4 Best Android Emulators for Linux (Free Downloads)

Here’s the deal:

There are a lot of reasons to use Linux as the main operating system on your computer. We’re not going to discuss them. However, we are going to list the best Android emulators for Linux that will enable you to enjoy Android games and apps on your preferred platform.

The thing is…

A lot of professionals I know prefer to use Linux Mint on their personal computers simply because it is more versatile than Windows. The same can be said for Android, as it provides a lot of freedom compared to other competitors like iOS. As a matter of fact, Android is based on Linux itself; however, it is not a straight-up offshoot.

Suggested reads:

• 3 Best iOS Emulators for Android
• 5 Best Android Emulators For Chromebook
• Best PS2 Emulators for Android Phones

Want to know something amazing?

Surprisingly, there are not a lot of Android emulators for Linux easily available these days. There are a few that came out but some of them are pure vaporware at this point. So, it was a little bit harder to nail down free downloads in Linux Android emulators. Thankfully, all 4 of them worked, so all that research didn’t go in vain. Of course, you’ll need some know-how of how the system works, it’s not necessary but would come in handy if things don’t work out as they should.

But, the most important question is how do you install a VirtualBox on Linux?

Installing VirtualBox on Linux

Before we start counting down the list, you’ll need to install a virtual box on Linux. Almost all the Android Linux emulators require a virtual box to run properly. Thankfully, it is super easy to install and all you need to do is:

• Install the dependencies by executing this command “sudo apt-get install dkms” in the terminal.
• After that execute this command “sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.3”
• That’s it, the virtual box will be installed.

It’s easy, isn’t it?

Also Read: JoyofAndroid Apps section; a place to discover some truly awesome Apps.

4 Best Android Emulators for Linux

1. Official SDK

The official Android SDK (software development kit) is the best way to emulate Android on Linux Ubuntu. While there are many other emulators out there: some of them are very limited feature sets, some of them are paid, and some of them don’t even run.

The official Android SDK is made by Google for Android development and it supports all the functions including file transfer and SD Card support. One great thing about this android emulator is that it supports physical keypad which none of the other emulators do.

As it is developed by Google themselves, you can be sure that it won’t have a lot of problems. Even if there are some problems, the Google engineers will surely iron them out in no time at all. If you need a fast and official Android emulator on Linux, the official Android software development kit is the best way to go.

Pros	Cons
Extract your compressed file into your home folder.	No Bluetooth support
Official SDK provides a selection of tools required to build Android apps on Linux or to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.	Setting up the whole environment is a hassle in the Official SDK.
The Official SDK provides you with the API libraries and developer tools necessary to build, test, and debug apps for Linux.	While simulated phone calls can be placed and received, there’s no call audio support.

2. Genymotion

Genymotion is one of the best Android emulators for Linux and comes with a lot of different features that are unique to it. It is designed well and works smoothly with the operating system. You’ll need to set up a virtual box in order to use it, we have listed the method to install it above.

You can easily download pre-configured Android images of different Android versions. It also gives you the flexibility of configuring the precise amount of resources you will be allotted. For example, if you want to set up the RAM at 3 GB, you can do so easily. You’ll also be able to allot hard disk storage space appropriately.

Related: 10+ ways to increase RAM in Android phones

The app also supports networking through Wi-Fi and Ethernet. This means you’ll be able to use the Internet directly in the immolated Android apps and games. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the app has full support for a gyroscope, accelerometer, and light sensors as well. Overall, it’s a complete package that won’t disappoint you at all. The only downside is that you’ll need to be connected to a cloud service to deploy Genymotion, so Internet connectivity is a must.

Pros	Cons
Genymotion has a  Large library of emulated devices as well as custom devices	Genymotion is expensive.
It has multiple ways of installing an application including drag & drop, running ADB install, and using a web link.	Genymotion can’t set a custom display resolution.
A webcam and a dummy webcam can be used with the emulated device.	The Free version is for non-commercial work only

3. Andro VM

Andro VM is what made Genymotion possible, it works almost the same and provides great functionality. The major difference between Andro VM and Genymotion is that it can be deployed offline. This makes it highly convenient for those who have limited Internet access.

Of course, like any other Android emulators for Linux, you will also need to install a virtual box on your machine in order to use Andro VM.

The program supports net sharing from guest to host. Internet sharing is also available. One great thing about this Android emulators for Linux is that it supports hardware OpenGL rendering. In layman’s terms, this will enable you to play graphic-intensive games without any worries.

Overall, it’s a great Linux Android emulator that runs apps and games smoothly on your Linux PC. Connecting to the Internet is no problem at all and you’ll have full access to the Internet while using emulated apps. It can be found on the Genymotion website as well to download.

Pros	Cons
Offline access is available in the Andro VM emulator.	You have to download Virtual Box separately.
One of the easier choices to set up, requires you to simply download the Linux image from their website.	Images can only be loaded in Virtual Box.

4. Jar of Beans

Jar of Beans was designed to be an Android Emulator for Windows; however, you can also run it on Linux as well. But for that, you’ll need to install Wine, another emulator that runs Windows on Linux.

So basically, you will be running Android apps on an Android emulator being run on a Windows emulator on Linux.

If you’re okay with going to this extent, Jar of Beans has all the basic support you’ll need. You can easily install APK files on it, it supports SD card, and even allows the installation of the Google play store. Overall it’s a nifty little program that will allow you to run Android apps and games on your Linux device.

Of course, it is not as viable to use emulation within an emulator, because it will be taxing and there will be exponentially more chances of failure. But if you’re reading this article, you already know what you are doing, so I’ll leave it up to you. To run Jar of Beans download and extract the contents and then run it by using Wine.

Pros	Cons
Jar of Beans emulator is completely portable.	Jar of Beans emulator is the old version of Android.
This emulator for Linux is considered one of the fastest anemulators for linux around.	A choice of skins and additional resolutions are always on their to-do list.

Frequently Asked Questions on Android Emulators for Linux

Final thoughts – 4 Best Android Emulators for Linux

The best Android emulators for Linux is not perfect by any means, but then again, any emulation won’t be perfect. However, if you’ve already installed Linux on your PC then you are certainly a capable person.

Half the charm of running a Linux system is the fun of figuring things out and solving them. I’m no expert at that, so I’ll leave the tinkering to you.  If your goal is to install and run Android apps on your Linux device, then these emulators will do their jobs.

Which of the android emulators mentioned above work best with your Linux? Comment down your thoughts below!