# Pocket8 vs GlassROM

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket8 at none against GlassROM's 1. Pocket8 also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 6 days) and ratings volume (40 vs 7). GlassROM's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GlassROM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pocket8 asks for nothing beyond the download.

GlassROM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket8 has 40 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pocket8 ships an update daily, GlassROM every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket8 | GlassROM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket8/id6758171942/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glassrom/id6760094643/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jevon Lipsey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864554839) | [Vincent Galeano](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821763930) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket8/id6758171942)

This app brings the PICO-8 fantasy console experience to your mobile device, offering access to thousands of community-made games. Enjoy customizable touch controls or gamepad support, and never lose progress with an instant save system.

**Highlights:** Browse and play community-made PICO-8 games, Customizable touch controls and gamepad support, Instant save states for unlimited progress saving, Portrait and landscape orientation support, Locked 60FPS gameplay

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### GlassROM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glassrom/id6760094643)

Play classic games from multiple retro consoles on your iOS device. Enjoy accurate emulation, customizable controls, and save states for a seamless gaming experience. All your games are managed locally with a focus on privacy.

**Highlights:** Supports Game Boy, NES, N64, DS, and GameCube, Metal-powered pixel-perfect rendering, Low-latency audio engine, On-screen and controller support, Save states and battery persistence, Import ROMs from Files app, Includes six original demo games

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GlassROM Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket8 free?

Pocket8 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is GlassROM free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pocket8 or GlassROM?

GlassROM is rated higher. Pocket8 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while GlassROM averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Pocket8 or GlassROM have ads?

Neither Pocket8 nor GlassROM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket8 or GlassROM?

Pocket8 ships an update daily, and GlassROM every 6 days. Most recently, Pocket8 was updated on October 25, 2026 and GlassROM 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.*