Retrospecs vs MapLiver
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Retrospecs
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.
- 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
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A retro computing / pixel art camera app. Retrospecs lets you convert images and video clips so they appear as they would on a wide variety of home computers and consoles from the 70's, 80's and 90's. Simply take a picture (or select one from your photo library) and you can display it as it would appear on over forty systems including the Commodore 64, IBM PC (DOS, CGA, EGA and VGA), Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, Sega Mega Drive, Nintendo Game Boy and even the original 1984 model Apple Macintosh. If that's not enough you can also create your own custom modes based around four different graphics engines and a wide variety of color palettes and character fonts. (The free version only contains a limited number of systems/dither modes and the custom editors, video clip processing and animation options aren't available.) All trademarks are acknowledged as the property of their respective owners.
MapLiver
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The real Anywhere Door is finally here. Only you can show your city right now. Go live on the map. No past videos. No photos. No fakes. Just real-time. What is MapLiver? MapLiver lets you request live footage from people around the world. Ask anyone on the map: • “Show me the weather now” • “Show me the view there” • “Is it crowded today?” • “What’s the local recommendation?” Receive real-time video directly via peer-to-peer streaming. Videos are not stored on servers — only the live moment is shared. Registration requires only a nickname and email. Your email is used exclusively for sending a 4-digit verification code and is never shown to other users. Only your nickname will appear on the map. Key Features • Shows only active users on the map • Send live requests (weather, scenery, crowd/traffic) • Real-time P2P video streaming • Points & follower count for creators • Special MapLiver Mode (events, bonus missions) Safety & Privacy • Only nicknames are visible — no personal info shared • Block inappropriate users (mutual invisibility afterward) • For privacy, users within 5 km radius will not appear • Videos are not stored and are shared only in real time • Uses Google Maps API for secure and reliable map display Perfect For • Travelers who want real-time local conditions • Revisiting places from your past • Checking live weather, crowds, traffic, or atmosphere • Viewing real-time disaster or emergency situations • Experiencing live city vibes around the world
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MapLiver at none against Retrospecs's 5. MapLiver also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). Retrospecs's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price 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
Both are free to download. Retrospecs sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. MapLiver asks for nothing beyond the download.
Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, MapLiver weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Retrospecs | MapLiver |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (364 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 364 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | John Parker | OMNILABS GODO KAISHA |
Bugs and requests
Retrospecs
Reported bugs
3 issues- Animation option not working properly
- Video import and saving issues
- Occasional image loading failures
Requested features
5 requests- 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
MapLiver
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Retrospecs
- Small tip$0.99
- Medium tip$1.99
- Unlock everything$1.99
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- Big tip$4.99
- The king of tips$9.99
MapLiver
No in-app purchases









