# SameBoy vs Afterplay

The clearest difference is rating: SameBoy at 4.5 against Afterplay's 3.4. SameBoy also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 41%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Afterplay's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SameBoy sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Afterplay sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SameBoy holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 105 and 40 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of SameBoy's written reviews are positive against 41% of Afterplay's.

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, Afterplay every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SameBoy | Afterplay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sameboy/id6496971295/reviews)** | [3.4 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afterplay-game-emulator/id6503912290/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **105** | 40 |
| Positive reviews | **83.6% of reviews** | 41.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 1.5 GB |
| 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) | [Afterplay.io](https://appshunter.io/developer/1745099219) |

## 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


### Afterplay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afterplay-game-emulator/id6503912290)

This app transforms your retro gaming experience by allowing you to play classic games from over 30 supported consoles on any device. Enjoy seamless cross-device gaming with cloud saves and autosave, enhanced gameplay features like fast forward and rewind, and customizable controls.

**Highlights:** 30+ supported consoles, Cloud saves, Autosave, Fast Forward & Rewind, Multiplayer, Customizable controls, Video shaders

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Game Purchase ($1.99) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gift 1 Month | $3.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($4.99) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($6.99) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Gift 3 Months | $9.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($11.99) | $11.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($12.99) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($13.99) | $13.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($22.99) | $22.99 | one-time |
| Gift 1 Year | $24.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($27.99) | $27.99 | one-time |
| Game Purchase ($29.99) | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and accessible UI
- 🚀 Cloud saves for cross-device play
- 👍 Convenient emulator with good features
- 👍 Allows playing retro games easily

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Requires sign-up before testing
- 🐛 Resets game progress after saving
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content

**Reported bugs**

- Resets game progress after saving
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add more emulator cores for different systems
- Improve free tier to make it more accessible


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SameBoy free?

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

### Is Afterplay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SameBoy or Afterplay?

SameBoy is rated higher. SameBoy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 105 ratings, while Afterplay averages 3.4 from 40 ratings.

### Do SameBoy or Afterplay have ads?

Neither SameBoy nor Afterplay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SameBoy or Afterplay?

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, and Afterplay every 3 weeks. Most recently, SameBoy was updated on September 18, 2026 and Afterplay 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.*