# GammaWave vs GBDev

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GammaWave at 100% against GBDev's 13%. GammaWave also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). GBDev's advantage is ratings volume (19 vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

GammaWave holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of GammaWave's written reviews are positive against 13% of GBDev's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GammaWave | GBDev |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gammawave-advanced-emulator/id6785180207/reviews)** | [3.3 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbdev-full-control-emulator/id6787331675/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **19** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 98 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Priya Goel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708308719) | [Winter Bagley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1513642337) |

## What reviewers say

### GammaWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gammawave-advanced-emulator/id6785180207)

Play classic console and handheld games with this high-performance emulator. It offers fast load times, responsive controls, and a clean interface. Bring your own game files and enjoy a seamless retro gaming experience.

**Highlights:** High-performance emulation, Save states with thumbnails, Fast-forward and slow-motion, Customizable touch controls, Optional cloud sync, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 GammaWave free?

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

### Is GBDev free?

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

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

GammaWave is rated higher. GammaWave averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while GBDev averages 3.3 from 19 ratings.

### Do GammaWave or GBDev have ads?

Neither GammaWave nor GBDev shows ads.

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

GammaWave ships an update every 4 days, and GBDev every 4 days. Most recently, GammaWave was updated on October 11, 2026 and GBDev on October 24, 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.*