# Nova Retro vs RetroKit

Nova Retro and RetroKit are too close to call on the numbers: across 9 compared parameters — price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Nova Retro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and RetroKit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Nova Retro against 5.0 for RetroKit. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Nova Retro ships an update every 4 weeks, RetroKit fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nova Retro | RetroKit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-retro/id6799106990/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrokit-game-emulator/id6816734244/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 18 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [振东 史](https://appshunter.io/developer/6799051561) | [Thales Pereira](https://appshunter.io/developer/937060125) |

## What reviewers say

### Nova Retro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-retro/id6799106990)

Emulate classic gaming consoles on your iPhone and iPad. Bring your own legally owned games and customize touch controls. Enjoy local multiplayer with friends on the same network.

**Highlights:** Emulates NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, Genesis, Import your own legally owned games, Customizable on-screen touch controls, Local network multiplayer, Save and load game states, Supports multiple languages

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy Me a Coffee | $1.99 | one-time |
| Big Support | $12.99 | one-time |


### RetroKit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrokit-game-emulator/id6816734244)

Play classic games from multiple consoles on your Apple devices. Save your progress, customize controls, and sync your library across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Enjoy a private, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Supports NES, SNES, GBA, Genesis, and more, iCloud sync for games and saves, Customizable touch controls, External controller and keyboard support, Import game files from Files app, Ad-free and private experience

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nova Retro free?

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

### Is RetroKit free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nova Retro or RetroKit?

Nova Retro and RetroKit are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Nova Retro or RetroKit have ads?

Neither Nova Retro nor RetroKit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nova Retro or RetroKit?

Nova Retro ships an update every 4 weeks, and RetroKit fortnightly. Most recently, Nova Retro was updated on October 25, 2026 and RetroKit on October 31, 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.*