Comparison

Roblox vs ArcEmu

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

Head to head
About

Roblox

Explore millions of immersive 3D multiplayer experiences created by a global community. Play games, roleplay, compete, or create your own virtual worlds. Customize avatars and connect with friends across various devices.

Highlights
  • Discover millions of user-created experiences
  • Create and share your own games
  • Customize avatars with clothing and accessories
  • Play with friends across multiple devices
  • Multiplayer battles and role-playing games
  • In-app chat and voice communication (age-verified)
Read full description

ROBLOX – MILLIONS OF GAMES ACROSS EVERY GENRE. PLAY FREE. Roblox is home to every kind of game, for every kind of player. Compete in high-octane racing games, battle it out in hardcore tactical shooters, or put your survival skills to the test in unpredictable environments. Embark on an epic adventure in immersive RPGs, build massive empires in tycoons, or dive into horror, anime, and sports games with friends worldwide. Roblox is constantly evolving, with unique experiences and ambitious, high-fidelity games built by a global community including professional studios, indie teams, and solo creators. There’s always something new to discover every day. Start playing some of the most popular games on Roblox today, including Dress to Impress, RIVALS, Steal a Brainrot, Brookhaven RP, Adopt Me! and more. WHAT YOU CAN DO ON ROBLOX PLAY ONLINE MULTIPLAYER GAMES - Discover deep role-playing games, immersive simulators, action-packed adventures, and more - Explore trending experiences and new games daily - Compete in massive multiplayer battles, run your own digital business, or embark on epic quests - Games may contain optional in-game purchases, including lootboxes and other items CREATE YOUR OWN AVATAR - Customize your avatar with detailed clothing, accessories, and dynamic hairstyles - Discover thousands of user-created 3D avatar items in the Marketplace - Express yourself with unique emotes, and fashion CHAT, COMPETE, AND EXPLORE TOGETHER—ANYTIME, ANYWHERE - Hang out and play with friends in cross-platform multiplayer games on mobile, tablet, PC, console, and VR headsets - Join a Party and jump into competitive or social experiences together - Age-verified users can communicate in real-time via voice chat or text CREATE, PLAY, AND SHARE ON ROBLOX - Design high-fidelity games and virtual spaces using the Roblox Studio engine on Windows or Mac - Publish your experiences and empower yourself as a creator in a massive global community - Dive into immersive 3D multiplayer games and safe, inclusive environments designed for users of all ages - Enjoy endless new content added daily and share your creations with millions of players ELEVATE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH ROBLOX PLUS - Get up to 20% discounts on in-game items, enjoy fee-free Robux transfers, and receive a distinct profile badge - Host free, unlimited private servers for your friends - Publish, trade, and resell your own custom avatar creations on the Marketplace INDUSTRY-LEADING SAFETY, PRIVACY, AND CIVILITY - Advanced content filtering and age-appropriate moderation - Access age-verified spaces and manage your privacy with Roblox Kids and Select Accounts - Clear community guidelines promoting respectful interactions - Dedicated trust & safety teams working around the clock CREATE YOUR OWN GAMES: https://www.roblox.com/develop SUPPORT: https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us CONTACT: https://corp.roblox.com/contact/ PRIVACY POLICY: https://www.roblox.com/info/privacy PARENT’S GUIDE: https://corp.roblox.com/parents/ TERMS OF USE: https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004647846 PLEASE NOTE: A network connection is required. Roblox works best over Wi-Fi. ※ Information on App Permissions: Roblox requires the following permissions for your seamless use of the Roblox app. [Optional Permissions] Notification: For sending notifications (related to the services, experiences, etc.) Microphone: For in-game voice chat features Camera: For animating your avatar with your movement Contacts: For contact importer features (find other users you may know and make recommendations for friends) * You can use the app regardless of whether or not you consent to optional permissions * Certain app features may not work properly if you refuse optional permissions

About

ArcEmu

Experience retro gaming on your Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. This emulator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Enjoy features like multiplayer, cheats, and customizable controls.

Highlights
  • Game Boy, GBC, GBA emulation
  • Multiplayer support
  • Cheat codes
  • Customizable on-screen controls
  • Save State sharing
  • iCloud support
Features
Read full description

