Alternatives to v86
An x86 PC emulator that runs operating systems such as Linux and Windows 9x inside a web browser. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
v86
An x86 PC emulator that runs operating systems such as Linux and Windows 9x inside a web browser.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as v86.
JSLinux
A web page that boots Linux and other operating systems in emulated machines inside the browser.
JSLinux also boots operating systems in the browser, covering x86, x86_64 and RISC-V, but is not open source and offers a fixed list of prebuilt systems.
Bochs
A portable open source x86 PC emulator that emulates the CPU, common devices and a BIOS.
Bochs is an open-source x86 emulator installed on Windows, macOS or Linux instead of a browser, covering CPUs from 386 to x86-64 for OS development.
86Box
A low-level emulator of vintage IBM PC-compatible hardware for running old DOS and Windows systems.
86Box is a desktop low-level emulator of vintage PC hardware for DOS and Windows, needing original BIOS ROMs and a fast host CPU instead of a browser tab.
QEMU
The machine emulator and virtualiser that most of the Linux virtualisation stack is built on.
QEMU runs as a desktop command-line emulator and virtualiser across many architectures, with near native speed when paired with KVM, rather than in a browser.
Also worth comparing
These listings name v86 as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
DOSBox Staging
Modern continuation of DOSBox for running DOS games and software.
v86 runs x86 operating systems inside a web browser with no install, but it is slower than native software and suits older or lightweight systems.
DOSBox-X
A DOSBox fork that also runs Windows 3.x, 95, 98 and Me, plus Japanese PC-98 software.
v86 runs x86 operating systems such as Windows 9x inside a web browser with a WebAssembly JIT, requiring no install but running slower than native emulation.
Vectras VM
An Android app that runs Windows, Linux and other operating systems as QEMU virtual machines.
v86 runs x86 operating systems inside a web browser tab instead of an Android app, and it is best suited to older or lightweight systems.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
VirtualBox
The free desktop hypervisor most people start with: run Windows, Linux or BSD in a window on the machine you already have.
