# Retro Flash vs NYC Flash

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NYC Flash at none against Retro Flash's 8. NYC Flash also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Retro Flash's advantage is ratings volume (226 vs 12) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro Flash sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. NYC Flash asks for nothing beyond the download.

NYC Flash holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retro Flash has 226 ratings behind it against 12, 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 100% of NYC Flash's.

Retro Flash ships an update every 3 weeks, NYC Flash weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Flash | NYC Flash |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-flash-climbing/id1519582483/reviews) | **[5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nyc-flash/id1635189778/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **226** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 82.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 162 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Arcade Bouldering UG (haftungsbeschrnkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519582485) | [Bora Tunca](https://appshunter.io/developer/660213820) |

## 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


### NYC Flash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nyc-flash/id1635189778)

Share your bouldering projects and progress with a community of climbers. Learn from others, showcase your sends, and get inspired to improve your climbing skills.

**Highlights:** Share boulder projects, Showcase climbing sends, Learn from community, Improve climbing skills, Community-driven content

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro Flash free?

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

### Is NYC Flash free?

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

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

NYC Flash is rated higher. Retro Flash averages 4.7 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while NYC Flash averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.

### Do Retro Flash or NYC Flash have ads?

Neither Retro Flash nor NYC Flash shows ads.

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

Retro Flash ships an update every 3 weeks, and NYC Flash weekly. Most recently, Retro Flash was updated on October 24, 2026 and NYC Flash on October 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*