Comparison

GBDev vs PocketDOS

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

Head to head
About

GBDev

Experience retro gaming with this multi-emulator, offering extensive customization for a personalized feel. Enjoy features like screen bleed, scanlines, and adjustable controls. Connect controllers and output to a TV for immersive retro gatherings.

Highlights
  • Multi-console emulation (GB, GBC, GBA, NES, SNES, DS, 3DS, GC, Wii)
  • Customizable screen effects (bleed, scanlines)
  • Adjustable screen and button layout
  • Animated themes and custom buttons
  • Bluetooth controller support
  • AirPlay TV output
  • Button haptics for immersion
Features
Read full description

GBDev is a fast multi emulator with an immersive feel and lots of good ways to customize your emulation experience. Emulates: GB • GBC • GBA • NES • SNES • DS • DSI • 3DS • GC • Wii Get cozy under the covers with our screen bleed and crt scanlines options. Reposition the screens and buttons to maximize the emulation feel. Enhance the look with animated themes and custom buttons. Landscape mode goes hard too especially when a bluetooth controller is connected. SNES Mouse works for mar10 pain7 too!! GBDev even has 3ds mii support. Connect to a tv with airplay, connect some controllers via bluetooth, and set the phone on charge for a night of retro gatherings. Button haptics make you feel more immersed so we have that too. Our game library is seperated by console. Thank you for using GBDev!!

About

PocketDOS

This app allows you to play classic DOS and Windows 9x games and software on your iPhone. Import your own licensed titles and enjoy them offline with customizable controls and settings. It also features an experimental Windows 98 installation wizard.

Highlights
  • Import DOS & Windows 9x software
  • On-device, offline emulation
  • Customizable touch and hardware controls
  • Session persistence and quick save/load
  • Optional iCloud save sync
  • Experimental Windows 98 installer
  • Open source
Features
Read full description

PocketDOS plays the DOS and Windows 9x software you already own, on your iPhone. Import your games and programs from the Files app and they run entirely on-device, offline, at usable speed — no account, no ads, no data collection. PocketDOS ships no games and no Microsoft software. Everything it runs comes from media you supply and are licensed to use. FEATURES - Game library: import .jsdos bundles, .zip archives, or chunked hard-disk machines. Rename, delete, and tune each entry. Your library lives in the Files app, so you can back it up yourself. - Session persistence: autosave every 3 minutes, save on quit and when backgrounding, quick save/load (F6/F7) on a hardware keyboard, and per-game "reset saved session". - iCloud save sync (optional): small save files follow you between installs via your own iCloud Drive. The app works fully offline without it. - Touch controls, three per-game profiles: a D-pad with an action cluster for keyboard-driven games; a tap-to-click mouse mode with a dedicated right-click button for point-and-click adventures; or none. - Hardware keyboards and game controllers are supported, with per-game remapping. - Per-game settings: emulated RAM size and an editable DOS configuration with one-tap presets (Sound Blaster IRQ, General MIDI, MT-32, FM-only). - Sound: Sound Blaster digital audio and AdLib/OPL FM synthesis out of the box, General MIDI via a bundled SoundFont, and Roland MT-32 music with ROMs you supply. - Private by design: every asset is served from inside the app and the emulator cannot reach the network. No telemetry, no analytics. The privacy policy fits on one screen. WINDOWS 98 INSTALL WIZARD (EXPERIMENTAL) Build a real, bootable Windows 98 SE machine from your own Windows 98 SE CD image and your own product key. Entirely on your device, the wizard reads the CD image, extracts its boot floppy, and runs Microsoft Setup unattended — file copy, wizard pages, first boot to the desktop — then installs a mouse-integration driver so your touch input works on the Windows desktop. The finished machine appears in your library like any other entry, with persistent disk state. Honest expectations: a full install runs unattended for 30-60 minutes, and the feature is young — it is labeled Experimental because it means it. If an install fails, it fails cleanly and you can try again. Your CD image is read on-device and never uploaded; your product key is held in memory only and is never stored, logged, or transmitted. OPEN SOURCE PocketDOS is free software (GPL-2.0) built on DOSBox, DOSBox-X, and js-dos. The complete source code, including the exact emulator build recipe, is public: https://github.com/Mantene/PocketDos WHAT POCKETDOS DOES NOT INCLUDE No game content, no operating systems, no product keys, no MT-32 ROMs. You supply your own legally obtained software. DOS, Windows, and all emulated software remain the property of their respective owners. Requires iOS 17 or later. iPhone-first; iPad support is planned.

Screenshots

GBDev4 screens
PocketDOS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PocketDOS at none against GBDev's 8. PocketDOS also leads on rating (3.8 vs 3.5). GBDev's advantage is ratings volume (23 vs 4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. GBDev sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. PocketDOS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PocketDOS holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GBDev has 23 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
GBDev versus PocketDOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGBDevPocketDOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (23 ratings)3.8 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings23 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 4 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size100 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWinter BagleyMatthew Hood

In-app purchases

8 purchases

GBDev

One-time8
  • Theme Pack 1$1.99
  • Theme Pack 2$1.99
  • Visual Pack 1$1.99
Show 5 more
  • Visual Pack 2$1.99
  • Visual Pack 3$1.99
  • Theme Pack 4$1.99
  • Theme Pack 3$1.99
  • GBDev Pro$2.99
None

PocketDOS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GBDev free?
GBDev is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PocketDOS free?
PocketDOS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GBDev or PocketDOS?
PocketDOS is rated higher. GBDev averages 3.5 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while PocketDOS averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.
Do GBDev or PocketDOS have ads?
Neither GBDev nor PocketDOS shows ads.

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