# Alphaputt vs ArcEmu

The clearest difference is rating: ArcEmu at 4.9 against Alphaputt's 4.1. ArcEmu also leads on review sentiment (95% vs 61%) and price ($1.99 vs $4.99). Alphaputt's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.5). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Alphaputt costs $4.99 and ArcEmu $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 262 and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Alphaputt's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's.

Alphaputt ships an update every 3 weeks, ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alphaputt | ArcEmu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.1 (262 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphaputt/id1192689055/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 262 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.7% of reviews | **94.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #172 | **#166** |
| Size | 545 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sennep](https://appshunter.io/developer/476538073) | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) |

## What reviewers say

### Alphaputt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphaputt/id1192689055)

**Currently charting:** #172 Top Paid · Sports (US App Store)

Experience a unique blend of typography and mini-golf. Navigate through alphabet-themed courses, create your own wordy challenges, and compete with friends. Beware of unexpected obstacles like UFOs and vacuum cleaners.

**Highlights:** Alphabet-themed mini-golf courses, Create custom word courses, Multiplayer mode (1-4 players), 30 unique levels, Randomly generated courses, Par-fection challenge

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Unique and creative gameplay
- 👍 Beautiful and detailed graphics
- 🎨 Impressive level designs
- 🎢 Fun and challenging physics
- 🎉 Addictive and entertaining

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues on older devices
- 🤔 Repetitive gameplay after completing all levels
- 🤯 Extremely challenging and frustrating at times
- 🕹️ Inconsistent and fiddly controls

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch for some users
- Scorecard issues when trying to resume a game

**Requested features**

- More levels and variations for each letter
- Online/remote multiplayer mode
- Ability to create custom levels
- Option to disable music/sound effects
- Difficulty settings or accessibility options


### ArcEmu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733)

**Currently charting:** #166 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Experience retro gaming on your Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. This emulator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Enjoy features like multiplayer, cheats, and customizable controls.

**Highlights:** Game Boy, GBC, GBA emulation, Multiplayer support, Cheat codes, Customizable on-screen controls, Save State sharing, iCloud support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fully functional
- 🚀 Impressive emulation on Apple Watch
- 👍 Great emulator for both phone and watch
- 👍 Seamless save state transfer between devices
- 👍 Customizable controls and layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
- 🐛 Audio quality problems on certain games
- 👎 Limited functionality on Apple Watch
- 👎 Difficult controls for action-heavy games on watch

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
- Save data not transferring properly between devices

**Requested features**

- Add cheat/GameShark support
- Improve volume controls
- Implement fast forward/slow motion options
- Allow multiple save slots per game
- Improve Game Boy Color support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alphaputt free?

Alphaputt costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ArcEmu free?

ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Alphaputt or ArcEmu?

ArcEmu is rated higher. Alphaputt averages 4.1 out of 5 from 262 ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Alphaputt or ArcEmu have ads?

Neither Alphaputt nor ArcEmu shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alphaputt or ArcEmu?

Alphaputt ships an update every 3 weeks, and ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Most recently, Alphaputt was updated on October 15, 2026 and ArcEmu on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Alphaputt or ArcEmu?

Alphaputt currently peaks at #172 in the App Store charts, and ArcEmu at #166. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*