Comparison

NovaPocket vs Prysm

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

Head to head
About

NovaPocket

This app lets you play classic games from multiple systems on your iPhone and iPad. Organize your legally obtained game files, customize controls, and enjoy features like save states and fast-forward. It supports eight retro consoles and offers a personalized library experience.

Highlights
  • Multi-system retro emulation
  • Import legally obtained game files
  • Organize game library with custom artwork
  • Responsive on-screen controls
  • Save states and fast-forward support
  • Pixel scaling and haptic feedback
Features
Read full description

Your retro library, rebuilt for iPhone and iPad. NovaPocket is a multi-system emulator that brings your legally obtained classic game files together in one clean, colorful library. Import from Files, organize your collection, and jump back into a game with responsive on-screen controls. PLAY ACROSS EIGHT CLASSIC SYSTEMS • Game Boy • Game Boy Color • Game Boy Advance • NESystem • SNESystem • N64 • NDS • Gen BUILT FOR YOUR COLLECTION • Import one or multiple game files from Files • Scan a folder and its subfolders for supported titles • Add your own cover artwork • Browse by system and quickly return to recently played games • Keep game files, artwork, saves, and metadata stored locally PLAY YOUR WAY • System-specific touch controls, including dual-screen touch and analog input where needed • Battery-backed saves and save states • Fast-forward and cheat support where available • Crisp pixel scaling, optional scanlines, game audio, haptic feedback, and customizable control themes NovaPocket includes a small collection of permissively licensed homebrew games so you can try it immediately. NovaPocket does not sell, host, or download commercial games. Import only game files you own or are legally permitted to use. NovaPocket is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo, Sega, or any other console manufacturer. Privacy Policy: https://nhantran2112.github.io/novapocket-game-emulator/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://nhantran2112.github.io/novapocket-game-emulator/terms-of-use.html

About

Prysm

Features
Read full description

Prysm keeps every game you own, want and play in one place. You stop buying games you forget about, and you finish more of the ones you have. BRING YOUR GAMES IN Connect Steam and your whole library arrives with your hours played. Everything else is one search away, in a catalog of more than 90,000 games across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, PC and mobile. KNOW WHERE YOU STAND Give each game a status: Playing, Backlog, Completed or Paused. Log your hours, rate what you finish, and keep private notes. Game pages show how long a game takes to beat, so you know if a free evening is enough. A WISHLIST THAT REMEMBERS Wishlist a game that is not out yet. Prysm reminds you on release day. SAVE GAMES FROM TIKTOK AND YOUTUBE Saw a game in a video? Share the link to Prysm and it finds the game for you. PLAY WITH FRIENDS Follow other players and see what they are playing. Post an update, run a poll, comment and like. You can block or report anyone from their profile or from a post. PASSPORT Earn stamps as you go: your first ten games, your first finish, a new genre, the platform you keep coming back to. PRYSM PRO Prysm is free for up to 50 games, with a few ads. Prysm Pro removes that limit, removes the ads, and adds backlog stats, so you can see how much you play next to how much you own. Pro is an auto-renewing subscription, billed monthly or yearly, with a 7-day free trial on the yearly plan. You can also buy it once as a lifetime purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. The subscription renews unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the current period ends. You can manage or cancel it in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.prysmblast.com/privacy

Screenshots

NovaPocket4 screens
Prysm4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Prysm at daily against NovaPocket's weekly. On price, ads, 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. NovaPocket sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Prysm sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NovaPocket ships an update weekly, Prysm daily. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
NovaPocket versus Prysm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNovaPocketPrysm
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (72 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings72 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyDaily — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB70 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperNhan TranJoshua Aideloje

In-app purchases

3 purchases

NovaPocket

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly$3.997 Days
  • Monthly$9.991 Month
One-time1
  • Onetime$34.99
3 purchases

Prysm

Subscriptions2
  • Prysm Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Prysm Pro Yearly14 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Prysm Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is NovaPocket free?
NovaPocket is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Prysm free?
Prysm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NovaPocket or Prysm have ads?
Both NovaPocket and Prysm show ads.
Which is updated more often, NovaPocket or Prysm?
NovaPocket ships an update weekly, and Prysm daily. Most recently, NovaPocket was updated on October 7, 2026 and Prysm on October 15, 2026.

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