ArcEmu brings retro game emulation to Apple Watch. It also works on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, delivering a seamless gaming experience across your Apple devices. Supported Consoles - Game Boy (.gb) - Game Boy Color (.gbc) - Game Boy Advance (.gba) - Pokémon Mini (.min) - Nintendo Entertainment System (.nes) - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (.sfc and .smc) - Atari 2600 (.a26 and .bin) Main Features - Accurate, high-performance emulation powered by the mGBA and Ares cores - Game Link Cable support with online multiplayer for up to four players* - Cheat-code support with a built-in database of popular codes** - Frame-independent emulation at 30 or 60 FPS - Multi-touch and Digital Crown support on Apple Watch - Support for all screen orientations on iPhone and iPad - Precise, thoughtfully designed on-screen controls - Customizable control position and transparency on iPhone and iPad - Fast-forward at 2×, 4×, or maximum speed - Slow motion at 0.5× speed - Touch-based light gun controls for NES and SNES - Custom color palettes for Game Boy games - Button hold/sustain feature - Accelerometer support - Gyroscope support on iPhone and iPad, with Digital Crown input on Apple Watch - Haptic feedback on iPhone - Game controller support with customizable button mappings - ZIP archive support - Automatic saving - Save-state sharing between devices - iCloud support for ROMs and save states - ROM sharing through iCloud using share codes - Support for Apple Watch devices configured with Family Setup - ROM sorting and search Apple Watch Compatibility - Apple Watch Series 4 or later - Apple Watch SE or later - Apple Watch Ultra or later ArcEmu does not include any games or ROMs. You can import compatible ROM files from your iPhone and store them in iCloud. Your Apple Watch can then download them directly from iCloud. On an Apple Watch configured with Family Setup, ROMs can be downloaded from iCloud using share codes. Games Featured in the Screenshots - Acorn Grove: https://gibbongl.itch.io/acorn-grove - Anguna: https://gauauu.itch.io/anguna - Hauntsfield: https://alliemackie.itch.io/hauntsfield - µCity Advance: https://skylyrac.itch.io/ucity-advance * Requires a Game Center account. ** Cheat codes may cause unexpected behavior or affect game stability and save data. ArcEmu is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo. Nintendo and the names of its game systems are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Screenshots

Roblox4 screens
ArcEmu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Roblox at Free against ArcEmu's $1.99. Roblox also leads on ratings volume (20M vs 1.3K) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). ArcEmu's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 16) and review sentiment (95% vs 60%). On update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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

Roblox is free to download; ArcEmu costs $1.99 up front. Roblox sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ArcEmu asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roblox has 20M ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Roblox's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Roblox ships an update weekly, ArcEmu fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Roblox versus ArcEmu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRobloxArcEmu
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.5 (20M ratings)4.9 (1.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews94.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20M — better1.3K
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#1 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size224 MB172 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperRoblox CorporationRaffaele D'Amato

Customer experience

Roblox

All ratings20,129,792 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral3.5%
Negative8.9%
Written reviews36,493 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral7.5%
Negative32.5%

ArcEmu

All ratings1,295 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews521 reviews
Positive94.6%
Neutral2.7%
Negative2.7%

User reviews

Roblox

From 20M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Endless games and experiences
  • 🤝 Ability to make virtual friends
  • 🎨 Customizable avatars
  • 🎮 Wide variety of game genres
  • 👍 Fun and engaging for all ages

Room to improve

  • 🤖 Ineffective moderation and reporting system
  • 💰 Expensive in-game purchases
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding specific games
  • 🤔 Confusing chat/tag system
  • 🔒 Concerns about online safety and predators

ArcEmu

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fully functional
  • 🚀 Impressive emulation on Apple Watch
  • 👍 Great emulator for both phone and watch
  • 👍 Seamless save state transfer between devices
  • 👍 Customizable controls and layout

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
  • 🐛 Audio quality problems on certain games
  • 👎 Limited functionality on Apple Watch
  • 👎 Difficult controls for action-heavy games on watch

Bugs and requests

Roblox

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent disconnections and server issues
  • Glitches that delete purchased items
  • Inconsistent chat filtering and tagging

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to earn Robux through gameplay
  • Improved search and discovery for games
  • More free avatar customization options
  • Better parental controls and monitoring
  • Faster response to reports of inappropriate content

ArcEmu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Occasional crashes
  • Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
  • Save data not transferring properly between devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add cheat/GameShark support
  • Improve volume controls
  • Implement fast forward/slow motion options
  • Allow multiple save slots per game
  • Improve Game Boy Color support
Show 1 more
  • Add joystick/button support for Apple Watch

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Roblox

Subscriptions1
  • Roblox Premium 450$4.991 Month
One-time15
  • 80 ROBUX$0.99
  • Premium 80 Robux$0.99
  • Premium 88 Subscribed$0.99
Show 12 more
  • Premium 160 Robux$1.99
  • Premium 240 Robux$2.99
  • Premium 320 Robux$3.99
  • 400 Robux Premium$4.99
  • 440 Robux Subscribed$4.99
  • Roblox Premium 450 One Month$4.99
  • 800 ROBUX$9.99
  • 800 Robux Premium$9.99
  • 880 Robux Subscribed$9.99
  • Roblox Premium 1000 One Month$9.99
  • 1700 Robux Premium$19.99
  • Roblox Premium 2200 One Month$19.99
None

ArcEmu

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Roblox free?
Roblox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ArcEmu free?
ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Roblox or ArcEmu?
ArcEmu is rated higher. Roblox averages 4.5 out of 5 from 20M ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.
Do Roblox or ArcEmu have ads?
Neither Roblox nor ArcEmu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Roblox or ArcEmu?
Roblox ships an update weekly, and ArcEmu fortnightly. Most recently, Roblox was updated on September 24, 2026 and ArcEmu on September 24, 2026.

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