# Retro Emulator vs OpenConsole

The clearest difference is update cadence: OpenConsole at every 11 days against Retro Emulator's every 3 months. Retro Emulator's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Retro Emulator against 5.0 for OpenConsole. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Retro Emulator ships an update every 3 months, OpenConsole every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on July 2, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Emulator | OpenConsole |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-emulator-4-buttons/id6761195769/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openconsole/id6767276866/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 136 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Vu Bach](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869520433) | [AeriCast](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629924740) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-emulator-4-buttons/id6761195769)

Play classic 8-bit console games on your device with this fast and lightweight emulator. Import your own game files or access public domain titles, and save your progress anytime. Enjoy smooth emulation with on-screen controls and sharp display filters.

**Highlights:** Import your own games, Save progress anytime, On-screen controls with turbo, Sharp display filters, No ads or tracking, Public domain game library

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Retro Emulator free?

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

### Is OpenConsole free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Retro Emulator or OpenConsole?

Retro Emulator and OpenConsole are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Retro Emulator or OpenConsole have ads?

Neither Retro Emulator nor OpenConsole shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retro Emulator or OpenConsole?

Retro Emulator ships an update every 3 months, and OpenConsole every 11 days. Most recently, Retro Emulator was updated on July 2, 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.*