# RetroHandheld vs OpenConsole

The clearest difference is rating: OpenConsole at 5.0 against RetroHandheld's 3.7. OpenConsole also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

OpenConsole holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

RetroHandheld ships an update fortnightly, OpenConsole every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RetroHandheld | OpenConsole |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrohandheld/id6759585946/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openconsole/id6767276866/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 136 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [David Margot](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877555458) | [AeriCast](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629924740) |

## What reviewers say

### RetroHandheld

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrohandheld/id6759585946)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a classic gaming console. Play popular retro systems like Game Boy, NES, and PlayStation with controller support and save states. Bring your own legally owned game files for an offline, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Plays 8 classic consoles, Controller support, Save states and auto-save, Offline play, Cheat code support, iCloud backup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


### OpenConsole

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openconsole/id6767276866)

This app offers instant access to a library of AI-generated cloud games and allows you to play your legally owned retro game ROMs on various classic console emulators. Enjoy smooth gameplay with hardware acceleration and customizable controls, with cloud saves for seamless progression.

**Highlights:** AI-generated cloud games, Retro console emulation (NES, SNES, PS1, N64, etc.), Hardware-accelerated rendering, On-screen touch controls, MFi and Bluetooth controller support, Save states and cloud sync

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RetroHandheld free?

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

### Is OpenConsole free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RetroHandheld or OpenConsole?

OpenConsole is rated higher. RetroHandheld averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while OpenConsole averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do RetroHandheld or OpenConsole have ads?

Neither RetroHandheld nor OpenConsole shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RetroHandheld or OpenConsole?

RetroHandheld ships an update fortnightly, and OpenConsole every 11 days. Most recently, RetroHandheld was updated on September 19, 2026 and OpenConsole on September 14, 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.*