# Dream Emulator vs Retroly

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dream Emulator at none against Retroly's 1. Dream Emulator also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). Retroly's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retroly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Dream Emulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Dream Emulator against 5.0 for Retroly. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Dream Emulator ships an update every 2 days, Retroly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dream Emulator | Retroly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dream-emulator/id6760598843/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroly/id6768423479/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thalisson Gabriel Da Silva Santos Melo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821059901) | [Eray Kiyak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855182376) |

## What reviewers say

### Dream Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dream-emulator/id6760598843)

Play classic Game Boy games on your iPhone with accurate emulation. Load your own ROMs and enjoy pixel-perfect graphics and sound. Save progress, use fast forward, and access your library easily.

**Highlights:** Accurate Game Boy emulation, Crystal-clear pixel rendering, Full audio emulation, On-screen controls, Save and load game states, Fast forward mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Retroly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroly/id6768423479)

Play your classic game backups on iPhone with this retro gaming hub. Import ROMs, organize your collection, and enjoy a fast, distraction-free interface with customizable on-screen controls. Save your progress and adjust settings for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Game Boy, GBC, GBA support, ROM import from local storage, Organized game library, Recent play history, Responsive on-screen controls, Gameplay customization

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retroly Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dream Emulator free?

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

### Is Retroly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dream Emulator or Retroly?

Dream Emulator and Retroly are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Dream Emulator or Retroly have ads?

Retroly shows ads; Dream Emulator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dream Emulator or Retroly?

Dream Emulator ships an update every 2 days, and Retroly fortnightly. Most recently, Dream Emulator was updated on October 25, 2026 and Retroly on October 28, 2026.

---

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