Comparison

TransPlay vs Side Screen

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

Head to head
About

TransPlay

Features
Read full description

The retro classics you gave up on because you couldn't read them — play them and read them. The app reads the dialogue as it appears and lays the translation over it, in place. No dictionary in the other hand, no walkthrough on a second screen. Twelve consoles, from Game Boy Advance to Dreamcast and PSP, in one app. ■ 12 CONSOLES, ONE APP — STILL FOCUSED ON ONE GAME · Pick a console on the first screen and get a screen made for it alone: core, aspect ratio, controls, translation area and game packs tuned to that console, and a library of only its games. · Switch any time from the top-left button; the app reopens on the console you played last. Imported games are sorted onto the right console automatically. ■ TRANSLATION, RIGHT ON THE SCREEN · Text is recognized where it stands, and the translation covers it — you never leave the game. · Japanese and English source text into 14 languages. · Advanced translation — AI that understands the game's context and tone, and fixes misread characters along the way. Free 10 times a day; unlimited with Pro, which also adds offline On-device AI (a model you download). · Set a translation area per game. Mark the dialogue box and HUD numbers stop getting translated. · Freeze & Translate — when dialogue runs past too fast, hold the frame and read it at your pace. · 601 game packs — per-title glossaries of names, tone and plot, so translations land close to the original. ■ SUPPORTED CONSOLES · Game Boy Advance — .gba · Game Boy — .gb, .gbc · NES · Famicom — .nes · SNES · Super Famicom — .sfc, .smc · Mega Drive · Genesis — .md, .gen, .smd, .cue, .chd · PlayStation · PS1 — .cue, .chd, .pbp, .exe, .m3u · Sega Saturn — .cue, .chd, .m3u · Dreamcast — .cue, .gdi, .chd, .cdi · PlayStation Portable · PSP — .iso, .cso, .pbp, .chd · PC Engine · TurboGrafx-16 — .pce, .sgx, .cue, .chd · WonderSwan — .ws, .wsc · Game Gear — .gg, .sms, .sg · PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast need a console BIOS file; Mega Drive and PC Engine only for CD games. BIOS files are copyrighted and not included — dump them from hardware you own. · Fast-forward up to 10× (4× on PS1, Saturn, Dreamcast and PSP) · Snapshots at any moment · Runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro. ■ ALSO INSIDE · Time Machine — auto-saves as you play (every minute by default) so you can jump back to the moment you missed. · Box-art library — your games shown by their covers, fetched automatically. · Wi-Fi import from your computer's browser. No cable, no iTunes. · Bluetooth gamepads with button mapping per pad and per game; a movable, resizable on-screen controller. · Turbo buttons — the ones you pick fire repeatedly while held. · Cloud backup, plus direct transfer from your other iPhone, iPad or Mac on the same Wi-Fi. · Play statistics — what you played, and for how long. ■ APP LANGUAGES English · 한국어 · 日本語 · 简体中文 · 繁體中文 · Español · Français · Deutsch · Italiano · Português (Brasil) · ไทย ■ PRO SUBSCRIPTION · Solo — every Pro feature for one console, one console at a time. · All-Pass — Pro on all 12 consoles. · Your first subscription starts with a 7-day free trial (once per account). · Prices are shown in your local currency inside the app. · Subscriptions renew automatically at the same price unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel any time in your account settings. · Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ · Privacy Policy: https://transplay-web.web.app/en/privacy/ ■ PLEASE READ · This app ships with no game files (ROMs or disc images) and does not point you to any. Use only files you legally own. · Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any console maker or game publisher. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About

Side Screen

This app translates game audio and text in real-time for console and PC games, streaming subtitles to your Smart TV. It uses on-device AI for privacy and offers free use with ads or an unlimited pro subscription.

