Comparison

Retrospecs vs CAMBOY

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

CAMBOY

Features
Read full description

CAMBOY is a retro-inspired camera app influenced by classic handheld game consoles, early digital cameras, and lo-fi electronic devices. Through real-time filters and original themed interfaces, it gives your photos and videos a distinctive nostalgic aesthetic. • Capture photos and record videos with real-time effect previews • A variety of original visual filters and 8-bit shutter sounds make every shot more memorable • Multiple designer-created interface themes with unique visual styles • Extensive customization options to help you create your own pixel world Whether you're documenting everyday moments, capturing street scenes, preserving travel memories, or exploring pixel art and retro aesthetics, CAMBOY makes it easy to create images and videos with a style that's uniquely yours. Rather than focusing on complex professional photography tools, CAMBOY is designed to deliver a relaxed, playful, and expressive shooting experience—bringing a touch of retro charm to every moment you capture.

Screenshots

Retrospecs4 screens
CAMBOY4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Retrospecs at Free against CAMBOY's $3.99. CAMBOY's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Retrospecs is free to download; CAMBOY costs $3.99 up front. Retrospecs sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. CAMBOY asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, CAMBOY every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Retrospecs versus CAMBOY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetrospecsCAMBOY
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.8 (364 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews94.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings364 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn Parker志明 梁

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

CAMBOY

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

CAMBOY

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Retrospecs free?
Retrospecs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CAMBOY free?
CAMBOY costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Retrospecs or CAMBOY have ads?
Neither Retrospecs nor CAMBOY shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Retrospecs or CAMBOY?
Retrospecs ships an update every 2 months, and CAMBOY every 2 weeks. Most recently, Retrospecs was updated on October 13, 2026 and CAMBOY on October 7, 2026.

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