# HORIPAD ULTIMATE vs Dolphin Ctrl

The clearest difference is rating: Dolphin Ctrl at 3.0 against HORIPAD ULTIMATE's 2.3. HORIPAD ULTIMATE's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (67 vs 6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Dolphin Ctrl holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HORIPAD ULTIMATE has 67 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of HORIPAD ULTIMATE's written reviews are positive against 14% of Dolphin Ctrl's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HORIPAD ULTIMATE ships an update every 4 months, Dolphin Ctrl every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HORIPAD ULTIMATE | Dolphin Ctrl |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/horipad-ultimate/id1056446815/reviews) | **[3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-ctrl/id1584272645/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **67** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **18.2% of reviews** | 14.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HORI CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1056446814) | [Cameron Little](https://appshunter.io/developer/964698586) |

## What reviewers say

### HORIPAD ULTIMATE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/horipad-ultimate/id1056446815)

Connect your game controller to check input data and update its firmware wirelessly. Access product information for your device directly through the app.

**Highlights:** Check game pad input data, Wireless firmware updates, Display product information website

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dolphin Ctrl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-ctrl/id1584272645)

This app transforms your phone into a GameCube controller for the Dolphin emulator. Connect wirelessly to your computer to play games with friends. Performance depends on network and emulator speed.

**Highlights:** Simulates GameCube controller, Play games on Dolphin emulator, Use phones as controllers, Supports multiplayer, Wireless connectivity

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HORIPAD ULTIMATE free?

HORIPAD ULTIMATE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dolphin Ctrl free?

Dolphin Ctrl is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HORIPAD ULTIMATE or Dolphin Ctrl?

Dolphin Ctrl is rated higher. HORIPAD ULTIMATE averages 2.3 out of 5 from 67 ratings, while Dolphin Ctrl averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do HORIPAD ULTIMATE or Dolphin Ctrl have ads?

Neither HORIPAD ULTIMATE nor Dolphin Ctrl shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HORIPAD ULTIMATE or Dolphin Ctrl?

HORIPAD ULTIMATE ships an update every 4 months, and Dolphin Ctrl every 14 months. Most recently, HORIPAD ULTIMATE was updated on October 16, 2026 and Dolphin Ctrl on October 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*