Ask API. GET https://whichemulator.wtf/ask answers questions from the same data as this page, and it is the only place the setup steps are published. It takes the question as q and, optionally, this page's path as page, and returns JSON with answer, sources and follow_ups, or Markdown with Accept: text/markdown. No key needed.
curl -G 'https://whichemulator.wtf/ask' --data-urlencode 'q=Which Amiga emulator should I use on a Mac?' --data-urlencode 'page=/amiga/'Questions it answers:
Commodore Amiga, Commodore, 1985. A1000, A500, A1200, CD32.
whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the Amiga, the Gold Cartridge pick is Amiberry.
Amiberry tracks the WinUAE core closely, so it gets the same accuracy work, but it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux with official builds for each. It sets up WHDLoad games on its own, which removes most of the fiddly part of Amiga emulation, and it is under active development. WinUAE is still the reference, but it is Windows-only, so the cross-platform option wins.
Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux. Open source. Download: https://amiberry.com
Kickstart required: Most Amiga software needs a Kickstart ROM matching the model: 1.3 for most A500 games, 3.1 for the A1200, plus the extended ROM for the CD32. Dump them from your own hardware.
AROS ROM: WinUAE, Amiberry and PUAE include a replacement Kickstart from AROS, the open-source AmigaOS reimplementation. Some games and programs run on it, but compatibility is well short of the real ROMs, so treat it as a fallback.
PUAE expects Kickstart files with specific names, such as kick34005.A500 and kick40068.A1200, in the system folder.
“Amiga” covers a family of machines, and games were written for specific ones. The A500 with Kickstart 1.3 and 512KB chip RAM (often with a 512KB expansion) runs most of the classic library. AGA games need an A1200, and CD32 titles need the CD32 model with its own ROMs. Amiberry and WinUAE have quick-start presets for each, so start from the preset rather than building a configuration by hand.
Games come as .adf floppy images, or as WHDLoad packages (.lha) that install the game to a virtual hard disk and skip the disk swapping. Amiberry recognises WHDLoad packages and configures the machine for them on its own. WHDLoad still needs a Kickstart ROM, usually 3.1 on an A1200 setup.
On Windows, WinUAE is a perfectly good choice and has the most options of any Amiga emulator. Amiberry is the pick because it brings that same core to macOS and Linux, and its defaults are easier for someone who just wants to play.
Reference: WEM-AMIGA-O8KE