# EmuCool vs Nova Emulator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: EmuCool at 100% against Nova Emulator's 0%. EmuCool also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). Nova Emulator's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16 vs 18.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nova Emulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. EmuCool asks for nothing beyond the download.

EmuCool holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of EmuCool's written reviews are positive against 0% of Nova Emulator's.

EmuCool ships an update every 10 days, Nova Emulator every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | EmuCool | Nova Emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emucool-retro-game-emulator/id6759055174/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-emulator/id6760300280/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **16** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [贝蓓 范](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870879110) | [IDEATAG STUDIO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883714100) |

## What reviewers say

### EmuCool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emucool-retro-game-emulator/id6759055174)

Relive classic gaming on your iPhone with this emulator supporting multiple retro consoles. It offers advanced visual filters, a smart save system with multiple slots, and personalized game settings. Customize your experience with unique themes and in-game notes.

**Highlights:** Supports 6 classic gaming platforms, Advanced visual filters (CRT, VHS, etc.), Smart save system with auto-save and 10 slots, Per-game configuration for display and settings, Customizable cover art and game notes, In-game screenshot functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Nova Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-emulator/id6760300280)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NOVA Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| NOVA Premium | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| NOVA Premium | $7.99 | per 6 months |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EmuCool free?

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

### Is Nova Emulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EmuCool or Nova Emulator?

EmuCool is rated higher. EmuCool averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Nova Emulator averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do EmuCool or Nova Emulator have ads?

Both EmuCool and Nova Emulator show ads.

### Which is updated more often, EmuCool or Nova Emulator?

EmuCool ships an update every 10 days, and Nova Emulator every 9 days. Most recently, EmuCool was updated on October 24, 2026 and Nova Emulator on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*