Epilogue Retrace vs GBDev
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Epilogue Retrace
This app transforms your phone into a tool for retro game collectors. It identifies cartridges, providing release history, market pricing, developer details, and authenticity checks when connected to a specific hardware device.
- Identify retro game cartridges
- View release history
- Check market pricing
- See developer credits
- Verify cartridge authenticity
- Connect via local network or USB-C
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Retrace turns your phone into a companion for your retro game collection. Connect to an Epilogue Operator device over your local network or via USB-C cable, insert a cartridge, and instantly identify your game with detailed information: release history, market pricing, developer credits, and authenticity verification. Built for collectors and enthusiasts who want to know more about the games they own. Just you, your cartridges, and the details behind them. Requires an Operator device (GB Operator or SN Operator).
GBDev
Experience retro gaming with this multi-emulator, offering extensive customization for a personalized feel. Enjoy features like screen bleed, scanlines, and adjustable controls. Connect controllers and output to a TV for immersive retro gatherings.
- Multi-console emulation (GB, GBC, GBA, NES, SNES, DS, 3DS, GC, Wii)
- Customizable screen effects (bleed, scanlines)
- Adjustable screen and button layout
- Animated themes and custom buttons
- Bluetooth controller support
- AirPlay TV output
- Button haptics for immersion
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GBDev is a fast multi emulator with an immersive feel and lots of good ways to customize your emulation experience. Emulates: GB • GBC • GBA • NES • SNES • DS • DSI • 3DS • GC • Wii Get cozy under the covers with our screen bleed and crt scanlines options. Reposition the screens and buttons to maximize the emulation feel. Enhance the look with animated themes and custom buttons. Landscape mode goes hard too especially when a bluetooth controller is connected. SNES Mouse works for mar10 pain7 too!! GBDev even has 3ds mii support. Connect to a tv with airplay, connect some controllers via bluetooth, and set the phone on charge for a night of retro gatherings. Button haptics make you feel more immersed so we have that too. Our game library is seperated by console. Thank you for using GBDev!!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Epilogue Retrace at none against GBDev's 8. Epilogue Retrace also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 42%). GBDev's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and rating (3.6 vs 3.4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. GBDev sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Epilogue Retrace asks for nothing beyond the download.
GBDev holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 24 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Epilogue Retrace's written reviews are positive against 42% of GBDev's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Epilogue Retrace ships an update every 2 months, GBDev every 4 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Epilogue Retrace | GBDev |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (8 ratings) | 3.6 (24 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better | 41.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 24 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 94 MB | 100 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | epilogueco | Winter Bagley |
Customer experience
Epilogue Retrace
GBDev
In-app purchases
Epilogue Retrace
No in-app purchases
GBDev
- Theme Pack 1$1.99
- Theme Pack 2$1.99
- Visual Pack 1$1.99
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- Visual Pack 2$1.99
- Visual Pack 3$1.99
- Theme Pack 4$1.99
- Theme Pack 3$1.99
- GBDev Pro$2.99
