Comparison

Bear Emu vs Nova Emulator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bear Emu

Play classic games from multiple vintage consoles on your mobile device. Offers unlimited game import and save state uploads through a subscription service.

Highlights
  • Multi-console emulation
  • Supports GBA, GBC, GB, SNES, NES, PSP, PS, WSC, SG
  • Unlimited game import
  • Upload game states
  • Subscription membership options
Features
Read full description

Bear EMU is a multi-console emulator for many vintage arcade and console systems. Systems: GBA GBC GB SNES NES PSP PS WSC SG [Automatic subscription membership instructions] 1. Service name: Bear Emu/Month (1 month), Bear Emu/3 Months (3 months), Bear Emu Subscribe Year (12 months); Unlimited game import and Upload game States 2. Price: "Bear Emu/Month" is $1.99 per month, "Bear Emu/3 Months" is $4.99 / 3 Months, and "Bear Emu Subscribe Year" is $13.99 per year 3. Accounts that purchase automatic subscription memberships will be deducted from your iTunes account 24 hours before the expiration of each monthly subscription period. After the deduction is successful, one subscription period will be extended. 4. You can suspend or terminate this service in the following ways: The method for users to cancel the automatic renewal of Apple in-app payment (IAP payment, in-app purchase) is as follows: Open the "Settings" of the Apple phone --> Enter "iTunes Store and App Store" --> Click "Apple ID", select "View Apple ID", enter the "Account Settings" page, click "Subscription", and select InCode to cancel the subscription for a continuous monthly, quarterly, or annual subscription. If the subscription is not canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the subscription period, the subscription will be automatically renewed. [User Agreement] [User Privacy Agreement] https://web.shiyour.com/game/privacy

About

Nova Emulator

Play classic console games on your smartphone with this high-performance emulator. Enjoy smooth gameplay, save states, fast forward, and display filters. Supports a wide range of retro consoles and offers cheat code functionality.

Highlights
  • High-performance emulation (60fps)
  • Virtual gamepad with radial dial
  • Save and load game states
  • Fast forward gameplay (2x-4x)
  • Display filters (CRT, LCD)
  • Cheat code support
  • Play time statistics
Features
Read full description

Play your favorite emulator games again on your smartphone. A high-performance retro game emulator that lets you play game ROMs. SUPPORTED CONSOLES • GBA, GB, GBC, NES, N64, NDS, PSX, PCE, Lynx, NGP, NGPC KEY FEATURES • High-Performance Emulation — 60fps smooth gameplay powered by libretro cores • Virtual Gamepad — Lemuroid-style radial dial with glass morphism design • Save & Load States — Save your progress anytime • Fast Forward — Speed up gameplay from 2x to 4x • Display Filters — Sharp, Smooth, CRT scanline, LCD pixel grid • Cheat Codes — GameShark, Action Replay, Game Genie and more • 11 Languages — English, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, French, German, Chinese (Traditional) NOVA PREMIUM Upgrade to Nova Premium and enjoy all features. • Remove all ads • Unlimited game library • Cheat mode activation • Unlock all save & load slots • Full weekly play time statistics PLAY HISTORY Track your gaming habits with weekly play time charts, daily breakdowns, and per-game statistics. LEGAL NOTICE • Nova does NOT provide or distribute any ROM files • You must only use ROMs of games you legally own • Downloading or distributing copyrighted ROMs is your responsibility • Nova does not encourage the use of illegal ROMs • Nova does not transmit any of your game data externally This app is subject to Apple's Standard End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Bear Emu3 screens
Nova Emulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Nova Emulator at 5.0 against Bear Emu's 3.5. Nova Emulator also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Bear Emu's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bear Emu sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Nova Emulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nova Emulator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bear Emu ships an update every 2 months, Nova Emulator every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and June 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bear Emu versus Nova Emulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBear EmuNova Emulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.6 — better16
Further details — not scored
Size597 MB67 MB
Age rating12+4+
Developer兴双 邓IDEATAG STUDIO

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Bear Emu

Subscriptions3
  • Bear Emu/Month$1.991 Month
  • Bear Emu/3 Months$4.993 Months
  • Bear Emu Subscribe Year$13.991 Year
3 purchases

Nova Emulator

Subscriptions3
  • NOVA Premium$1.991 Month
  • NOVA Premium$4.993 Months
  • NOVA Premium$7.996 Months

Questions

Is Bear Emu free?
Bear Emu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nova Emulator free?
Nova Emulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bear Emu or Nova Emulator?
Nova Emulator is rated higher. Bear Emu averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Nova Emulator averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bear Emu or Nova Emulator have ads?
Nova Emulator shows ads; Bear Emu does not.
Which is updated more often, Bear Emu or Nova Emulator?
Bear Emu ships an update every 2 months, and Nova Emulator every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bear Emu was updated on September 11, 2026 and Nova Emulator on June 27, 2026.

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