The most significant advantage of the iOS emulator is you do not need to own an iOS device to take advantage of iOS apps. For iOS app developers, emulators have many limitations like they can't test Hardware functionality, Camera, gestures, battery consumption, CPU & memory utilization, and more.
Installing an iOS emulator for the first time on your device? You might find it hard to set up. Several iOS emulators on the internet come with bugs and, We do not want you to end up installing an unproductive emulator. Therefore, we have made a descriptive list of the best iOS Emulators for PC and smartphones.
Best iOS Emulators for PC and Smartphones [Windows, Mac, and Android]
1. Appetize.io
It is an online web-based iOS emulator that means you don't have to install any app to use this iOS emulator. All you need is a Chrome web browser. If you have any web browser installed on your device, go to its official website to use Appetize iOS emulator.
It can run native iOS apps directly in your browser. This emulator is mainly used for app demos, training, customer support, development, testing, automation, and more. Appetize.io offers a free trial account with 100 minutes included free each month. The limit of 100 minutes resets every month.
It comes with three plans basic, premium, and enterprise. Its basic plan costs you a fee of $40/month. For more pricing information, you can visit this link. Appetize.io is totally safe to use privacy and security are the topmost priority of the Appetize.io team.
Platform: (Web browser based)
2. Cycada (formerly known as Cider)
Cycada was formerly known as Cider. It is an iOS emulator for Android devices. It allows iOS applications to run on the Android operating system. Running iOS apps on an Android device can give your device an iOS device look.
It is the most popular among Android users who want to test iOS apps. The cons of Cycada is, It is not compatible with some devices. However, you can give it a try on your device to check whether it works or not.
When we tried this app on our Samsung device. It gave Android look and feel like iOS, But it was not able to run iOS applications. However, the app still needs some updates to work better. Cycada is lightweight and contains no ads. Note: Not all iOS apps can be run on Cycada.
Platform: Android
3. Xcode
Xcode is Apple's powerful integrated development environment that comes with a powerful iOS emulator. Xcode allows developers to create and test iOS apps on a virtual device. It is the best tool for creating and publishing apps to Apple’s app store.
It is useful for both beginners and experienced developers. Developers can test their apps on almost any iOS version and device by running their apps on its iOS emulator. It includes every tool needed to create an app within one software package.
You can either run your own developed app on its emulator, or you will need a full source code of an iOS app to run that app on its iOS emulator. If you are not into iOS development, then we do not recommend using this. As this is only useful for developers. If you want to begin a journey in iOS development, Xcode is a must-have IDE in your Mac.
Platform: macOS
4. iPadian
Have you ever wished to run iOS apps on a Windows PC? If yes, then iPadian is for you. iPadian is a simulator, not an emulator. It is available for Windows and Mac. It is the most famous program among windows users.
iPadian is an open-source project that brings an iOS user interface to Microsoft Windows. It does not make any changes to your computer. It is a desktop application for Windows that opens up a screen that looks like an iPad UI.
iPadian does not allow you to access the iOS app store. Through iPadian, you can run only apps that are designed especially for an iPadian emulator. Few thousand iOS apps are available on iPadian, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Crossy road, Spotify, and more.
Platform: Windows, Mac
5. Corellium
It is a premium web-based iOS emulator that can be accessed through major web browsers from any operating system. There is no support for the App Store. You can directly install the apps by re-signing them. It is only the true iOS emulator but not available for everyone.
It has everything you want speed, efficiency, and accuracy. Corellium virtual devices run on ARM for accurate, reliable research. It has several built-in tools that let you analyze network traffic, explore system calls, load apps, and browse the filesystem.
It is mostly used by enterprises and researchers to automate and scale mobile app security testing and perform advanced security research in the cloud.
Platform: (Web browser based)
So these are some best iOS emulators for PC and Smartphones. Note: web-based emulator can be accessed via any device that supports major web browsers. Some of these emulators are used by developers to test their iOS applications.