# Roblox vs ArcEmu

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Roblox | ArcEmu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (20M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roblox/id431946152/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **20M** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **94.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 224 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Roblox Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/431946155) | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) |

## What reviewers say

### Roblox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roblox/id431946152)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Action, #1 Top Grossing · Adventure, #2 Top Free · Action, #2 Top Free · Adventure, #4 Top Grossing · Games, #13 Top Free · Games, #20 Top Grossing, #85 Top Free (US App Store)

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)

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Roblox Premium 450 | $4.99 | per month |
| 80 ROBUX | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium 80 Robux | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium 88 Subscribed | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium 160 Robux | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium 240 Robux | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium 320 Robux | $3.99 | one-time |
| 400 Robux Premium | $4.99 | one-time |
| 440 Robux Subscribed | $4.99 | one-time |
| Roblox Premium 450 One Month | $4.99 | one-time |
| 800 ROBUX | $9.99 | one-time |
| 800 Robux Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| 880 Robux Subscribed | $9.99 | one-time |
| Roblox Premium 1000 One Month | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1700 Robux Premium | $19.99 | one-time |
| Roblox Premium 2200 One Month | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
- Save data not transferring properly between devices

**Requested features**

- Add cheat/GameShark support
- Improve volume controls
- Implement fast forward/slow motion options
- Allow multiple save slots per game
- Improve Game Boy Color support


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