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DOSBox Staging vs DOSBox-X: catalog facts
DOSBox Staging	DOSBox-X
Free Free and open source under the GPL.	Free Free and open source under the GPL 2.0.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Sensible modern defaults, so most games run without editing a config file CRT shaders, Voodoo emulation and MT-32 sound built in	Runs DOS games and also installs Windows 3.x, 95, 98 and Me Emulates the Japanese PC-98 and DOS/V environments
Configuration syntax differs from classic DOSBox in places Very demanding late-DOS titles still need manual cycle tuning	Far more settings than plain DOSBox, and you will meet the config file Installing an old Windows inside it is a project, not a click
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: GPL-2.0
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.