# Artifact vs RetroArch

The clearest difference is rating: Artifact at 4.9 against RetroArch's 4.3. Artifact also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 69%). RetroArch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Artifact sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RetroArch asks for nothing beyond the download.

Artifact holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RetroArch has 1.9K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Artifact's written reviews are positive against 69% of RetroArch's.

Artifact ships an update every 5 months, RetroArch weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Artifact | RetroArch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artifact-3d-puzzle-lite/id1626615924/reviews)** | [4.3 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroarch/id6499539433/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 69.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 596 MB | 652 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Mikhail Bakunovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455006854) | [Libretro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209876090) |

## What reviewers say

### Artifact

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artifact-3d-puzzle-lite/id1626615924)

Assemble fragmented ancient artworks in this unique 3D puzzle game. Explore and reconstruct relics from various cultures with intuitive controls and stunning visuals. Adjust difficulty and enjoy a relaxing, mentally stimulating experience.

**Highlights:** Assemble broken 3D artifacts, Puzzles inspired by real masterpieces, Explore relics from different cultures, Intuitive touch controls, Adjustable difficulty levels, Stunning 3D graphics and audio

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |


### RetroArch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroarch/id6499539433)

This application serves as a versatile frontend for emulators and game engines, supporting a vast array of systems through downloadable cores. It offers advanced features like netplay, save states, and customizable controls for an enhanced gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Supports numerous gaming systems via libretro cores, Netplay for multiplayer gaming, Save states and fast forward/rewind, Controller support and key remapping, Customizable shaders and overlays, RetroAchievements integration, AI translations for games

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth emulation performance
- 🎮 Wide range of supported systems
- 🕹️ Controller support
- 💯 Comprehensive emulation features
- 🔓 No ads or tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Steep learning curve
- 🤖 Unintuitive user interface
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
- 🔌 Slow loading times
- 🤷‍♂️ Inconsistent core support

**Reported bugs**

- N64 games not loading textures properly
- Crashes when changing settings or cores
- Bios files not being recognized
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Saved settings not persisting

**Requested features**

- Add support for PS2, GameCube, and 3DS emulation
- Improve iCloud/cloud storage integration
- Implement customizable button layouts
- Add a more user-friendly setup wizard
- Provide better documentation and tutorials


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Artifact free?

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

### Is RetroArch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Artifact or RetroArch?

Artifact is rated higher. Artifact averages 4.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while RetroArch averages 4.3 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Artifact or RetroArch have ads?

Neither Artifact nor RetroArch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Artifact or RetroArch?

Artifact ships an update every 5 months, and RetroArch weekly. Most recently, Artifact was updated on October 24, 2026 and RetroArch on October 25, 2026.

---

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