Comparison

Foxol vs PocketDOS

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

Head to head
About

Foxol

Play classic games across all your devices with this emulator platform. Enjoy multiplayer, cloud saves, achievements, and deep customization. Start for free and upgrade anytime to enhance your gaming experience.

Highlights
  • Cross-platform play (mobile, desktop, web)
  • Cloud saves and device sync
  • Online multiplayer and remote co-op
  • Online Link Cable support
  • RetroAchievements integration
  • Save states and fast forward/rewind
  • Customizable controls and visuals
Features
Read full description

Play Your Classics Everywhere! Foxol is a modern emulator platform that lets you play classic games across all your devices, with multiplayer, cloud saves, achievements, advanced connectivity and deep customization. Play on mobile, desktop or in your browser and continue exactly where you left off. Your games and saves move with you automatically. Start for free and upgrade anytime. Cross-platform play and cloud saves Foxol keeps your progress synced across devices so you never lose a moment. Switch seamlessly between phone, desktop and web with cloud saves, save states, automatic saves and multiple save profiles. Next-generation multiplayer Foxol brings 30+ multiplayer and connectivity modes together in one platform. Play locally or online with Remote Co-op, Link Cable, infrared, WFC, virtual pet connections and more, including cross-generation and cross-system multiplayer. Achievements Earn RetroAchievements while you play and turn your favorite games into new challenges. Track your progress and unlock achievements as you play. Gameplay tools and customization Play your way with save states, fast forward and rewind. Customize controls, layouts and visuals with 300+ presets and controller skins, or go further with built-in cheats, custom codes, save editing and ROM patching. Play your cartridges anywhere Connect a GB Operator to play physical Game Boy cartridges in Foxol, continue with your cloud save on other devices and sync your progress back to the cartridge. Make every step count Turn real-world steps into progress in compatible games. Supported consoles Game Boy Game Boy Color Game Boy Advance Nintendo DS Nintendo Entertainment System Super Nintendo Entertainment System Nintendo 64 Virtual Boy Pokémon Mini Sega Mega Drive and Genesis PlayStation WonderSwan WonderSwan Color Digital Monster Digital Monster Color Digital Monster Pendulum Color Pokéwalker Pocket Pikachu More systems are coming soon. Key features Cross-platform emulator for mobile, desktop and web Cloud saves and seamless device sync 30+ multiplayer and connectivity modes Local multiplayer and Remote Co-op Link Cable, infrared and WFC Virtual pet and cross-system connectivity Cross-generation multiplayer RetroAchievements integration Save states, fast forward and rewind 300+ visual presets and customization Custom controls and controller skins Built-in cheats, ROM patching and save editing GB Operator integration Health Connect step support for compatible games Free to play with optional Plus upgrade Download Foxol and play your classics everywhere. Disclaimer Foxol is an independent emulator platform. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or associated with Nintendo or any other console manufacturers, publishers, or rights holders. Foxol does not distribute games, ROMs, or copyrighted content. Users are responsible for providing their own legally obtained game files. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

PocketDOS

This app allows you to play classic DOS and Windows 9x games and software on your iPhone. Import your own licensed titles and enjoy them offline with customizable controls and settings. It also features an experimental Windows 98 installation wizard.

Highlights
  • Import DOS & Windows 9x software
  • On-device, offline emulation
  • Customizable touch and hardware controls
  • Session persistence and quick save/load
  • Optional iCloud save sync
  • Experimental Windows 98 installer
  • Open source
Features
Read full description

PocketDOS plays the DOS and Windows 9x software you already own, on your iPhone. Import your games and programs from the Files app and they run entirely on-device, offline, at usable speed — no account, no ads, no data collection. PocketDOS ships no games and no Microsoft software. Everything it runs comes from media you supply and are licensed to use. FEATURES - Game library: import .jsdos bundles, .zip archives, or chunked hard-disk machines. Rename, delete, and tune each entry. Your library lives in the Files app, so you can back it up yourself. - Session persistence: autosave every 3 minutes, save on quit and when backgrounding, quick save/load (F6/F7) on a hardware keyboard, and per-game "reset saved session". - iCloud save sync (optional): small save files follow you between installs via your own iCloud Drive. The app works fully offline without it. - Touch controls, three per-game profiles: a D-pad with an action cluster for keyboard-driven games; a tap-to-click mouse mode with a dedicated right-click button for point-and-click adventures; or none. - Hardware keyboards and game controllers are supported, with per-game remapping. - Per-game settings: emulated RAM size and an editable DOS configuration with one-tap presets (Sound Blaster IRQ, General MIDI, MT-32, FM-only). - Sound: Sound Blaster digital audio and AdLib/OPL FM synthesis out of the box, General MIDI via a bundled SoundFont, and Roland MT-32 music with ROMs you supply. - Private by design: every asset is served from inside the app and the emulator cannot reach the network. No telemetry, no analytics. The privacy policy fits on one screen. WINDOWS 98 INSTALL WIZARD (EXPERIMENTAL) Build a real, bootable Windows 98 SE machine from your own Windows 98 SE CD image and your own product key. Entirely on your device, the wizard reads the CD image, extracts its boot floppy, and runs Microsoft Setup unattended — file copy, wizard pages, first boot to the desktop — then installs a mouse-integration driver so your touch input works on the Windows desktop. The finished machine appears in your library like any other entry, with persistent disk state. Honest expectations: a full install runs unattended for 30-60 minutes, and the feature is young — it is labeled Experimental because it means it. If an install fails, it fails cleanly and you can try again. Your CD image is read on-device and never uploaded; your product key is held in memory only and is never stored, logged, or transmitted. OPEN SOURCE PocketDOS is free software (GPL-2.0) built on DOSBox, DOSBox-X, and js-dos. The complete source code, including the exact emulator build recipe, is public: https://github.com/Mantene/PocketDos WHAT POCKETDOS DOES NOT INCLUDE No game content, no operating systems, no product keys, no MT-32 ROMs. You supply your own legally obtained software. DOS, Windows, and all emulated software remain the property of their respective owners. Requires iOS 17 or later. iPhone-first; iPad support is planned.

Screenshots

Foxol4 screens
PocketDOS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PocketDOS at 3.3 against Foxol's 2.7. PocketDOS also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Foxol's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and ratings volume (9 vs 3). On price and ads 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. Foxol sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. PocketDOS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PocketDOS holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Foxol versus PocketDOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFoxolPocketDOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (9 ratings)3.3 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size201 MB19 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperAngelo PerrelloMatthew Hood

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Foxol

Subscriptions2
  • Foxol Plus$3.991 Month
  • Foxol Plus$44.991 Year
None

PocketDOS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Foxol free?
Foxol is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PocketDOS free?
PocketDOS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Foxol or PocketDOS?
PocketDOS is rated higher. Foxol averages 2.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while PocketDOS averages 3.3 from 3 ratings.
Do Foxol or PocketDOS have ads?
Neither Foxol nor PocketDOS shows ads.

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