Shaders vs 8BitDo Ultimate Software
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Shaders
Create, view, and share custom graphics programs that run on the GPU. Learn how to integrate these visual effects into your own applications.
- Create custom shaders
- View shaders
- Share shaders with users
- Learn shader integration
- GPU graphics programming
Read full descriptionHide full description
Shaders - Shader editor is an app which let you view, create and share shaders with other users. Shaders are little graphics programs which run on the GPU. These effects can also be used in your own apps. You can see in the app how to accomplish this.
8BitDo Ultimate Software
Gain complete control over your compatible gamepad. Customize button layouts, fine-tune analog stick and trigger responses, and manage vibration intensity. Create custom macro commands for advanced gameplay.
- Button mapping customization
- Stick and trigger sensitivity adjustment
- Vibration power control
- Macro creation
- Controller compatibility management
Read full descriptionHide full description
8BitDo Ultimate Software gives you elite control over every piece of your controller: customize button mapping, adjust stick & trigger sensitivity, vibration power control and create macros. Controller Compatibility: * 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller * 8BitDo Pro 2 Wired Controller for Xbox * 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox * 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller * 8BitDo Micro Gamepad * 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller for Xbox Please visit support.8bitdo.com for further information and additional support.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: 8BitDo Ultimate Software at every 2 months against Shaders's every 21 months. 8BitDo Ultimate Software also leads on ratings volume (255 vs 48) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.1 for Shaders against 2.2 for 8BitDo Ultimate Software. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8BitDo Ultimate Software has 255 ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 23% of Shaders's written reviews are positive against 26% of 8BitDo Ultimate Software's.
Shaders ships an update every 21 months, 8BitDo Ultimate Software every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Shaders | 8BitDo Ultimate Software |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.1 (48 ratings) | 2.2 (255 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | 26.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 48 | 255 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 167 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Proof of Concept | 8BitDo |
Customer experience
Shaders
8BitDo Ultimate Software
Bugs and requests
Shaders
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
8BitDo Ultimate Software
Reported bugs
4 issues- App unable to detect connected controllers
- Key mapping not working as expected
- Profiles resetting after app restart
- Firmware update issues bricking controllers
Requested features
5 requests- Support for more controllers (e.g. 8bitdo Zero 2, SN30 Pro+)
- Add ability to remap command/option keys for macOS/iOS
- Improve macro functionality (e.g. adjustable delay, ability to hold keys)
- Add media control key mapping options
- Implement Bluetooth firmware update capability
In-app purchases
Shaders
No in-app purchases
8BitDo Ultimate Software
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Shaders free?
Is 8BitDo Ultimate Software free?
Which has better reviews, Shaders or 8BitDo Ultimate Software?
Do Shaders or 8BitDo Ultimate Software have ads?
Which is updated more often, Shaders or 8BitDo Ultimate Software?
Other comparisons
