# RetroBox vs Core Arcade

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RetroBox at none against Core Arcade's 4. RetroBox also leads on ads (none vs shown). Core Arcade's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 27.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Core Arcade sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. RetroBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

RetroBox ships an update fortnightly, Core Arcade every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RetroBox | Core Arcade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Size | 17 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bhavuk Jain](https://appshunter.io/developer/1486145632) | [Jose Blanco](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643690946) |

## What reviewers say

### RetroBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrobox/id6749571356)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Core Arcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-arcade/id6760246123)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arcade Plus Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Arcade Plus Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| 14 Day Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Remove Ads Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RetroBox free?

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

### Is Core Arcade free?

Core Arcade is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do RetroBox or Core Arcade have ads?

Core Arcade shows ads; RetroBox does not.

### Which is updated more often, RetroBox or Core Arcade?

RetroBox ships an update fortnightly, and Core Arcade every 3 weeks. Most recently, RetroBox was updated on October 30, 2026 and Core Arcade on October 23, 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.*