Highlights
  • Real-time subtitle translation
  • Live AI voice dubbing
  • Smart TV subtitle streaming
  • On-device AI processing
  • Console and PC game support
  • Camera-free and wireless operation
Features
Read full description

Side Screen: Game Translator - Real-Time Gaming Companion IMPORTANT NOTICE: Exclusively designed as a companion for external hardware (PX5 / PX4 & XB Consoles, Mac, and PC). Does NOT translate native iOS mobile games. Play on your TV or PC while your iOS device translates in real time. Play console and PC games in your language in real-time. Side Screen captures game visuals and audio over Wi-Fi, delivering instant subtitle translation, live AI voice dubbing, and direct Smart TV subtitle streaming without cameras, microphones, or capture cards. Powered by Apple Neural Engine and local AI models, text, speech, and voiceovers are processed entirely on-device with zero cloud latency and complete privacy. FREE TO USE WITH REWARDED ADS OR OPTIONAL UNLIMITED PRO ACCESS CORE MODES: - Console Mode (Headless Remote Play) Connect to your PX or XB console via local network. Side Screen streams game data in the background. Frame subtitles for instant OCR translation, listen to digital audio for speech translation (STT), or hear live voice dubbing (TTS). Camera-free and wireless! - External PC & Mac Mode Connect your computer over Wi-Fi. Side Screen captures screen text (OCR) and audio (STT) for instant translation and voice dubbing straight to your device. - Smart TV Companion Mode (NEW) Cast live translated subtitles directly onto your Smart TV screen over your local network. Enjoy uninterrupted big-screen gaming while Side Screen handles real-time translation in the background. WHY SIDE SCREEN? - Smart TV Subtitle Streaming: Broadcast translated subtitles directly to your TV over Wi-Fi. Keep your eyes on the big screen! - Direct Digital Capture: Video and audio captured over Wi-Fi. No cameras, lighting issues, or background noise. - Triple-Engine Translation: Fast OCR for subtitles, STT for live dialogue, and real-time AI Voice Dubbing (TTS). - On-Device Neural AI Dubbing: In-game dialogue spoken aloud in your language with natural on-device neural voices. - Context-Aware Engine: Considers previous dialogue lines for accurate translations and character consistency. - Private & On-Device: Video and audio never leave your device. All AI models run locally without external cloud servers. - Flexible Access: Translate free by extending time with short rewarded ads, or unlock Side Screen Pro for unlimited access. SIDE SCREEN PRO (OPTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION): - Unlimited translation time with no limits or countdowns - 100% ad-free experience with zero waiting periods - Auto-renews weekly, cancel anytime in Apple ID Settings FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ): Q: Can I display subtitles directly on my Smart TV? A: Yes! Side Screen streams live translated subtitles directly to your Smart TV over Wi-Fi, letting you read dialogue on the big screen without looking down at your phone. Q: How does real-time voice dubbing work? A: Side Screen converts translated dialogue into natural speech using on-device neural TTS models. Q: Do I need a camera, capture card, or HDMI splitter? A: No. Side Screen acts as a wireless Remote Play receiver over Wi-Fi. While you play on your TV, your device displays translations and speaks dialogue aloud. Q: Does translation run on-device? A: Yes. All OCR, speech, translation, and dubbing run on-device via Apple Neural Engine with zero cloud lag and full privacy. SUPPORTED LANGUAGES: - Text & Speech (18 Languages): English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Dutch, Indonesian, Polish, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese. - Live Neural Dubbing (TTS): Turkish, Arabic. Note: Requires downloaded Apple language packs for on-device translation. LEGAL & TERMS: - Privacy Policy: https://izlemvecikarim.blogspot.com/2026/08/privacy-policy-for-side-screen-game.html - Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

TransPlay4 screens
Side Screen4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: TransPlay at none against Side Screen's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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. TransPlay sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Side Screen sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TransPlay ships an update every 4 days, Side Screen weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
TransPlay versus Side Screen: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTransPlaySide Screen
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size90 MB255 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperLittleBig AdConsultingERTUGRUL GULERYUZ

In-app purchases

10 purchases

TransPlay

Subscriptions10
  • PCE Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • GG Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • DC Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • PSP Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • MD Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • WS Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • SNES Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • NES Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • SS Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • PS1 Solo7 Days trial$1.991 Month
1 purchases

Side Screen

Subscriptions1
  • Side Screen Pro Access$0.997 Days

Questions

Is TransPlay free?
TransPlay is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Side Screen free?
Side Screen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TransPlay or Side Screen have ads?
Side Screen shows ads; TransPlay does not.
Which is updated more often, TransPlay or Side Screen?
TransPlay ships an update every 4 days, and Side Screen weekly. Most recently, TransPlay was updated on October 31, 2026 and Side Screen on November 1, 2026.

Other comparisons