# Retrospecs — user reviews > 140 indexed App Store user reviews of Retrospecs by John Parker, rated 4.79/5 from 364 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrospecs/id887031094/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrospecs/id887031094.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 320 · 4★ 28 · 3★ 6 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 6 ## What do users think of Retrospecs? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Versatile and customizable - 👍 Authentic retro filters - 👍 Extensive system emulations - 👍 Powerful editing capabilities - 👍 Nostalgia-inducing effects - 👍 Continuously updated - 👍 Fair pricing model **Cons** - 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches - 🔍 Limited image resolution - 📏 Aspect ratio issues with some filters - 🙈 Aggressive upgrade prompts in free version **Commonly reported bugs** - Animation option not working properly - Video import and saving issues - Occasional image loading failures **Most requested features** - Add more retro systems (e.g. NES, TI-99/4A) - Improve video encoding capabilities - Allow adjusting dithering levels - Add support for transparent PNGs - Implement batch processing and export options ## Newest reviews (15 of 140) ### 5/5 — It actually works as described. *2024-10-27, version 3.7* Offers paid options as well as cool, free pixelating. Fans of 16 and 32-bit will enjoy this. Refreshing considering there’s lots of fake apps out there. ### 5/5 — Perfection! *2024-09-22, version 3.7* Worth buying the full version. (And what got me to rate it 5 stars was a certain custom app icon, very appreciated.) ### 5/5 — Two years *2024-05-15, version 3.7* I’ve been using this for two years and it’s just the best you’ll find. Thank you so much for making this app. ### 5/5 — Amazing concept and execution *2024-04-30, version 3.6* Every filter is very authentic to the original system. The creator definitely did their homework. Great execution and style. Very easy to use. I can't ask for anything more! Get this now! ### 5/5 — Makes photos better *2024-04-26, version 3.6* 4k? No way. ### 5/5 — Amazing App *2024-04-07, version 3.6* Could you please update it so that transparent parts of PNGs don’t get blacked out. ### 5/5 — Amazing App *2024-04-01, version 3.6* Hands down one of my favorite apps to create with. I highly recommend spending some time with the free version before buying it to see if it’s worth your while. For me it TOTALLY is. Love the ability to animate your photos and save them as videos or GIFs. So many different styles and options to make your pics come alive. ### 5/5 — Absolutely perfect for my needs *2024-03-13* I’ve been looking for a retro editor to create stylized videos for social media after I saw a creator making short videos mimicking retro gameplay. The first two other apps i tried are good for stills but I decided to purchase the full version of this one anyway and I can already tell that this is the one I will be using the most. The only request or suggestion that I can think of right now is to please add an animation for scan lines so they can move in a downward motion and have some variance is speed and opacity. (Reviewed for iPhone XR, iOS 14.8.1) Also, please allow PNGs to keep their transparent alpha channels, it gets exported as black. ### 5/5 — MM *2023-06-13, version 3.5* Endless possibilites and hours of fun but can be used for seious work once you have got to grips with the many options available ### 5/5 — A great app *2023-06-08, version 3.5* I had an issue with importing video and the developer was quick to respond and resolve my issue. ### 5/5 — Actually amazing! *2023-05-24, version 3.4* The attention to detail put into this app is unbelievable. This is the first app that has blown me away. ### 5/5 — Absolutely perfect for my needs *2023-04-17* I’ve been looking for a retro editor to create stylized videos for social media after I saw a creator making short videos mimicking retro gameplay. The first two other apps i tried are good for stills but I decided to purchase the full version of this one anyway and I can already tell that this is the one I will be using the most. I’m excited about this one. It’s perfect for my needs. For example, I imported a green screen video into this app, added my desired effect, adjusted to my needs to a point where the green screen wasn’t destroyed by the effect, then I exported to my images, then took that export to my editor app and it worked very well. The only request or suggestion that I can think of right now is to please add an animation for scan lines so they can move in a downward motion and have some variance is speed and opacity. (Reviewed for iPhone XR, iOS 14.8.1) ### 5/5 — I love this *2023-04-02, version 3.3* Read the title ### 5/5 — Can you please fix this *2023-03-21, version 3.3* Everytime I convert an image into a pixelated image with this app the picture zooms in a little bit and I want it to show the entire frame ### 5/5 — What a gem! *2022-12-18, version 3.2* As an original 8 bit user and before, this is remarkably close to original display outputs. It would be awesome if you could type in say an old basic listing and output it as an image in the original font. That would make this a solid 12 out of 10 but as it is, if you are looking for an original pixelated aesthetic, this is massively quicker and more accurate than using an high end image editor. Outstanding. 