Download the Ultimate Load Testing Guide
Go back to all articles

Best Emulators for Mobile App Load Testing

Mar 1, 2023
7 min read

With mobile app performance testing, you can get a close-to-reality picture of how your mobile application will work in a real-life environment, how particular elements of the code will react to a significant number of tasks, and with what speed its algorithms will work. However, the same code can be executed on various devices with different results. Understanding these variations is crucial when you want to improve mobile app performance across different device configurations.

That is why experienced developers always seek to optimize performance of their products on different types of gadgets. It is energy-consuming and quite expensive: even in Apple’s relatively short product line, there are dozens of devices, forget all smartphones and tablets on Android.

Emulators can help, though. They are software that simulates real gadgets. An emulator can show how an app will run on different types of smartphones and under different OS releases. Of course, emulators are not only used for testing — many of them were created for gamers to be able to run mobile games on a desktop. We have selected the emulators that are best suited for load testing.

Emulators or Simulators?

Prior to making a list, we should start with definitions. The thing is, many people confuse emulators with simulators. Both simulate the mobile device, but the simulator only reproduces the software environment in which your app will function, while the emulator tries to accurately recreate both system hardware and software.

With a simulator, you can watch an approximation of how your application will interact with other software — e.g., share data or use third-party accounts. With an emulator, you will see your application interacting with hardware and OS core, using memory and CPU resources. We have already posted a detailed article on the differences between an emulator and a simulator. Obviously, only emulators are suitable for load testing, because our goal is to understand how the application will work on specific devices.

Best Emulators for Load Testing

Since iOS and Android devices are from two completely different universes, there is the difference between ios and android testing, and not many emulators on the market that imitate both. Also, iPhone emulators are in general less common, as the OS is more reserved. Our review includes four emulators of Android, one system that allows you to test both types of gadgets, and two platforms that imitate Apple products. It’s not a competition, but a list of recommendations. Emulators are arranged by OS and in alphabetic order.

Android

Android Studio

Android Studio is a development environment designed to create applications. Among many other features, it includes a device emulator that can be used for load testing. Android Studio was developed by the creators of Android OS and is available for free. The function that you will need is called Android Virtual Device: with its multiple settings, you can create virtual gadgets of almost any configuration.

    • Free testing environment from Android OS developers
    • Multiple settings
    • The latest Android builds are available
    • Emulating is just one of many functions of the development environment
    • You will need time to sort out all the settings

Genymotion

  • What it can emulate
    Android-based devices
  • Where you can launch it
    Windows, Mac, Linux, and online in a browser
  • Where you can get it

Genymotion is a popular system capable of emulating Android-based devices with a wide range of additional options: camera, spin sensor, GPS, battery, etc. The emulator is testing-oriented and compatible with many profile frameworks, such as Appium and Espresso. Genymotion is rather quick because it does not use nested virtualization (i.e., one virtual machine running inside another). The system has good scalability and allows running of several devices for segmented or parallel testing.

    • Different delivery options: on-premise, SaaS, PaaS
    • Easy to use – more than 3000 ready-made customizable virtual devices
    • Android Identifiers support
    • Relatively expensive licenses – business version is over $400
    • Problems running virtual devices in Windows 10 environment

LambdaTest

LambdaTest is a cloud platform that lets you test your app online by uploading its APK to the cloud. You can also test software hosted on developers’ local resources after giving the service an opportunity to connect to them. Users can select a target gadget from several thousands of virtual devices grouped by manufacturers. LambdaTest can take into account a device location by emulating regional features of gadgets in more than 25 countries.

    • No need to install or configure the system
    • Using real mobile browsers in a virtual environment
    • Integration with different testing platforms
    • Short free trial period
    • The system interface is not always intuitive
Entrust Mobile App Performance Testing to Professionals
Book a free online consultation with our experts.

NoxPlayer

  • What it can emulate
    Android-based devices
  • Where you can launch it
    Windows and Mac
  • Where you can get it

NoxPlayer is a free Android-based device emulator known primarily among gamers. However, it can be used to perform load testing because it allows you to run the target application and transfer data to it. The system has configurable settings of a virtual device (CPU, RAM, Wi-Fi), but, unfortunately, the list of pre-installed smartphones is not as large as with other developers-oriented emulators.

