# RetroAchievementsUI vs Phosphor Emulator

The clearest difference is rating: Phosphor Emulator at 4.6 against RetroAchievementsUI's 4.0. Phosphor Emulator also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 56%) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). RetroAchievementsUI's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Phosphor Emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 35 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of RetroAchievementsUI's written reviews are positive against 80% of Phosphor Emulator's.

RetroAchievementsUI ships an update every 2 weeks, Phosphor Emulator every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RetroAchievementsUI | Phosphor Emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroachievementsui/id6504225426/reviews) | **[4.6 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-emulator/id6759676286/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Rosenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632690709) | [SquatchCraft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1440325922) |

## What reviewers say

### RetroAchievementsUI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroachievementsui/id6504225426)

Browse and discover games with achievements. Track your progress and find new challenges to master. This open-source application is built with SwiftUI.

**Highlights:** Browse games with achievements, Discover new games, Track game progress, Open-source, SwiftUI built

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Phosphor Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-emulator/id6759676286)

This app provides a premium emulation experience for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on modern iOS devices. It features advanced controls, instant save states, and unique functionalities like rewinding gameplay and AI play.

**Highlights:** Rewind and fast-forward gameplay, Instant save and load states, Customizable touch controls, MFi controller support, Game Boy Camera and Printer integration, AI Play feature

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RetroAchievementsUI free?

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

### Is Phosphor Emulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RetroAchievementsUI or Phosphor Emulator?

Phosphor Emulator is rated higher. RetroAchievementsUI averages 4.0 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Phosphor Emulator averages 4.6 from 35 ratings.

### Do RetroAchievementsUI or Phosphor Emulator have ads?

Neither RetroAchievementsUI nor Phosphor Emulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RetroAchievementsUI or Phosphor Emulator?

RetroAchievementsUI ships an update every 2 weeks, and Phosphor Emulator every 3 days. Most recently, RetroAchievementsUI was updated on October 30, 2026 and Phosphor Emulator on October 31, 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.*