# iFBAs vs gba emulator

The clearest difference is rating: gba emulator at 4.6 against iFBAs's 3.8. gba emulator also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (481 vs 100). iFBAs's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. gba emulator sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. iFBAs asks for nothing beyond the download.

gba emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 100 and 481 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of iFBAs's written reviews are positive against 43% of gba emulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iFBAs ships an update every 6 weeks, gba emulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iFBAs | gba emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifbas-arcade-emulator/id1491920707/reviews) | **[4.6 (481 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gba-emulator-retro-game/id6517354474/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 100 | **481** |
| Positive reviews | **56.3% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 194 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [国琛 邱](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470556607) | [滨 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1740769819) |

## What reviewers say

### iFBAs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifbas-arcade-emulator/id1491920707)

Experience arcade classics in high definition on your iOS device. This emulator offers excellent performance for a wide range of arcade games, with additional features for enhanced gameplay. Note that game ROMs are not included and must be provided by the user.

**Highlights:** High-definition arcade playback, Excellent performance on iOS, Supports nearly all arcade games, User-provided game ROMs, Built-in usage instructions

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent arcade game emulation for most ROMs
- 📱 Easy ROM import and file management
- 🎨 Good graphics quality on mobile devices
- ⚡ Fast performance with minimal lag
- 👍 Intuitive menu navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes after updates
- 📵 Forced updates causing app instability
- 🌐 Network connectivity issues (crashes without internet)
- 🎯 Missing file errors preventing game launch
- 🗣️ Incomplete English translation (mostly Chinese)

**Reported bugs**

- Missing file errors (cde_20a.5f) preventing game launch
- Crashes when using external controllers/keyboards
- App crashes without internet connection
- Crashes when loading previous game saves
- Crashes when accessing storage settings

**Requested features**

- Full English language support throughout app
- Haptic feedback for touch controls
- Tilt/analog stick controls for specific games
- Touch screen light-gun support (for games like T2)
- Magic Keyboard customization options


### gba emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gba-emulator-retro-game/id6517354474)

Relive classic Game Boy Advance games on your iOS device. This emulator offers an authentic gaming experience with support for .gba and .zip files, virtual controllers, and customizable options.

**Highlights:** Play GBA games on iOS, Supports .gba and .zip formats, Virtual controllers, Customizable options, Quick access to games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tipping | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove video ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove advertisements | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Runs smooth, no lag
- 👍 Good compatibility
- 👍 Stable application
- 👍 Works on older iPhones

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios Excessive ads
- 🐛 Crashing consistently
- 🐛 Game crashes and save deletion
- 🐛 Can't play without internet
- 🐛 Loading takes too much time

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes before first arena and save deletes
- App deleted after trying cheat code
- Games no longer run after new iOS update
- Lagging issues
- Save file loading issues

**Requested features**

- Add link cable simulation option for trading Pokémon
- Option to open 2 games simultaneously for trading
- More details on development for configuration options
- Ability to import and export saves
- Add Sonic Triple Trouble 16 bit on GBA


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iFBAs free?

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

### Is gba emulator free?

gba emulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iFBAs or gba emulator?

gba emulator is rated higher. iFBAs averages 3.8 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while gba emulator averages 4.6 from 481 ratings.

### Do iFBAs or gba emulator have ads?

gba emulator shows ads; iFBAs does not.

### Which is updated more often, iFBAs or gba emulator?

iFBAs ships an update every 6 weeks, and gba emulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, iFBAs was updated on October 24, 2026 and gba emulator on October 27, 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.*