# Retro Flash vs BoulderBot

The clearest difference is monetization model: BoulderBot at free against Retro Flash's free with in-app purchases. Retro Flash's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (226 vs 11). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro Flash sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and BoulderBot sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Retro Flash holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retro Flash has 226 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Retro Flash's written reviews are positive against 75% of BoulderBot's.

Retro Flash ships an update every 3 weeks, BoulderBot every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Flash | BoulderBot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-flash-climbing/id1519582483/reviews)** | [4.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boulderbot/id1601111003/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **226** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **82.9% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 162 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Arcade Bouldering UG (haftungsbeschrnkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519582485) | [Luca Dellana](https://appshunter.io/developer/1601111005) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### BoulderBot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boulderbot/id1601111003)

Generate and track bouldering routes on your home climbing wall. Features procedural generation for infinite climb variations, manual creation, and progress logging. Supports various wall types and works offline.

**Highlights:** Procedural climb generation, Manual climb creation, Progress tracking and logging, Wall setup wizard, Offline functionality, Search and filter problems

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BoulderBot Pro Pass - 3 Months | $7.99 | one-time |
| BoulderBot Pro Pass - 1 Year | $17.99 | one-time |
| BoulderBot Pro | $27.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro Flash free?

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

### Is BoulderBot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Retro Flash or BoulderBot?

Retro Flash is rated higher. Retro Flash averages 4.7 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while BoulderBot averages 4.4 from 11 ratings.

### Do Retro Flash or BoulderBot have ads?

Neither Retro Flash nor BoulderBot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retro Flash or BoulderBot?

Retro Flash ships an update every 3 weeks, and BoulderBot every 5 weeks. Most recently, Retro Flash was updated on September 27, 2026 and BoulderBot on August 30, 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.*