# orthoplay vs VirtualFriend

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VirtualFriend at 95% against orthoplay's 42%. VirtualFriend also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.9). orthoplay's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 24 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VirtualFriend sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. orthoplay asks for nothing beyond the download.

VirtualFriend holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of orthoplay's written reviews are positive against 95% of VirtualFriend's.

orthoplay ships an update every 4 months, VirtualFriend every 24 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | orthoplay | VirtualFriend |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orthoplay/id582616765/reviews) | **[4.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtualfriend-vb-emulator/id6479948317/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **21** |
| Positive reviews | 41.9% of reviews | **95.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 24 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teenage Engineering](https://appshunter.io/developer/582616768) | [Adam Gastineau](https://appshunter.io/developer/913804973) |

## What reviewers say

### orthoplay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orthoplay/id582616765)

This app serves as the official companion for teenage engineering speakers, offering enhanced control and functionality. It allows users to manage their audio devices and explore various audio settings.

**Highlights:** Official companion app, Speaker control, Audio settings management, Enhanced functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### VirtualFriend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtualfriend-vb-emulator/id6479948317)

Experience classic Nintendo Virtual Boy games in true 3D on Apple Vision Pro and iOS. This open-source emulator allows you to explore the entire official library and homebrew titles with customizable color palettes and flexible control options.

**Highlights:** 3D Virtual Boy experience, Explore official and homebrew libraries, Customizable color palettes, Flexible control options (touchscreen, controller, keyboard), 3D title screen previews

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extra Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Excellent Virtual Boy emulation
- 👍 Easy to run games
- 👍 Light and simple UI
- 🎮 Works well with controllers
- 🙏 Grateful for the developer's work

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some games run slow
- 🐛 Some games crash after 10 minutes
- 🎮 Lack of button mapping
- 🔉 Buzzing sound issues in Hyper Fighting
- 🕶️ No cardboard/VR headset support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is orthoplay free?

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

### Is VirtualFriend free?

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

### Which has better reviews, orthoplay or VirtualFriend?

VirtualFriend is rated higher. orthoplay averages 3.9 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while VirtualFriend averages 4.9 from 21 ratings.

### Do orthoplay or VirtualFriend have ads?

Neither orthoplay nor VirtualFriend shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, orthoplay or VirtualFriend?

orthoplay ships an update every 4 months, and VirtualFriend every 24 months. Most recently, orthoplay was updated on October 24, 2026 and VirtualFriend on October 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.*