    • Simple intuitive interface
    • Fully featured free version
    • Good for working with graphics
    • Supports a limited number of Android versions
    • Virtual devices customization options are very limited

iOS

Xcode

An integrated development environment released by Apple provides a complete set of tools for creating iOS applications. The emulator responsible for running and testing software simulates the operation of real gadgets very accurately, as it is supplied by the manufacturer. The system supports some user interactions, such as scrolling or rotating the screen. Xcode is absolutely free: to use it, you only need your Apple ID.

    • Works well even on old Apple devices
    • Best compatibility and reliability of emulation
    • Pre-installed virtual iPhones from the current line
    • Works only on Apple devices
    • Does not support browsers other than Safari

Universal Emulators

Corellium

  • What it can emulate
    both iOS- and Android-based devices
  • Where you can launch it
    in any browser
  • Where you can get it

Corellium is an online service that can emulate both Android-based and Apple devices. Its price starts at $99 and depends on the number of virtual cores and available functions. You can choose from a large list of pre-installed devices using the combination of physical characteristics of your hardware and system software. Unlike emulators supplied by OS developers, Corellium can emulate non-standard modes of device use – for example, connecting to an unlocked iPhone via USB or VPN.

    • Platform-independent browser environment
    • Large selection of pre-installed virtual devices
    • Ability to work with additional sensors (GPS, battery, environment)
    • No free trial period
    • The system is primarily focused on security testing and contains a set of features you will never need for testing.

Smartface

  • What it can emulate
    both iOS- and Android-based devices
  • Where you can launch it
    Windows, Mac, Linux
  • Where you can get it

Smartface is a development environment that allows you to create applications for iOS and Android on your desktop for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Since one of the elements of such a system is an app, it can be used as an emulator for load testing. Smartface has a very simple, interactive interface. Unlike many other emulators and simulators, the system does not use Xcode or Android Studio engine. 

    • Quick updates after the OS updates
    • Simple and understandable interface
    • Opportunity to both develop and test in the same environment
    • Your desktop must be connected to an Apple device with the Smartface app installed on it
    • Short trial period

To Sum Up

Each developer expects performance testing to answer their own questions, and each developer chooses the most suitable tools for this purpose by themself. We hope this post can be a reference point that will help you find out more about the system you like. You should also pay attention to reviews on specialized resources and forums. For a flawless app go-live experience, consider our live app testing services to ensure your app’s launch or product release is perfect.If you have any questions or tasks, we are here for you — with professional assistance in performance testing service and all the necessary tools for it.

Loved This Article?

Take your skills to the next level with our free Load Testing Guide!

Related insights in blog articles

Explore what we’ve learned from these experiences
9 min read

30 Working Prompts for Performance & Load Testing (Works with Any Report)

ai in performance testing preview
Aug 28, 2025

Performance reports are packed with truth and noise in equal measure. Percentiles bend under outliers, error spikes hide between throughput plateaus, and a single mislabeled chart can derail a release meeting. AI can help, but the quality of its answers tracks the quality of your questions.  What you’ll find here is a prompt list you […]

7 min read

SAAS Testing : A Complete Guide

saas testing preview
Aug 26, 2025

Cloud software has transformed how businesses operate, but it also raises new challenges. How do you ensure a subscription-based product works reliably for every user, at every moment? SaaS testing provides that assurance by validating performance, security, and overall stability before issues reach production. This guide explains what is SaaS testing, why it matters, and […]

6 min read

Soak Testing: A Complete Guide

soak testing preview
Aug 25, 2025

Software rarely fails because of a single heavy hit — it fails slowly, under constant pressure. That’s where soak testing in software testing comes in. A soak test measures how your system behaves under expected load for an extended period, helping uncover memory leaks, resource exhaustion, and gradual slowdowns that quick checks can miss. In […]

10 min read

gRPC Alternatives You Need To Know

grpc alternatives preview
Aug 21, 2025

In modern distributed systems, choosing the right communication protocol is crucial for scalability, performance, and flexibility. gRPC has become a popular choice thanks to its efficiency and language support, but it’s not always the best fit for every project. This guide explores the top gRPC alternatives, comparing their features, use cases, and best applications.  Whether […]

  • Be the first one to know

    We’ll send you a monthly e-mail with all the useful insights that we will have found and analyzed