# Retro Pal vs GBDev

The clearest difference is rating: Retro Pal at 4.6 against GBDev's 3.3. Retro Pal also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 22%). GBDev's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro Pal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and GBDev sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Retro Pal holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Retro Pal's written reviews are positive against 22% of GBDev's.

Retro Pal ships an update every 9 days, GBDev every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Pal | GBDev |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-pal-ds-gba-emulator/id6769407672/reviews)** | [3.3 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbdev-full-control-emulator/id6787331675/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 19 | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **57.1% of reviews** | 22.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 93 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Antoine Ghiassi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896655463) | [Winter Bagley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1513642337) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro Pal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-pal-ds-gba-emulator/id6769407672)

Play your favorite classic Nintendo handheld games on your iPhone. This emulator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS ROMs. Enjoy features like save states, controller support, and customizable skins.

**Highlights:** Supports GB, GBC, GBA, and DS ROMs, Bluetooth controller support, iCloud save sync, Customizable console skins, Rewind functionality, Gameplay clip recording

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retro Pal Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Retro Pal Pro, yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Retro Pal Pro Lifetime | $8.99 | 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 (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Theme Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Theme Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Visual Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Visual Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Visual Pack 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Theme Pack 4 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Theme Pack 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| GBDev Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro Pal free?

Retro Pal 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, Retro Pal or GBDev?

Retro Pal is rated higher. Retro Pal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while GBDev averages 3.3 from 19 ratings.

### Do Retro Pal or GBDev have ads?

Neither Retro Pal nor GBDev shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retro Pal or GBDev?

Retro Pal ships an update every 9 days, and GBDev every 5 days. Most recently, Retro Pal was updated on October 28, 2026 and GBDev on October 28, 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.*