# Linking Boy vs Phosphor Emulator

The clearest difference is rating: Phosphor Emulator at 4.7 against Linking Boy's 4.2. Phosphor Emulator also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). Linking Boy's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Phosphor Emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 30 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Linking Boy's written reviews are positive against 80% of Phosphor Emulator's.

Linking Boy ships an update monthly, Phosphor Emulator every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Linking Boy | Phosphor Emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linking-boy/id6695762604/reviews) | **[4.7 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-emulator/id6759676286/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **43** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | 77.8% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pixel Respawn LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769243202) | [SquatchCraft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1440325922) |

## 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 |


### 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 Linking Boy free?

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

### Is Phosphor Emulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Linking Boy or Phosphor Emulator?

Phosphor Emulator is rated higher. Linking Boy averages 4.2 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while Phosphor Emulator averages 4.7 from 30 ratings.

### Do Linking Boy or Phosphor Emulator have ads?

Neither Linking Boy nor Phosphor Emulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Linking Boy or Phosphor Emulator?

Linking Boy ships an update monthly, and Phosphor Emulator every 2 days. Most recently, Linking Boy was updated on October 10, 2026 and Phosphor Emulator on October 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.*