# Linking Boy vs GamePod XL

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GamePod XL at none against Linking Boy's 1. Linking Boy's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Linking Boy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GamePod XL asks for nothing beyond the download.

Linking Boy ships an update monthly, GamePod XL every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Linking Boy | GamePod XL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linking-boy/id6695762604/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **43** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 52 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pixel Respawn LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769243202) | [Tiago Mendes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1235886918) |

## What reviewers say

### Linking Boy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linking-boy/id6695762604)

Experience fast and feature-rich emulation for Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy games. Enjoy multiplayer Link cable emulation, unlock achievements with RetroAchievements, and customize your gameplay with speed control, cheats, and enhanced visual options.

**Highlights:** Fast GBA/GBC/GB emulation, Link cable multiplayer, RetroAchievements support, Speed control (fast-forward/slow-down), Cheat support, Customizable virtual controls, Save states

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $5.99 | one-time |


### GamePod XL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gamepod-xl-2/id6752308971)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a console for playing arcade games on your TV or device. Enjoy a collection of free-to-play indie games with no ads, and use your device as a controller.

**Highlights:** Play on TV or iPhone/iPad, Collection of indie mini-games, Free-to-play games, No ads, Use iPhone/iPad as controller, External controller support, Keyboard support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Linking Boy free?

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

### Is GamePod XL free?

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

### Do Linking Boy or GamePod XL have ads?

Neither Linking Boy nor GamePod XL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Linking Boy or GamePod XL?

Linking Boy ships an update monthly, and GamePod XL every 4 months. Most recently, Linking Boy was updated on October 27, 2026 and GamePod XL on October 9, 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.*