# Ultimate Gamepad vs Emulstick

The clearest difference is update cadence: Emulstick at every 3 months against Ultimate Gamepad's every 23 months. Ultimate Gamepad's advantage is review sentiment (41% vs 25%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Ultimate Gamepad ships an update every 23 months, Emulstick every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ultimate Gamepad | Emulstick |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-gamepad/id575567569/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **86** | — |
| Positive reviews | **40.9% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | — | No |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 7 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NEGU Soft .](https://appshunter.io/developer/499557074) | [Shanghai Xuanhua Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475484669) |

## What reviewers say

### Ultimate Gamepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-gamepad/id575567569)

Transform your iPhone into a multitouch joystick for your computer. Connect wirelessly by installing a receiver program on your PC, Mac, or Linux. Enjoy real button emulation for a gaming experience designed by gamers.

**Highlights:** iPhone to PC/Mac/Linux controller, Wireless Wi-Fi connection, Multitouch joystick, Real button emulation, Simple setup with receiver program

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well for emulators
- 💰 Truly free, no ads
- 🚀 Stable connection (for some)
- 🎮 Good for basic games
- ✅ Functional and easy to set up

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Cannot connect to WiFi
- ❌ Frequent disconnections
- ❌ Does not work on iOS
- ❌ Lacks analog sticks
- ❌ Buttons are too small

**Reported bugs**

- Telling me wifi connected while my wifi is literally off
- Can’t connect to my WiFi
- Untimate control doesn‘t work on mac
- Buttons are getting stuck often
- App loses connection with the computer frequently

**Requested features**

- Add analog sticks
- Add mouse support/mousepad
- More key configuration options
- Save button presets in profiles
- Support sending buttons as xinput device


### Emulstick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emulstick/id1599023041)

This application simulates keyboard, mouse, and gamepad input for use with a specific dongle. It offers wireless, serverless, and network-free operation for a plug-and-play experience.

**Highlights:** Keyboard emulation, Mouse emulation, Gamepad simulation, Wireless operation, Serverless connectivity, No network required

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ultimate Gamepad free?

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

### Is Emulstick free?

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

### Which is updated more often, Ultimate Gamepad or Emulstick?

Ultimate Gamepad ships an update every 23 months, and Emulstick every 3 months. Most recently, Ultimate Gamepad was updated on October 12, 2026 and Emulstick on October 1, 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.*