# BGG BoardGames Information vs Arcade Reference

The clearest difference is rating: BGG BoardGames Information at 4.2 against Arcade Reference's 3.1. BGG BoardGames Information also leads on ratings volume (643 vs 52). Arcade Reference's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BGG BoardGames Information sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Arcade Reference sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BGG BoardGames Information holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BGG BoardGames Information has 643 ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of BGG BoardGames Information's written reviews are positive against 46% of Arcade Reference's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BGG BoardGames Information ships an update every 2 months, Arcade Reference every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on August 1, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BGG BoardGames Information | Arcade Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (643 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bgg-boardgames-information/id1128746533/reviews)** | [3.1 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcade-reference/id1178311507/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **643** | 52 |
| Positive reviews | 38.3% of reviews | **46.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 170 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Emilio Exposito Cordobes](https://appshunter.io/developer/985769110) | [Nicola Canali](https://appshunter.io/developer/939541887) |

## What reviewers say

### BGG BoardGames Information

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bgg-boardgames-information/id1128746533)

Access comprehensive board game information, including trending titles, user ratings, and news. Sync your collection and track plays by logging into your BoardGameGeek account. Discover new games and manage your collection on the go.

**Highlights:** Trending and Top 100 Games, Game Search, BoardGameGeek News & Forums, User Ratings & Expansions, Collection Management, Play Logging, Friend Collection View

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best BGG format
- 👍 Satisfying and intuitive tile layout
- ✨ Great access to BGG data
- 👍 Useful for managing games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes randomly
- 💤 Server connection issues
- 🙈 Ads too frequent and intrusive
- 🤕 Poor interface and UX
- 🐞 Buggy and unstable

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to sync with BGG
- Crashes when adding/editing game plays
- Keyboard issues when entering comments
- Images not loading properly
- Expansions not showing in collection

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to browse more than top 100 games
- Geekmail access
- Personal profile and stats display
- Filter by 'best with' player count


### Arcade Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcade-reference/id1178311507)

Access comprehensive information on classic arcade games from the 70s to the 2000s. This app provides a detailed guide with tips and data compiled from enthusiast communities, focusing on video games and excluding gambling machines.

**Highlights:** Extensive arcade game database, Information compiled from Mame data, Tips and reference material, Organized game data, Covers 70s-2000s titles, Excludes gambling machines

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BGG BoardGames Information free?

BGG BoardGames Information is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Arcade Reference free?

Arcade Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BGG BoardGames Information or Arcade Reference?

BGG BoardGames Information is rated higher. BGG BoardGames Information averages 4.2 out of 5 from 643 ratings, while Arcade Reference averages 3.1 from 52 ratings.

### Do BGG BoardGames Information or Arcade Reference have ads?

BGG BoardGames Information shows ads; Arcade Reference does not.

### Which is updated more often, BGG BoardGames Information or Arcade Reference?

BGG BoardGames Information ships an update every 2 months, and Arcade Reference every 5 days. Most recently, BGG BoardGames Information was updated on August 1, 2026 and Arcade Reference on June 10, 2026.

---

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