# Retrospecs vs fastbackward

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Retrospecs at 364 against fastbackward's 1. Retrospecs also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). fastbackward's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retrospecs sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and fastbackward sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

fastbackward holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retrospecs has 364 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Retrospecs's written reviews are positive against 100% of fastbackward's.

Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, fastbackward every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retrospecs | fastbackward |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (364 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrospecs/id887031094/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fastbackward/id1537751066/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **364** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 94.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Parker](https://appshunter.io/developer/887031097) | [Maximilian Krauss](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537751068) |

## What reviewers say

### Retrospecs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrospecs/id887031094)

Transform your photos and videos into retro pixel art. Emulate the look of classic computers and consoles from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Customize your output with various graphics engines, color palettes, and fonts.

**Highlights:** Pixelate images and video clips, Emulate 40+ classic computer/console systems, Create custom graphics modes, Variety of color palettes and fonts, Supports Commodore 64, IBM PC, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, and more

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock everything | $1.99 | one-time |
| Big tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| The king of tips | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Versatile and customizable
- 👍 Authentic retro filters
- 👍 Extensive system emulations
- 👍 Powerful editing capabilities
- 👍 Nostalgia-inducing effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited image resolution
- 📏 Aspect ratio issues with some filters
- 🙈 Aggressive upgrade prompts in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Animation option not working properly
- Video import and saving issues
- Occasional image loading failures

**Requested features**

- Add more retro systems (e.g. NES, TI-99/4A)
- Improve video encoding capabilities
- Allow adjusting dithering levels
- Add support for transparent PNGs
- Implement batch processing and export options


### fastbackward

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fastbackward/id1537751066)

Relive past memories with your photos. This app resurfaces pictures taken on this day in previous years, helping you recall significant life events and see your personal growth. It also displays photos on a map using EXIF data and can show random memories if no photos exist for the date.

**Highlights:** Resurfaces photos from previous years, Displays photos on a map using EXIF data, Excludes screenshots from memories, On-device processing for privacy, Shows random memories if no photos for the date

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| fastbackward Pro | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retrospecs free?

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

### Is fastbackward free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Retrospecs or fastbackward?

fastbackward is rated higher. Retrospecs averages 4.8 out of 5 from 364 ratings, while fastbackward averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Retrospecs or fastbackward have ads?

Neither Retrospecs nor fastbackward shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retrospecs or fastbackward?

Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, and fastbackward every 3 weeks. Most recently, Retrospecs was updated on October 5, 2026 and fastbackward on October 7, 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.*