the macro and mapping features. We’d also recommend the tool for running WhatsApp and all.

#4 Genymotion — Most Suitable for Developers

Genymotion is an innovative way to run Android apps on Mac — and on Cloud, for that matter. However, it is offering a bunch of different options. If you’re a professional, you can create a virtual Android device on a Mac or in the cloud. Let’s come down to the Desktop version, which is great. You will be able to create a big variety of Android configurations for testing.

For instance, you can change the Android version, device hardware etc. Genymotion is the best option to make sure that your app runs perfectly on all Android devices out there. However, if you are getting started as a developer, you can find standard solutions as well. Genymotion also offers some additional features, for instance, embed your Android app on the website and let people try the app.

There is no necessity that you should install Genymotion on your Mac. As we said earlier, it can be used as a cloud service as well. However, Genymotion Desktop is really easy to install. We used the Personal version of Genymotion as well. It’s more convenient if you just want to try some apps. On the other hand, if you like the fully-fledged Android development experience, Genymotion Desktop is the way to go.

Running apps on Genymotion isn’t as smooth as the other platform. This is because the emulator has a major focus on features that help developers.

Pros

  • Awesome features for developers
  • Multiple Android configurations
  • Better Control over Running Apps

Cons

  • Performance Optimization could be better

Who Is It For

Genymotion is the best solution for Android developers who want to run their Android apps on a number of virtual devices. It syncs so well with your coding process and customization needs. Thanks to the plug-in, you can integrate this program with Android Studio as well.

Check Out Genymotion (free trial, $136/year)

#5 Andy — a Smoother Workflow

Last but not the least, Andy is another way to run Android apps on Mac. However, compared to all emulators we’ve listed above, Andy offers a smoother workflow. The best part is that you’re getting a 100% full Android experience when you start up. You get built-in apps like Gmail, ES File Explorer and a lot more. It’s running on Android v4.0 KitKat, though.

Because Andy comes with Play Store access, you can easily download and install apps. There are some other important features as well. For instance, you can run the Android emulator in vertical and landscape modes as well. Also, there’s Key Mapping and Location manipulation. These features are awesome when you want a more optimized way to run Android apps.

Andy has one of the easiest installers we’ve seen. It’s an online installer, which would download files over an Internet connection. It needs to be noted that Andy downloads around 500MB of files, the largest on the list. Once the installation is done, Andy will show you the standard Android interface. You can use the mouse and keyboard for managing the virtual Android tablet.

As we said, Andy is the best when it comes to running apps. However, it would not be our go-to choice when it comes to playing Android games.

Emulator

Pros

  • Easy to Install and Manage
  • Best optimization for apps
  • Offers a standard Android experience

Cons

  • Runs on KitKat
  • It’s lagging a bit when other apps are running

Who Is It For

Mac Os X Emulator For Android

Andy offers the perfect level of optimization and a standard Android experience. We’d recommend this tool if you need a real-like virtual Android device on your Mac. Of course, there are some performance lags but you can avoid it by avoiding multitasking.

Check Out Andy (Free)

Mac Os Emulator For Android Apk

The best way to Run Android Apps on Mac?

So, these are the five different ways to run Android apps on Mac. In a way, you’re creating an Android device within macOS environment as well. As we said earlier, not a single solution is suitable for everyone. We have recommended Nox Player for Mac if you want to play games. On the other hand, if you just want to use apps smoothly, BlueStacks and Andy are the best options. And, for those upcoming developers out there, we will recommend Genymotion, which has a ton of features packed inside.