What is the difference between desktop and saws?

| Feature | Genymotion Desktop | Genymotion SaaS (Cloud) | |---------|------------------------|-----------------------------| | Where it runs | Installs locally on Windows, macOS or Linux PCs. | Runs in the cloud – you access virtual devices through a web console or APIs. | | Installation | Requires a one‑time download and install on your machine. | No installation needed; you just sign up and launch devices via the browser. | | Device management | Devices are stored and managed on your local machine. | Devices live in the cloud; you can spin up as many as you need on demand. | | Use case | Ideal for offline development, quick local testing, or when you want full control of the host OS. | Great for automated testing pipelines, CI/CD integration, or when you need scalable, on‑demand devices without local hardware. | | Scalability | Limited to the resources (CPU, RAM, disk) of your PC. | Scales with your cloud plan – spin up multiple devices simultaneously. | | Licensing | One‑time license (free tier has limited devices). | Subscription‑based per device or per usage; includes automated test suites and integrations. | | Supported OS | Windows (≥ 8.1), macOS, Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.). | Platform‑agnostic – accessed from any OS with a browser. | | Offline capability | Works fully offline once installed. | Requires internet connectivity to create, start, or interact with devices. | | Maintenance | You manage updates manually. | Updates are handled automatically by Genymotion. |

> Bottom line: > Desktop is for developers who prefer a local, offline environment with full control over the host system. > SaaS is for teams and enterprises that need scalable, cloud‑based emulation with CI/CD integration and automated testing.