# Boulder Challenge vs Retro Flash

The clearest difference is price: Retro Flash at Free against Boulder Challenge's $2.99. Retro Flash also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (226 vs 23). Boulder Challenge's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and iOS requirement (10.3 vs 15.6). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Retro Flash is free to download; Boulder Challenge costs $2.99 up front. Retro Flash sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Boulder Challenge asks for nothing beyond the download.

Retro Flash holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retro Flash has 226 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Boulder Challenge's written reviews are positive against 83% of Retro Flash's.

Boulder Challenge ships an update every 6 weeks, Retro Flash every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boulder Challenge | Retro Flash |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boulder-challenge/id1471146901/reviews) | **[4.7 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-flash-climbing/id1519582483/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **226** |
| Positive reviews | 70.6% of reviews | **82.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 79 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.3** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christian Fenzl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1471146900) | [Arcade Bouldering UG (haftungsbeschrnkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519582485) |

## What reviewers say

### Boulder Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boulder-challenge/id1471146901)

Easily create and share custom climbing boulder problems by taking a photo of the wall. Define holds, difficulty, and descriptions to document your routes or outdoor projects. Discover and rate boulders created by others, and track your climbing progress.

**Highlights:** Create custom boulder problems from photos, Define hand and foot holds, Specify difficulty and descriptive text, Search and rate existing boulders, Track climbed and favorite boulders, Export data to Excel, Follow other climbers and view news feed

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Retro Flash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-flash-climbing/id1519582483)

This app helps climbers maximize their spray wall training with unique tools for setting various problems and supports multiple grading systems. It fosters a community for climbers to share and improve their training.

**Highlights:** Spray wall problem setting, Supports symmetrical, partly symmetrical, adjustable, and private walls, Circuit and competition boulder creation, Fontainebleau, Dankyu, and Hueco grading systems, Customizable grading systems, Wall upgrades for new possibilities

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Rules for Circles | $4.99 | one-time |
| Home Wall Year Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month Upgrade Pass | $8.99 | one-time |
| Additional Wall | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gym Year Pass Tier 1 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Add Gym | $14.99 | one-time |
| Gym Year Pass Tier 2 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 6 Months Upgrade Pass | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 💰 Free to use, affordable one-time fees
- 🏠 Perfect for home walls
- 👥 Great community feature
- 🚀 Fast and functional

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Horrid UI
- 🐛 Massive bugs and data loss
- 🛠️ App is useless when buggy
- ❓ Unclear target audience
- 🧭 Navigation can be challenging

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot see sends anymore
- All boulders set to unclimbed for all users
- Statistics are gone
- Won't let me reset wall
- Won't let me delete walls

**Requested features**

- Add a tick list of all climbs done
- Show number and distribution of grades
- Copy route feature for minor adjustments
- Ability to edit names or grades of existing boulders


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boulder Challenge free?

Boulder Challenge costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Retro Flash free?

Retro Flash is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Boulder Challenge or Retro Flash?

Retro Flash is rated higher. Boulder Challenge averages 4.3 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Retro Flash averages 4.7 from 226 ratings.

### Do Boulder Challenge or Retro Flash have ads?

Neither Boulder Challenge nor Retro Flash shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Boulder Challenge or Retro Flash?

Boulder Challenge ships an update every 6 weeks, and Retro Flash every 3 weeks. Most recently, Boulder Challenge was updated on October 24, 2026 and Retro Flash on October 24, 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.*