On Android, the classic paid-emulator duel is ePSXe vs FPse (FPse64 in its current form). Both cost money, both predate the free-emulator era’s end, and both still sell. This comparison sticks to what each app’s own listings and releases support.
The contenders
ePSXe for Android (epsxe software s.l.) — $3.75 on Google Play, v2.0.19 (July 2026), rated 4.48 from about 53,000 reviews with over a million installs, per the Play listing. Strengths on paper: very high compatibility (the developer claims >99% in the listing), 1–4 players with a two-player split-screen mode, virtual pad plus external gamepad mapping, HD rendering options, and — new in 2.0.19 — the Oboe low-latency audio engine, Google Drive save sync, and CAS/MMPX shaders.
FPse/FPse64 — the other long-running paid PS1 emulator for Android, known historically for its OpenGL plugin support and broad device compatibility in the early Android era. Its listing, pricing and update cadence are its publisher’s to state; check the current Play page before buying, because this corner of the market changes slowly and old reviews describe old apps.
How to choose in 2026
- Updates: ePSXe’s 2.0.19 series is actively patched (the team shipped SPU and CHD fixes in point releases) — a concrete, checkable sign of life.
- Feature fit: if Drive/Dropbox save sync or split-screen multiplayer matters to you, those are ePSXe listing features. If a specific game is your whole reason to buy, search both apps’ recent reviews for that title — PS1 emulation is game-by-game at the margins.
- The free elephant: DuckStation’s Android app is free and excellent. Both paid apps must justify themselves against it; ePSXe’s case is maturity, its control scheme, and existing users’ libraries. Our Android roundup scores the whole field.
A rule for both
Buy either app only from Google Play. Both are exactly the kind of paid software that pirate APK sites repackage — with the added risk that a tampered emulator has access to your game library and storage. If price is the obstacle, the honest answer is the free DuckStation, not a stolen copy of a $3.75 app.