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VICE vs C64 Forever: catalog facts
VICE	C64 Forever
Free Free and open source, developed by volunteers.	Freemium Free Express Edition; paid editions from $9.95.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Covers almost the whole Commodore 8-bit range Separate SuperCPU emulator for the C64	Player interface rather than a bare emulator Database of more than 5,000 C64 game entries
Ports for older systems such as DOS and OS/2 are stuck on old versions Many machine options to learn	Fuller features are in the paid editions Focused on Commodore 8-bit machines only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

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