Comparison

Localhost vs Manic EMU

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Localhost

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
Read full description

Connect with Localhost gaming and esports centers and discover your new favorite way to play. Localhost serves as the premier network of esports competitions, training sessions, and a variety of casual play video games. Purchase hourly gameplay and keep the games going. Play with your friends or compete in friendly competitions on the best gaming gear and next generation of consoles. Via the Localhost mobile app, you can - Create a Localhost account - Find a Localhost venue near you - Add hours for PC gameplay to your Localhost account

About

Manic EMU

This app is a comprehensive emulator for a vast array of classic gaming consoles, allowing you to relive your favorite retro titles. It offers advanced features like save states, speed control, and visual filters, with cloud sync and controller support for a seamless experience.

Highlights
  • Supports 30+ classic gaming platforms
  • RetroAchievements integration
  • Unlimited manual and auto-save slots
  • 5x game speed boost
  • Cheat code library
  • Customizable visual filters and skins
  • iCloud and cloud storage sync
Features
Read full description

Manic EMU is an all-in-one retro emulator for iPhone and iPad. Console, handheld, arcade, computer, and mobile classics live in one library. The app does not include games, BIOS, or game data. Use only legally owned backups, homebrew, or public-domain software. Supported Platforms Nintendo - Nintendo 3DS (3DS) - Nintendo GameCube (NGC) - Nintendo Wii (Wii) - Nintendo 64 (N64) - Nintendo DS (NDS) - Game Boy Advance (GBA) - Game Boy Color (GBC) - Game Boy (GB) - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) - Famicom Disk System (FDS) - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) - Virtual Boy (VB) - Pokemon Mini (PM) Sony - PlayStation (PS1) - PlayStation Portable (PSP) Sega - Dreamcast (DC) - Sega Saturn (SS) - Sega Master System (MS) - Game Gear (GG) - SG-1000 (SG) - Sega Genesis 32X (32X) - Sega CD / Mega-CD (MCD) - Sega Genesis / Mega Drive (MD) NEC - PC Engine (PCE) - TurboGrafx-16 (TG-16) - TurboGrafx-CD (TG-CD) - SuperGrafx (SGX) SNK - Neo Geo Pocket (NGP) - Neo Geo Pocket Color (NGPC) Atari - Atari 2600 - Atari 5200 - Atari 7800 - Atari Jaguar - Atari Lynx Commodore - Commodore 64 (C64) - Amiga Other - Arcade - DOOM - MS-DOS - Java ME (J2ME) - Symbian - WonderSwan - Flash More systems are planned. [RetroAchievements] - Challenge players worldwide and light up trophies that are yours - Multiset: grind multiple sets on one game — earn subset trophies without patching - Hardcore Mode: tougher rules, trophies that actually count [Save States, Your Way] - Unlimited manual save states plus 50 auto slots - Save Manager: browse by time, compare, and restore in one tap [Speed, Cheats & Shortcuts] - 5x fast forward — you set the pace - Cheats on demand from an online library - Custom shortcuts for save, speed, and screenshots [Filters, Skins & Screenshots] - Retro filters from our exclusive library - Skins that feel like real hardware, third-party skins welcome, flex layouts that fit your hands - Screenshots for the highlight reel [Landscape Library] - Landscape console mode — library, covers, and shortcuts on one screen - Background music and navigation sounds — browsing feels like an arcade - Browse with a controller or keyboard — stay on the couch [Play Together] - Local multiplayer whenever you want - Eligible cores can host rooms, scan LAN, connect over relay, and spectate [iCloud Sync — Your Game Universe] - Games, saves, and settings stay in sync across your devices - Encrypted cloud backup — switch devices with zero progress lost - Start on iPad, pick up on iPhone. Play anywhere — your games never pause [Cloud Import in One Step] - Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Baidu Cloud, Aliyun - WebDAV and SMB too — bring the whole library over in one go [Controllers Your Way] - Native Joy-Con, DualShock, and Xbox support - Bluetooth controllers and keyboards — play on Mac too - Multiple controllers at once, solo or a full party [AirPlay — Living Room Ready] - AirPlay to a TV or display - Phone to TV without a hitch — couch nights and hangouts - Big screen plus a controller — immersion maxed out Premium A free download includes core play features. Manic EMU Premium (monthly, yearly, or lifetime) unlocks higher fast-forward speeds, more save states and cheat slots, extra controller players, and other play features. Prices are shown in the app. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. The renewal charge is applied within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you subscribe. Refunds follow Apple policy. Privacy Policy: https://manicemu.site/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://manicemu.site/terms-of-use Official Site: https://manicemu.site Support: support@manicemu.site Legal Manic EMU is not affiliated with Apple or any game or console manufacturer. Platform names describe supported environments only.

Screenshots

Localhost4 screens
Manic EMU4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Localhost at none against Manic EMU's 3. Localhost also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 74%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Manic EMU's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (16K vs 9). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Manic EMU sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Localhost asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Localhost holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Manic EMU has 16K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Localhost's written reviews are positive against 74% of Manic EMU's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Localhost ships an update weekly, Manic EMU fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Localhost versus Manic EMU: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLocalhostManic EMU
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (9 ratings) — better4.7 (16K ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better73.6% of reviews
Number of ratings916K — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB551 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperN3rd Street Gamers, LLCShenzhen Aoshuang Future Technology Co., Ltd

Customer experience

Localhost

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Manic EMU

All ratings15,667 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral2.8%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews3,129 reviews
Positive73.6%
Neutral10.6%
Negative15.8%

Bugs and requests

Localhost

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Manic EMU

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Certain games crash or don't work
  • Issues with importing and loading ROMs
  • Screen scaling and optimization problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Allow sharing save states from other emulators
  • Add more 3DS settings and options
  • Improve support for 3DS features like the keyboard
  • Add ability to hide touch screen controls when using a controller

In-app purchases

None

Localhost

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Manic EMU

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Annual Plan7 Days trial$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Forever Access$9.99

Questions

Is Localhost free?
Localhost is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Manic EMU free?
Manic EMU is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Localhost or Manic EMU?
Localhost is rated higher. Localhost averages 5.0 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Manic EMU averages 4.7 from 16K ratings.
Do Localhost or Manic EMU have ads?
Localhost shows ads; Manic EMU does not.
Which is updated more often, Localhost or Manic EMU?
Localhost ships an update weekly, and Manic EMU fortnightly. Most recently, Localhost was updated on October 8, 2026 and Manic EMU on October 16, 2026.

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