# ScummVM vs ArcEmu

The clearest difference is price: ScummVM at Free against ArcEmu's $1.99. ScummVM also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.5). ArcEmu's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 102). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

ScummVM is free to download; ArcEmu costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for ScummVM against 4.9 for ArcEmu. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 102, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of ScummVM's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's.

ScummVM ships an update every 4 months, ArcEmu fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ScummVM | ArcEmu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (102 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scummvm/id6446184412/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 102 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 87.9% of reviews | **94.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 268 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eugene Sandulenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676541768) | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) |

## What reviewers say

### ScummVM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scummvm/id6446184412)

Play classic graphical point-and-click adventure games and RPGs on your device. This application includes two playable demos and offers access to many more titles through its website. Enjoy a vast library of beloved retro games.

**Highlights:** Play classic adventure games, Play classic RPGs, Includes playable demos, Access to more games online, Open source software

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliving classic games
- 👍 Great for mobile browsers
- 👍 Amazing experience with specific games
- 👍 Glad it's available
- 👍 Supports classic point-and-click and RPGs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashing mid-game
- 🐛 Save feature not working correctly
- 🐛 Touchscreen tap issues
- 🐛 Clunky game adding process
- 🐛 UI needs improvement

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes mid-game
- Save feature does not save
- Single-tap not registering as left click
- Two-finger tap not registering as right click
- Magic Keyboard touchpad not working

**Requested features**

- Easier game search
- Apple TV support
- Gamepad key mapping support
- Apple Pencil support
- Magic Keyboard touchpad support


### 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 ScummVM free?

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

### Is ArcEmu free?

ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ScummVM or ArcEmu?

ArcEmu is rated higher. ScummVM averages 4.8 out of 5 from 102 ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do ScummVM or ArcEmu have ads?

Neither ScummVM nor ArcEmu shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ScummVM or ArcEmu?

ScummVM ships an update every 4 months, and ArcEmu fortnightly. Most recently, ScummVM was updated on September 20, 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.*