Comparison

SpatialEMU vs Cheatlo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SpatialEMU

This app allows you to play your personal retro game collection on iPhone and iPad. It supports a wide range of classic systems and offers flexible control options, including virtual buttons and physical controllers. You can load games locally or connect to a self-hosted server for library management.

Highlights
  • Play retro games on iOS devices
  • Supports NES, SNES, PlayStation, PSP, and more
  • Load local game files or use a self-hosted server
  • Virtual and physical controller support
  • Customizable controller mapping
  • Local save states and progress syncing
Features
Read full description

SpatialEMU brings your own retro game library to iPhone and iPad. Organize a personal local collection, choose how each game is presented, and play with touch controls or supported physical game controllers. SUPPORTED SYSTEMS Play user-provided games for NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Mega Drive / Genesis, SEGA 32X, Master System, Game Gear, SG-1000, PlayStation, PSP, DOS, Neo Geo, CPS arcade systems, SEGA Model 2, SEGA Model 3, and supported MAME arcade hardware. Compatibility varies by title, file format, and required system files. LOAD LOCAL FILES OR USE YOUR OWN SERVER No server is required: open local games directly with the system document picker. FolioSpace Library is an optional, self-hosted personal library and is not part of the SpatialEMU client. It can run on a NAS or on a Docker-capable Mac, PC, or Linux host. Connect to your own server to browse, search, filter, and selectively download your catalog, save multiple server profiles, and synchronize supported battery saves and play records. PLAY YOUR WAY Use the app's virtual controls or supported Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, and other game controllers. Universal controller mapping supports global, per-system, and per-game profiles, button reassignment, axis inversion, dead zones, and sensitivity. SpatialEMU also provides Nintendo DS touch input, DOS keyboard and mouse controls, and specialized controls for supported arcade and mahjong titles. LOCAL-NETWORK CABINET LINK Supported SEGA Model 3 titles can create native cabinet-link sessions across multiple devices. Every device runs the same user-provided game locally while the LAN carries only cabinet-link data. Some larger room layouts remain clearly labeled experimental. LOCAL PROGRESS Keep local battery saves and save states for supported systems. Store separate progress for each game and synchronize supported save records through your own FolioSpace Library. IMPORTANT SpatialEMU does not include games, ROMs, BIOS files, firmware, encryption keys, copyrighted game content, or downloads for such content. You must provide files you have the right to use. Compatibility does not imply affiliation with the relevant hardware or game publishers. FolioSpace connection guide: https://spatialemu.com/guides/foliospace-connection/ Open-source notices and corresponding source: https://github.com/funland/SpatialEMU-Source Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ FREE FEATURES AND OPTIONAL PURCHASES Supported NES, SNES, Mega Drive / Genesis, GB, GBC, GBA, and all supported FBNeo systems (including CPS1, CPS2, CPS3 and Neo Geo) do not require Prime. Prime unlocks additional supported systems through a monthly subscription, annual subscription, or one-time lifetime purchase. Compatibility varies by game and platform. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled. Eligible earlier purchasers retain permanent Prime access after purchase-history verification. Purchasing lifetime Prime does not automatically cancel an existing subscription. Prices and purchase options appear in the app.

About

Cheatlo

Features
Read full description

Tired of hunting cheats across forums, copying codes by hand, and fighting wrong emulator formats? Cheatlo puts 208,000+ cheat codes for 8,700+ classic game versions in one place, translated and ready for your emulator. WHY CHEATLO IS DIFFERENT Smarter Search Type words in any order, skip the punctuation, ignore accents. "kart mario", "Pokemon red" and "spiderman" all find what you mean. Results with the best match come first, and PSP game IDs work too, even without the dash. Every Region, Every Version Games are listed by region and release, so the USA, Europe and Japan editions each get their own correct cheat list. Multilingual Cheat Names Cheats are translated so you know what each one does. Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese are available now, with English as the fallback. Auto Emulator Format Conversion Pick your emulator and Cheatlo generates the exact file you need, with no manual conversion: - Delta: paste-ready cheat text - RetroArch: .cht file - PPSSPP: .ini file Export to the Files App Export cheat files straight into the Files app, sorted by emulator, ready to import. Built-In Emulator Tutorials Step-by-step guides for loading cheats into Delta, RetroArch and PPSSPP, right inside the app. Edit Your Own Cheats Adjust a cheat's description or code and your changes are kept, even after database updates. Photo Recognition (Pro) Don't know the game title? Take a photo of the cartridge, game screen or box art and Cheatlo finds the game for you. No Root or Jailbreak Required Core Database Works Offline No Account Needed SUPPORTED SYSTEMS - GBA (Game Boy Advance): 512 versions - GBC (Game Boy Color): 933 versions - NES (Famicom): 2,180 versions - SNES (Super Nintendo): 2,431 versions - PSP: 2,652 versions SUPPORTED EMULATORS - Delta - RetroArch - PPSSPP PRO FEATURES (One-Time Purchase, No Subscription) - Photo recognition - Bookmark favorite games - No ads Free users can search every cheat, copy codes and read the emulator tutorials, forever free. Cheatlo does not include or distribute any game files. This app contains ads and an optional in-app purchase (Pro one-time unlock).

Screenshots

SpatialEMU2 screens
Cheatlo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SpatialEMU at none against Cheatlo's 1. SpatialEMU also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 2 months). Cheatlo's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cheatlo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SpatialEMU asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SpatialEMU ships an update every 11 days, Cheatlo every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 8, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SpatialEMU versus Cheatlo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpatialEMUCheatlo
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size388 MB123 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer晓东 傅YICHIN TENG

In-app purchases

None

SpatialEMU

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Cheatlo

One-time1
  • Cheatlo Pro$2.99

Questions

Is SpatialEMU free?
SpatialEMU is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cheatlo free?
Cheatlo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SpatialEMU or Cheatlo have ads?
Cheatlo shows ads; SpatialEMU does not.
Which is updated more often, SpatialEMU or Cheatlo?
SpatialEMU ships an update every 11 days, and Cheatlo every 2 months. Most recently, SpatialEMU was updated on October 8, 2026 and Cheatlo on October 8, 2026.

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