# Ollie’s Arcade vs Pocket8

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket8 at none against Ollie’s Arcade's 2. Pocket8 also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 8 months). Ollie’s Arcade's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (82% vs 67%). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ollie’s Arcade sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Pocket8 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ollie’s Arcade holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 138 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Ollie’s Arcade's written reviews are positive against 67% of Pocket8's.

Ollie’s Arcade ships an update every 8 months, Pocket8 daily. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ollie’s Arcade | Pocket8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ollies-arcade/id6446127619/reviews)** | [4.5 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket8/id6758171942/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **138** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 144 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [The Iconfactory](https://appshunter.io/developer/281795483) | [Jevon Lipsey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864554839) |

## What reviewers say

### Ollie’s Arcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ollies-arcade/id6446127619)

Experience classic arcade and handheld gaming on your phone with a collection of retro-styled mini-games. Enjoy challenging yet simple gameplay with no ads, coins, or subscriptions required. Accessible for all, including those with color-blindness, and supports game controllers and keyboards.

**Highlights:** Retro-styled mini-games, Ad-free experience, No in-app purchases or subscriptions, Accessible design for color-blindness, Game controller and keyboard support, Handheld electronic game simulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tranquility Touchdown | $1.99 | one-time |
| Snake | $1.99 | one-time |


### Pocket8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket8/id6758171942)

This app brings the PICO-8 fantasy console experience to your mobile device, offering access to thousands of community-made games. Enjoy customizable touch controls or gamepad support, and never lose progress with an instant save system.

**Highlights:** Browse and play community-made PICO-8 games, Customizable touch controls and gamepad support, Instant save states for unlimited progress saving, Portrait and landscape orientation support, Locked 60FPS gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ollie’s Arcade free?

Ollie’s Arcade is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pocket8 free?

Pocket8 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ollie’s Arcade or Pocket8?

Ollie’s Arcade is rated higher. Ollie’s Arcade averages 4.8 out of 5 from 138 ratings, while Pocket8 averages 4.5 from 42 ratings.

### Do Ollie’s Arcade or Pocket8 have ads?

Neither Ollie’s Arcade nor Pocket8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ollie’s Arcade or Pocket8?

Ollie’s Arcade ships an update every 8 months, and Pocket8 daily. Most recently, Ollie’s Arcade was updated on November 7, 2026 and Pocket8 on November 13, 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.*