# 8BitDo Ultimate Software vs Ultimate Remote

The clearest difference is rating: Ultimate Remote at 3.7 against 8BitDo Ultimate Software's 2.4. Ultimate Remote also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). 8BitDo Ultimate Software's advantage is ratings volume (197 vs 3) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ultimate Remote holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8BitDo Ultimate Software has 197 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of 8BitDo Ultimate Software's written reviews are positive against 33% of Ultimate Remote's.

8BitDo Ultimate Software ships an update every 2 months, Ultimate Remote fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8BitDo Ultimate Software | Ultimate Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (197 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bitdo-ultimate-software/id1532713768/reviews) | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-remote/id6475311564/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **197** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 26.4% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 167 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 14.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [8BitDo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1532713770) | [Onur Buyukcaglar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1718910148) |

## What reviewers say

### 8BitDo Ultimate Software

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bitdo-ultimate-software/id1532713768)

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.

**Highlights:** Button mapping customization, Stick and trigger sensitivity adjustment, Vibration power control, Macro creation, Controller compatibility management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Functional app
- 💡 Helpful for left-hand device use
- 🚀 Seamless controller connection
- 🚀 Intuitive key mapping

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🐛 Lack of support for certain controllers
- 🐛 Buggy firmware updates
- 🐛 Profiles not saving properly

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to detect connected controllers
- Key mapping not working as expected
- Profiles resetting after app restart
- Firmware update issues bricking controllers

**Requested features**

- 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


### Ultimate Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-remote/id6475311564)

Control your Ultimate-II or Ultimate 64 devices remotely from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Easily manage and run files, import media, create custom layouts, and even use keyboard macros for your Commodore 64.

**Highlights:** Scan and register devices, Import and manage storage media, Play SID files and run programs, Upload and run external files, Mount disk images and browse directories, Create custom home layouts and shortcuts, Create and send keyboard macros

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8BitDo Ultimate Software free?

8BitDo Ultimate Software is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ultimate Remote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 8BitDo Ultimate Software or Ultimate Remote?

Ultimate Remote is rated higher. 8BitDo Ultimate Software averages 2.4 out of 5 from 197 ratings, while Ultimate Remote averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do 8BitDo Ultimate Software or Ultimate Remote have ads?

Neither 8BitDo Ultimate Software nor Ultimate Remote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 8BitDo Ultimate Software or Ultimate Remote?

8BitDo Ultimate Software ships an update every 2 months, and Ultimate Remote fortnightly. Most recently, 8BitDo Ultimate Software was updated on October 2, 2026 and Ultimate Remote on September 24, 2026.

---

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