# TinyEmulator vs Retro Play Emulator

The clearest difference is rating: Retro Play Emulator at 4.5 against TinyEmulator's 3.9. Retro Play Emulator also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 55%) and ratings volume (65 vs 14). TinyEmulator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro Play Emulator sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. TinyEmulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Retro Play Emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 65 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of TinyEmulator's written reviews are positive against 86% of Retro Play Emulator's.

TinyEmulator ships an update every 2 weeks, Retro Play Emulator fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on July 17, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TinyEmulator | Retro Play Emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinyemulator/id6667099562/reviews) | **[4.5 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-play-emulator-gba/id6740153586/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **65** |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [兴海 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1764570631) | [军 廖](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699837069) |

## What reviewers say

### TinyEmulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinyemulator/id6667099562)

Play classic retro games on your device with this emulator. Enjoy solo or multiplayer experiences, with support for a wide range of classic gaming systems. Save your progress, use controllers, and even chat with friends during netplay sessions.

**Highlights:** Multi-platform support, Solo and multiplayer netplay, State save and load, Gamepad controller support, Voice and message chat during netplay, Controller skins and haptics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Retro Play Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-play-emulator-gba/id6740153586)

Relive classic gaming with this emulator supporting GBA, NES, SNES, and MD. Enjoy a user-friendly interface, high-quality emulation, and the ability to save and load your progress. Embark on a nostalgic journey through beloved retro titles.

**Highlights:** Supports GBA, NES, SNES, MD, User-friendly interface, High-quality emulation, Save and load game progress, Classic game access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove interstitial ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| remove opening ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| remove banner  ad | $1.99 | one-time |
| remove all ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TinyEmulator free?

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

### Is Retro Play Emulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TinyEmulator or Retro Play Emulator?

Retro Play Emulator is rated higher. TinyEmulator averages 3.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Retro Play Emulator averages 4.5 from 65 ratings.

### Do TinyEmulator or Retro Play Emulator have ads?

Retro Play Emulator shows ads; TinyEmulator does not.

### Which is updated more often, TinyEmulator or Retro Play Emulator?

TinyEmulator ships an update every 2 weeks, and Retro Play Emulator fortnightly. Most recently, TinyEmulator was updated on July 17, 2026 and Retro Play Emulator on June 11, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*