# NEX vs GBDev

The clearest difference is monetization model: GBDev at free against NEX's free with in-app purchases. GBDev also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (13% vs 0%). NEX's advantage is rating (3.5 vs 3.3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NEX sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and GBDev sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

NEX holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GBDev has 18 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of NEX's written reviews are positive against 13% of GBDev's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NEX ships an update every 3 weeks, GBDev every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NEX | GBDev |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nex-retro-games/id6761322185/reviews)** | [3.3 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbdev-full-control-emulator/id6787331675/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **18** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **12.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 199 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [刚 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888852129) | [Winter Bagley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1513642337) |

## What reviewers say

### NEX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nex-retro-games/id6761322185)

Import and play your favorite retro games with customizable controls and features like achievements and save states. Enjoy a seamless gaming experience optimized for mobile devices.

**Highlights:** Import and play retro games, Customizable screen layouts, Independent achievements and badges, Unlimited save slots, Speed control up to 5x, Built-in cheat codes, Visual filters and pixel effects

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NEX Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Lifetime Premium (Discount) | $9.99 | one-time |
| NEX Premium — Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


### GBDev

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbdev-full-control-emulator/id6787331675)

Play your favorite Game Boy and Game Boy Color games on your iPhone with this emulator. It features a beautiful game library, responsive on-screen controls, and customizable palettes and themes for a comfortable gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Game Boy & Game Boy Color ROM support, Personalized game library with box art, Save states for instant progress capture, Customizable on-screen controls, Adjustable game palettes and app themes, Integrated cheat engine

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GBDev Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NEX free?

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

### Is GBDev free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NEX or GBDev?

NEX is rated higher. NEX averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while GBDev averages 3.3 from 18 ratings.

### Do NEX or GBDev have ads?

Neither NEX nor GBDev shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NEX or GBDev?

NEX ships an update every 3 weeks, and GBDev every 4 days. Most recently, NEX was updated on October 11, 2026 and GBDev on October 9, 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.*