Comparison

EmuTribe vs Nova Retro

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

Head to head
About

EmuTribe

Organize and play your legally obtained retro game collection on your iPhone or iPad. Customize controls, use save states, apply visual filters, and enjoy 2-player NetPlay. Cloud sync keeps your progress safe.

Highlights
  • Visual game library organization
  • Customizable touch controls
  • Physical controller support
  • Save states and fast-forward
  • Visual filters (HD, CRT, LCD)
  • 2-player LAN NetPlay
  • Optional cloud sync
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a modern home for your legally obtained retro game collection. EmuTribe brings your own game files together in a clean visual library with customizable controls, save states, visual filters, cloud sync, and 2-player LAN NetPlay. YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR WAY • Organize your own game files in one beautiful library. • Find recent titles, revisit favorites, and continue where you left off. • Games, ROMs, and BIOS files are not included. PLAY THE WAY YOU LIKE • Customize touch controls, button positions, and transparency. • Use compatible physical controllers. • Save and resume at any time with save states. • Use fast-forward and cheats when supported. • Choose HD, CRT, or LCD visual filters. PLAY TOGETHER Create a LAN NetPlay room for two players on the same Wi-Fi network when the game and system are compatible. Network quality, device performance, and host stability can affect the session. KEEP YOUR PROGRESS Optional cloud sync keeps compatible saves, save states, and settings available through your EmuTribe account. SUPPORTED SYSTEMS EmuTribe supports a range of classic systems, from 8-bit and 16-bit consoles to later handheld and 3D platforms. Compatibility depends on the selected core, game, settings, and device. More demanding systems may require newer hardware. FREE TO START Core features are available for free. Optional Standard and Plus subscriptions remove ads and unlock additional features such as extra save-state slots, premium filters, cheats, and cloud sync. IMPORTANT EmuTribe does not provide, sell, download, or distribute games, ROMs, BIOS files, or copyrighted content. Import only files you have the legal right to use. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. EmuTribe is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by console manufacturers or game publishers. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://emutribe.com/privacy

About

Nova Retro

Emulate classic gaming consoles on your iPhone and iPad. Bring your own legally owned games and customize touch controls. Enjoy local multiplayer with friends on the same network.

Highlights
  • Emulates NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, Genesis
  • Import your own legally owned games
  • Customizable on-screen touch controls
  • Local network multiplayer
  • Save and load game states
  • Supports multiple languages
Read full description

Bring your own games. Nova Retro brings six classic console types and validated arcade titles together in one local library. Save states, fast-forward and cheats are available according to system and game capabilities. Edit touch layouts on iPhone and iPad, with normal, turbo and combo buttons. Host, join or watch rooms on a mutually reachable local network. Player counts depend on the game; no internet matchmaking or relay service is provided. No games, game downloads or commercial firmware are included. Import only files you legally own and have the right to use. Compatibility and save-state support depend on the exact game set, firmware and save-state version. Optional support purchases unlock no emulation features.

Screenshots

EmuTribe4 screens
Nova Retro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Nova Retro at 5.0 against EmuTribe's 4.0. Nova Retro also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). EmuTribe's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support 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. EmuTribe sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month and Nova Retro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nova Retro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EmuTribe ships an update every 2 weeks, Nova Retro every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
EmuTribe versus Nova Retro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmuTribeNova Retro
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings4 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size280 MB59 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDevStart Labs振东 史

Customer experience

EmuTribe

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Nova Retro

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

EmuTribe

Subscriptions1
  • EmuTribe Pro$4.991 Month
3 purchases

Nova Retro

One-time3
  • A Small Tip$0.99
  • Buy Me a Coffee$1.99
  • Big Support$12.99

Questions

Is EmuTribe free?
EmuTribe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nova Retro free?
Nova Retro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, EmuTribe or Nova Retro?
Nova Retro is rated higher. EmuTribe averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Nova Retro averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do EmuTribe or Nova Retro have ads?
EmuTribe shows ads; Nova Retro does not.
Which is updated more often, EmuTribe or Nova Retro?
EmuTribe ships an update every 2 weeks, and Nova Retro every 3 weeks. Most recently, EmuTribe was updated on October 31, 2026 and Nova Retro on November 6, 2026.

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