# Retrospecs vs MapLiver

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.

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 21, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retrospecs | MapLiver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (367 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrospecs/id887031094/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **367** | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 27 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Parker](https://appshunter.io/developer/887031097) | [OMNILABS GODO KAISHA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845527681) |

## 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


### MapLiver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapliver/id6753891352)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 21, 2026 and MapLiver on October 9, 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.*