# SpatialEMU vs RetroOne

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SpatialEMU at none against RetroOne's 3. SpatialEMU also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (6 vs 3). RetroOne's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RetroOne sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. SpatialEMU asks for nothing beyond the download.

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

SpatialEMU ships an update every 11 days, RetroOne every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpatialEMU | RetroOne |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spatialemu/id6771768889/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroone-gba-emulator/id6807632417/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 388 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [晓东 傅](https://appshunter.io/developer/328047099) | [Nguyen Dinh Gioi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673627955) |

## What reviewers say

### SpatialEMU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spatialemu/id6771768889)

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:** Game Controller support, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### RetroOne

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroone-gba-emulator/id6807632417)

This app allows you to play your legally owned retro game collection on your iPhone and iPad. It supports multiple classic gaming systems and offers features like a beautiful library, customizable themes, and multiplayer options.

**Highlights:** Supports 8 classic gaming systems, Import and organize game collection, Customizable themes, Portrait and landscape orientation, Play on big screen, Multiplayer with 'Use as Controller', Save and continue progress

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RetroOne Plus Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| RetroOne Plus Yearly | $44.99 | per year |
| RetroOne Plus Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpatialEMU free?

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

### Is RetroOne free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SpatialEMU or RetroOne?

SpatialEMU and RetroOne are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do SpatialEMU or RetroOne have ads?

RetroOne shows ads; SpatialEMU does not.

### Which is updated more often, SpatialEMU or RetroOne?

SpatialEMU ships an update every 11 days, and RetroOne every 10 days. Most recently, SpatialEMU was updated on October 8, 2026 and RetroOne 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.*