# Retrospecs vs Atkinson

The clearest difference is rating: Retrospecs at 4.8 against Atkinson's 3.3. Retrospecs also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (94% vs 71%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retrospecs sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Atkinson sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Retrospecs holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retrospecs has 364 ratings behind it against 6, 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 71% of Atkinson's.

Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, Atkinson monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retrospecs | Atkinson |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (364 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrospecs/id887031094/reviews)** | [3.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atkinson/id1569487124/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **364** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **94.3% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Parker](https://appshunter.io/developer/887031097) | [koyachi](https://appshunter.io/developer/413497532) |

## 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


### Atkinson

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atkinson/id1569487124)

This app processes photos using the Atkinson dithering algorithm, originally used for black and white displays on old Macintosh computers. It creates small file-sized images with options for square cropping, rounded corners, and white borders, offering a real-time preview of the effect.

**Highlights:** Atkinson dithering algorithm processing, Square photo output, Toggleable rounded corners, White border option, Real-time preview

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Standard Year | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retrospecs free?

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

### Is Atkinson free?

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

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

Retrospecs is rated higher. Retrospecs averages 4.8 out of 5 from 364 ratings, while Atkinson averages 3.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Retrospecs or Atkinson have ads?

Atkinson shows ads; Retrospecs does not.

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

Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, and Atkinson monthly. Most recently, Retrospecs was updated on October 5, 2026 and Atkinson on October 4, 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.*