Difference between Emulator Testing and Real Device Testing

1. Emulator Testing :
Emulator Testing, as name suggests, is a type of testing that allows us to debug flows while testing app. It is very valuable when application is in early stage of Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). In this, memory available at emulators tend to be far more than real devices.

2. Real Device Testing :
Real Device Testing, as name suggests, is a type of testing It allows developers and testers to use sensors like orientation, gyroscope and others. These devices also allow testers to test each and every real time scenarios that can be tested for mobile applications. In this, memory storage level of device is generally less than emulators.

Difference between Emulator Testing and Real Device Testing :

Emulator Testing	Real Device Testing
It is a process of testing virtual devices.	It is a process of testing real, and physical devices.
Testing on emulator is not that much accurate due to lack of human observation as compared to real testing on real devices.	Testing on real devices is more accurate, concise and user-specific as compared to emulator testing.
It is more cost-effective as compared to real device testing.	It is less cost-effective as compared to emulator testing.
It shows less range of issues that are experienced by users.	It shows larger range of issues that are experienced by users.
It is considered good in development process because they perform faster testing as compared to real device testing.	It is not considered good in development process because they perform slower testing.
These software are open and free that can be easily downloaded from internet and ready to be tested for.	These software’s allows stringent performance testing issues such as working with real time transport application for 15 hours continuously.
They cannot be able to simulate battery issues, incoming interrupts, exact color displays, etc.	They can easily simulate battery issues, incoming interrupts, exact color displays, etc.
Cross-platform testing can be conducted seamlessly using virtual devices.	Cross-platform testing can be normally conducted using real devices.
It also provides basic analytics for app performance.	It also provides real environment and one can see exact behavior of app that end user would see on their device.
Debugging with emulator is easy as compared to real device.	Debugging with real devices is very difficult.