Comparison

Retrospecs vs MapLiver

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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.

About

MapLiver

Features
Read full description

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

Retrospecs4 screens
MapLiver3 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Retrospecs sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. MapLiver asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, MapLiver weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Retrospecs versus MapLiver: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetrospecsMapLiver
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (364 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews94.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings364 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn ParkerOMNILABS 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

5 purchases

Retrospecs

One-time5
  • Small tip$0.99
  • Medium tip$1.99
  • Unlock everything$1.99
Show 2 more
  • Big tip$4.99
  • The king of tips$9.99
None

MapLiver

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Retrospecs free?
Retrospecs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MapLiver free?
MapLiver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Retrospecs or MapLiver have ads?
MapLiver shows ads; Retrospecs does not.
Which is updated more often, Retrospecs or MapLiver?
Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, and MapLiver weekly. Most recently, Retrospecs was updated on October 13, 2026 and MapLiver on October 9, 2026.

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