# UTM SE vs Localhost

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Localhost at 100% against UTM SE's 55%. Localhost also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). UTM SE's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (560 vs 9). On price, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. UTM SE sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Localhost asks for nothing beyond the download.

Localhost holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UTM SE has 560 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of UTM SE's written reviews are positive against 100% of Localhost's.

UTM SE ships an update every 4 months, Localhost weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UTM SE | Localhost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (560 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utm-se-retro-pc-emulator/id1564628856/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localhost/id1582612790/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **560** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 54.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.6 GB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Turing Software, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534511649) | [N3rd Street Gamers, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502043269) |

## What reviewers say

### UTM SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utm-se-retro-pc-emulator/id1564628856)

Experience classic computing by running old-school games and software. This emulator supports various display modes and processor architectures, allowing you to run pre-built systems or configure your own.

**Highlights:** Run classic software and games, VGA and terminal modes, Emulates x86, ARM, PPC, RISC-V, Pre-built or custom machine configurations, Built from QEMU

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Transistor | $0.99 | one-time |
| Chip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Computer | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app that can run Windows and macOS
- 👍 Useful for nostalgic reasons
- 👍 Can run Linux VMs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow performance, especially on older devices
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Display and boot issues
- 🐛 Incompatible with some ISOs and VMs

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to select .img files as floppy boot images
- Crashes when trying to leave a VM
- Crashes when adjusting virtual CD-ROM drive settings

**Requested features**

- Add support for JIT compilation to improve performance
- Improve Magic Keyboard support
- Allow exporting VMs to run on other platforms


### Localhost

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localhost/id1582612790)

Discover and connect with gaming and esports centers. Purchase gameplay hours, join competitions, and find venues for casual play. The app allows account creation and finding nearby locations.

**Highlights:** Connect with gaming centers, Discover esports competitions, Purchase gameplay hours, Find nearby venues, Create a Localhost account

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UTM SE free?

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

### Is Localhost free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UTM SE or Localhost?

Localhost is rated higher. UTM SE averages 3.8 out of 5 from 560 ratings, while Localhost averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do UTM SE or Localhost have ads?

Localhost shows ads; UTM SE does not.

### Which is updated more often, UTM SE or Localhost?

UTM SE ships an update every 4 months, and Localhost weekly. Most recently, UTM SE was updated on October 12, 2026 and Localhost on October 8, 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.*