Comparison

ArcEmu vs Lume Emulator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ArcEmu

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
Read full description

ArcEmu brings retro game emulation to Apple Watch. It also works on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, delivering a seamless gaming experience across your Apple devices. Supported Consoles - Game Boy (.gb) - Game Boy Color (.gbc) - Game Boy Advance (.gba) - Pokémon Mini (.min) - Nintendo Entertainment System (.nes) - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (.sfc and .smc) - Atari 2600 (.a26 and .bin) Main Features - Accurate, high-performance emulation powered by the mGBA and Ares cores - Game Link Cable support with online multiplayer for up to four players* - Cheat-code support with a built-in database of popular codes** - Frame-independent emulation at 30 or 60 FPS - Multi-touch and Digital Crown support on Apple Watch - Support for all screen orientations on iPhone and iPad - Precise, thoughtfully designed on-screen controls - Customizable control position and transparency on iPhone and iPad - Fast-forward at 2×, 4×, or maximum speed - Slow motion at 0.5× speed - Touch-based light gun controls for NES and SNES - Custom color palettes for Game Boy games - Button hold/sustain feature - Accelerometer support - Gyroscope support on iPhone and iPad, with Digital Crown input on Apple Watch - Haptic feedback on iPhone - Game controller support with customizable button mappings - ZIP archive support - Automatic saving - Save-state sharing between devices - iCloud support for ROMs and save states - ROM sharing through iCloud using share codes - Support for Apple Watch devices configured with Family Setup - ROM sorting and search Apple Watch Compatibility - Apple Watch Series 4 or later - Apple Watch SE or later - Apple Watch Ultra or later ArcEmu does not include any games or ROMs. You can import compatible ROM files from your iPhone and store them in iCloud. Your Apple Watch can then download them directly from iCloud. On an Apple Watch configured with Family Setup, ROMs can be downloaded from iCloud using share codes. Games Featured in the Screenshots - Acorn Grove: https://gibbongl.itch.io/acorn-grove - Anguna: https://gauauu.itch.io/anguna - Hauntsfield: https://alliemackie.itch.io/hauntsfield - µCity Advance: https://skylyrac.itch.io/ucity-advance * Requires a Game Center account. ** Cheat codes may cause unexpected behavior or affect game stability and save data. ArcEmu is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo. Nintendo and the names of its game systems are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

About

Lume Emulator

Experience classic video games on your mobile device with this emulator. It offers high-quality emulation for multiple retro consoles, allowing you to save progress and enjoy seamless gameplay. Play legally with your own ROMs or free-to-play options.

Highlights
  • Wide console support
  • High-quality emulation
  • Save and load states
  • Fast and lightweight performance
  • Legal ROM usage
Features
Read full description

Lume: Retro Gaming Emulator Rediscover the classics with Lume, the ultimate retro gaming emulator. Play your favorite retro games on your mobile device with stunning accuracy and seamless performance. Lume supports a wide range of retro consoles and offers an intuitive interface, and high-quality emulation. Whether you're a nostalgic gamer or new to retro gaming, Lume delivers an unparalleled experience. Key Features: - Wide Console Support: Play games from multiple classic consoles. - High-Quality Emulation: Enjoy smooth and accurate gameplay. - Save and Load States: Save your progress and pick up where you left off. - Fast and Lightweight: Optimized for performance on all devices. - Legal Use: Use free to play ROMs or import your own games (you must own the original game to play). Keywords: retro gaming, gaming emulator, classic games, ROMs, console games, customizable controls, high-quality emulation, save states, mobile gaming, nostalgia games, lightweight emulator, legal emulation, old school games, Digitrend LLC, Lume app Download Lume today and step back into the golden age of gaming!

Screenshots

ArcEmu4 screens
Lume Emulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ArcEmu at 95% against Lume Emulator's 38%. ArcEmu also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 52). Lume Emulator's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of ArcEmu's written reviews are positive against 38% of Lume Emulator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, Lume Emulator every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ArcEmu versus Lume Emulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArcEmuLume Emulator
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (1.3K ratings) — better3.8 (52 ratings)
Positive reviews94.5% of reviews — better37.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1.3K — better52
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.514.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRaffaele D'AmatoBenjamin Grynblat

Customer experience

ArcEmu

All ratings1,304 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews531 reviews
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.6%

Lume Emulator

All ratings34 ratings
Positive73.5%
Neutral5.9%
Negative20.6%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive37.5%
Neutral20.8%
Negative41.7%

Bugs and requests

ArcEmu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Occasional crashes
  • Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
  • Save data not transferring properly between devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add cheat/GameShark support
  • Improve volume controls
  • Implement fast forward/slow motion options
  • Allow multiple save slots per game
  • Improve Game Boy Color support
Show 1 more
  • Add joystick/button support for Apple Watch

Lume Emulator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ArcEmu

No in-app purchases

None

Lume Emulator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ArcEmu free?
ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lume Emulator free?
Lume Emulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ArcEmu or Lume Emulator?
ArcEmu is rated higher. ArcEmu averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Lume Emulator averages 3.8 from 52 ratings.
Do ArcEmu or Lume Emulator have ads?
Neither ArcEmu nor Lume Emulator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ArcEmu or Lume Emulator?
ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lume Emulator every 5 days. Most recently, ArcEmu was updated on October 25, 2026 and Lume Emulator on October 21, 2026.

Other comparisons