8 bit at its best. Buy it. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Immediately spams you to upgrade *2025-03-12, version 3.7* Took a photo, and immediately it begs me to upgrade while blocking the view of the image I’m wanting to edit. Can’t even try it out without being forced to pay. Why even have it a free app if you immediately have to pay?! I will admit that, for some stupid reason on my part, I paid for it awhile back, though I forgot until the App Store reminded me. ### 1/5 — Used to have it unlocked *2024-03-11, version 3.6* Weird, used to be able to use full app. I remember purchasing it. Can’t restore my purchase though. ### 1/5 — This app used to be good *2022-11-07, version 3.1* This app formerly used to be totally free and have all the systems unlocked by default. Then the dev locked it all away and decided to ask for money for the stuff they previously gave away for free and didn’t add any new features. That’s a NO from me dawg. ### 1/5 — Can't save videos? *2018-04-08, version 2.2* why it doesn't save to my library? ### 1/5 — Seriously!?!? *2017-09-27* This app was "featured" in the App Store, so I clicked on it because I'm "old" and like retro stuff. Within less than two minutes of choosing a photo from my library on my phone to play around with, it put extensive text over the picture promoting the upgrade!!! Ridiculous. The people giving it five stars must either work for the company or be related to somebody who does. Either offer a truly free, basic app or don't. **Developer response:** The "extensive text" only appears when you select one of the systems or dithers that aren't available in the free version - if you stick to the free systems and dithers (the ones that have a proper icon rather than the padlock) you should be able to get a proper taster of the app. ### 2/5 — Half-hearted attempt *2019-02-04, version 2.8* The resolutions are pretty good, but the colors are wildly inaccurate. Would be better if the original system color palettes were respected. ### 3/5 — Good. Not great. *2025-05-29, version 3.7* There are a lot of instances where the image entirely fails to load with the proper filters. There are also times where the aspect ratio of the photo im editing won’t show up right. Feels awful and limited even when the tools are quite useful ### 3/5 — Some good but not free *2017-10-14, version 1.35* First the free version is unusable. It keeps words on the screen that tell you to upgrade. It happens when you click on something that is only available with the upgrade, but the words don’t disappear even when you try to go back to using the free filters, rending it unusable. It looked good enough so I paid. There are really neat filters here with loads of options and customization. Authentic replications of tech nostalgia. However, your field is limited to a square, so if your pic is not a square you won’t be able to alter the entire photo. Also if you save a photo you can’t re-open and edit it again. It will re-open in the app but you can’t re-apply filers or adjust the picture. ### 4/5 — Nintendo Entertainment System? *2025-07-15, version 3.7* Where’s the NES? ### 4/5 — Very close *2024-11-04, version 3.7* This is very close to the app 8bit photo lab on android devices. My problem is that I do not have the same amount of control as that app. Specifically control over the resolution. The resolution of 8bit photo lab goes up to 2000x2000+ pixels with every form of digital styling. Making the range for the objects I create for my collages vast. This is something I NEED so I can finally stop using the cheap tablet for ONE specific reason I hope the developers can see this and update the app to have this value scale. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Insane *2026-02-04, version 3.10* This is insane thank you ### 5/5 — more amazing as devices get more powerful *2025-12-17, version 3.10* been using this versatile thing for years and seen it improve year after year and become more refined. well maintained and priceless if you like this kind of thing ### 5/5 — Superb *2025-11-19, version 3.10* Does a phenomenally great job of re-encoding bloated modern pictures in to bloated versions of low-data pictures. Particularly great C64 and PETscii conversions. Great credits pages! ### 5/5 — animation option not working? *2025-08-05, version 3.9* love the app but it looks like the animation option starts loading then messes up? itll get to like 88% and then not progress any further ### 5/5 — Thanks for the new update *2025-07-24, version 3.9* I started using this application for YouTube short videos, and it looks like it works great. Please keep adding more filters/styles. With Kindest Regards-Pro User ### 5/5 — This is a must tool *2025-07-19, version 3.8* Once you get past some of its interface peculiarities when creating custom styles, you start to realise how powerful this is. Central tool in my work. ### 5/5 — Superb little app *2025-03-17, version 3.7* I must’ve used Retrospecs for a few years now; I love it. I use it all the time. If it ever goes away I shall miss it terribly. ### 5/5 — I love this app *2025-01-19, version 3.7* Great tool for transforming ordinary pics into something cool and unique. ### 5/5 — 🔥!EPOD🔥 *2024-12-31, version 3.7* Super dope and does everything I needed to do answer ### 5/5 — Digggg *2024-12-20, version 3.3* Brings back my beloved C=64 days! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-22.*