# SameBoy vs GenZD

The clearest difference is price: SameBoy at Free against GenZD's $2.99. SameBoy also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). GenZD's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 4 months). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

SameBoy is free to download; GenZD costs $2.99 up front. SameBoy sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. GenZD asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for SameBoy against 4.6 for GenZD. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 105 and 56 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 84% and 84% positive.

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, GenZD every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SameBoy | GenZD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sameboy/id6496971295/reviews) | **[4.6 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/genzd/id6503916449/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **105** | 56 |
| Positive reviews | 83.6% of reviews | **83.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#189** |
| Size | 7 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lior Halphon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1741211844) | [Infinite Evolution Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/382641860) |

## 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


### GenZD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/genzd/id6503916449)

**Currently charting:** #189 Top Paid · Entertainment (US App Store)

Run classic idTech 1 games on your iOS device with enhanced modern features. Supports original WAD files and community MODs, offering improved graphics, lighting, and scripting. Requires users to provide their own game content.

**Highlights:** Modern 3D rendering, Widescreen graphics, Dynamic lighting, Scriptable environment, Game controller support, Customizable touch controls, Local multiplayer

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Full controller support
- 🔌 Works with all popular mods (DOOM, Brutal DOOM, Alien Trilogy, etc.)
- 🔍 Promising start for running GZDoom on iOS
- 💻 Portable experience on iPad with Magic Keyboard support
- 🙏 Developer is responsive to fixes and updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎮 Touchscreen aiming feels like controller input, not mouse-like
- 🔧 Lack of customization options for button layout and transparency
- 🐞 Crashes when switching between games
- ⌨️ Missing certain keys like underscore for entering commands


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SameBoy free?

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

### Is GenZD free?

GenZD costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

GenZD is rated higher. SameBoy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 105 ratings, while GenZD averages 4.6 from 56 ratings.

### Do SameBoy or GenZD have ads?

Neither SameBoy nor GenZD shows ads.

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

SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, and GenZD every 11 days. Most recently, SameBoy was updated on September 27, 2026 and GenZD on September 29, 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.*