# SameBoy vs Game Emulator

The clearest difference is monetization model: SameBoy at free with in-app purchases against Game Emulator's subscription. SameBoy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Game Emulator's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SameBoy sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Game Emulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Game Emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Emulator has 1.1K ratings behind it against 105, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of SameBoy's written reviews are positive against 77% of Game Emulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, Game Emulator monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SameBoy | Game Emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sameboy/id6496971295/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-emulator-replay/id6502828239/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 105 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.6% of reviews** | 76.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 7 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lior Halphon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1741211844) | [彩连 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1721372242) |

## What reviewers say

### SameBoy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sameboy/id6496971295)

Experience classic handheld gaming with a highly accurate emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy. Enjoy advanced features like save states, rumble support, and controller compatibility. Play on your Apple Watch and customize your experience with various filters and themes.

**Highlights:** Accurate Game Boy emulation, Save states with gesture support, Rumble support, Apple Watch playability, Scaling filters, Game Boy Camera emulation, Controller support

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $0.99 | per month |
| Supporter Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Supporter Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Theme Access | $4.99 | one-time |
| SameBoy for Apple Watch | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 No ads or intrusive monetization
- 🎮 Highly accurate Game Boy/GBC emulation
- 💡 Innovative gesture controls (swipe to save/load/fast-forward)
- 🎨 Beautiful, authentic design with multiple themes
- ⚙️ Extensive customization and emulation options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Apple Watch support requires paid subscription
- 🐛 iPad portrait mode menu bug
- ❌ No Game Boy Advance emulation despite claims
- 🎮 Small button sizes for large hands
- ⚠️ Cheats feature limited or non-functional

**Reported bugs**

- iPad portrait mode triggers menu on A button/Up arrow press
- Game Boy Camera crashes on iPhone 17 Pro Max when switching cameras
- Rewind function causes game data loss in some titles
- 200% and 400% speed boost settings don't work
- Cheats don't function properly for certain games

**Requested features**

- Game Boy Advance emulation support
- Cheat code functionality
- Multiplayer/wireless linking for Pokémon games
- Online multiplayer support
- Adjustable screen and button sizes


### Game Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-emulator-replay/id6502828239)

Relive the golden age of gaming with this emulator that supports multiple classic game formats. Enjoy perfect emulation, speed-up functions, cheat support, and save states to enhance your gameplay. Discover a vast library of classic titles and play without limits.

**Highlights:** Supports NDS, GBA, GBC, and GB formats, Perfect emulation of gameplay and visuals, Speed-up function for faster progression, Cheat code support, Intuitive game list interface, Save game progress anytime

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Member | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Member | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Membership | $17.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fully playable games
- 🚀 Easy to use and install
- 💡 Provides access to retro games
- 👍 Wide selection of games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
- 🔋 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 Potential legal concerns with downloading ROMs

**Reported bugs**

- Certain games fail to load or crash
- Screen freezes or black screens on some games

**Requested features**

- Add support for Bluetooth controllers
- Improve in-game save functionality
- Implement cheat code support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SameBoy free?

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

### Is Game Emulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SameBoy or Game Emulator?

Game Emulator is rated higher. SameBoy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 105 ratings, while Game Emulator averages 4.7 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do SameBoy or Game Emulator have ads?

Game Emulator shows ads; SameBoy does not.

### Which is updated more often, SameBoy or Game Emulator?

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, and Game Emulator monthly. Most recently, SameBoy was updated on September 18, 2026 and Game Emulator on September 25, 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.*