# gba emulator vs Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS

The clearest difference is update cadence: Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS at every 2 days against gba emulator's every 2 weeks. gba emulator's advantage is review sentiment (43% vs 17%) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. gba emulator sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

gba emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: gba emulator has 483 ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of gba emulator's written reviews are positive against 17% of Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS's.

gba emulator ships an update every 2 weeks, Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | gba emulator | Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (483 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gba-emulator-retro-game/id6517354474/reviews)** | [4.3 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcade-emulatorgbafcmdnds/id6748065474/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **483** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | **43.1% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 49 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [滨 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1740769819) | [Guangzhou Tianhe District Yongji Network Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1593807025) |

## What reviewers say

### gba emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gba-emulator-retro-game/id6517354474)

Relive classic Game Boy Advance games on your iOS device. This emulator offers an authentic gaming experience with support for .gba and .zip files, virtual controllers, and customizable options.

**Highlights:** Play GBA games on iOS, Supports .gba and .zip formats, Virtual controllers, Customizable options, Quick access to games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tipping | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove video ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove advertisements | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Runs smooth, no lag
- 👍 Good compatibility
- 👍 Stable application
- 👍 Works on older iPhones

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios Excessive ads
- 🐛 Crashing consistently
- 🐛 Game crashes and save deletion
- 🐛 Can't play without internet
- 🐛 Loading takes too much time

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes before first arena and save deletes
- App deleted after trying cheat code
- Games no longer run after new iOS update
- Lagging issues
- Save file loading issues

**Requested features**

- Add link cable simulation option for trading Pokémon
- Option to open 2 games simultaneously for trading
- More details on development for configuration options
- Ability to import and export saves
- Add Sonic Triple Trouble 16 bit on GBA


### Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcade-emulatorgbafcmdnds/id6748065474)

Relive classic gaming on your mobile device with this emulator. It supports multiple retro console formats, offering a high-fidelity, smooth gameplay experience. Easily manage your game collection with intuitive import and organization tools.

**Highlights:** Supports GBA, FC, MD, NDS formats, Centralized game management, One-click game import, High-precision emulation engine, Smooth gameplay performance, Clean and intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Permanent VIP membership | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is gba emulator free?

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

### Is Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS free?

Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, gba emulator or Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS?

gba emulator is rated higher. gba emulator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 483 ratings, while Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS averages 4.3 from 88 ratings.

### Do gba emulator or Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS have ads?

Both gba emulator and Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS show ads.

### Which is updated more often, gba emulator or Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS?

gba emulator ships an update every 2 weeks, and Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS every 2 days. Most recently, gba emulator was updated on November 12, 2026 and Arcade Emulator：GBA/FC/MD/NDS on November 12, 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.*