# Dolphin Ctrl vs ShanWan Controller

The clearest difference is update cadence: ShanWan Controller at every 2 months against Dolphin Ctrl's every 14 months. ShanWan Controller also leads on review sentiment (41% vs 14%) and ratings volume (35 vs 6). Dolphin Ctrl's advantage is rating (3.0 vs 2.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Dolphin Ctrl holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShanWan Controller has 35 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Dolphin Ctrl's written reviews are positive against 41% of ShanWan Controller's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dolphin Ctrl ships an update every 14 months, ShanWan Controller every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dolphin Ctrl | ShanWan Controller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-ctrl/id1584272645/reviews)** | [2.8 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanwan-controller/id1660844654/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews | **41.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cameron Little](https://appshunter.io/developer/964698586) | [Shenzhen Qixiong Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484600595) |

## What reviewers say

### Dolphin Ctrl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-ctrl/id1584272645)

This app transforms your phone into a GameCube controller for the Dolphin emulator. Connect wirelessly to your computer to play games with friends. Performance depends on network and emulator speed.

**Highlights:** Simulates GameCube controller, Play games on Dolphin emulator, Use phones as controllers, Supports multiplayer, Wireless connectivity

**In-app purchases:** none


### ShanWan Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanwan-controller/id1660844654)

This app aggregates controller-compatible games from various cloud and streaming platforms, including MFi and Apple Arcade titles. It also introduces custom controller protocols for expanded functionality and new ways to play.

**Highlights:** Game controller aggregation, Cloud and streaming platform integration, MFi and Apple Arcade game support, Custom controller protocol, Expanded controller functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dolphin Ctrl free?

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

### Is ShanWan Controller free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dolphin Ctrl or ShanWan Controller?

Dolphin Ctrl is rated higher. Dolphin Ctrl averages 3.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while ShanWan Controller averages 2.8 from 35 ratings.

### Do Dolphin Ctrl or ShanWan Controller have ads?

Neither Dolphin Ctrl nor ShanWan Controller shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dolphin Ctrl or ShanWan Controller?

Dolphin Ctrl ships an update every 14 months, and ShanWan Controller every 2 months. Most recently, Dolphin Ctrl was updated on June 5, 2026 and ShanWan Controller on September 21, 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.*