# Nova Emulator vs Pixel a Go

The clearest difference is ads: Pixel a Go at none against Nova Emulator's shown. Pixel a Go also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). Nova Emulator's advantage is iOS requirement (16 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nova Emulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Pixel a Go sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Nova Emulator ships an update every 3 weeks, Pixel a Go every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nova Emulator | Pixel a Go |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-emulator/id6760300280/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 67 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [IDEATAG STUDIO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883714100) | [Cameron Banga](https://appshunter.io/developer/1347627208) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Pixel a Go

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-a-go-go/id6777286827)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pixel a Go-Go! Pro - Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Pixel a Go-Go! Pro - Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Pixel a Go-Go! Pro - Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Pixel a Go-Go! Pro - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nova Emulator free?

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

### Is Pixel a Go free?

Pixel a Go is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Nova Emulator or Pixel a Go have ads?

Nova Emulator shows ads; Pixel a Go does not.

### Which is updated more often, Nova Emulator or Pixel a Go?

Nova Emulator ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pixel a Go every 2 days. Most recently, Nova Emulator was updated on October 16, 2026 and Pixel a Go on October 17, 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.*