# ArcEmu vs Kon21

The clearest difference is price: Kon21 at Free against ArcEmu's $1.99. Kon21 also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). ArcEmu's advantage is ratings volume (1.3K vs 1) and device support (5 vs 3). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Kon21 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 — 4.9 for ArcEmu against 5.0 for Kon21. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, Kon21 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ArcEmu | Kon21 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kon21/id6760956783/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 94.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 172 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) | [RetroApps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845420719) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Kon21

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kon21/id6760956783)

Embark on a cosmic adventure to restore balance to chaotic zodiac realms. Battle evolving creatures using a unique blackjack-inspired card system and master the art of 21 to unleash powerful attacks. Explore pixel-crafted worlds with a retro aesthetic.

**Highlights:** Explore living zodiac realms, Conway-powered evolving creatures, Strategic blackjack-inspired combat, Master the art of 21, Retro pixel aesthetic

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ArcEmu free?

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

### Is Kon21 free?

Kon21 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ArcEmu or Kon21?

Kon21 is rated higher. ArcEmu averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Kon21 averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ArcEmu or Kon21 have ads?

Neither ArcEmu nor Kon21 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ArcEmu or Kon21?

ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, and Kon21 every 4 days. Most recently, ArcEmu was updated on October 21, 2026 and Kon21 on October 7, 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.*