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RetroAchievements

retroachievements.org

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
Visit retroachievements.org
Spec score 9.1 #1 of 38 in Achievement trackers

What it is

RetroAchievements adds achievement goals and progress tracking to retro games. Players can build profiles, follow completion, and compete with friends. Its game listings span systems from Atari 2600 to PlayStation 2 and include Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and other platforms. Supported emulator options include PCSX2, Dolphin, PPSSPP, Flycast, and BizHawk, with choices for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and browser-based SkyEmu.

Hardcore mode disables save-state loading, cheats, and most speed-altering emulator features. It is required for game mastery and some leaderboards. Community events include RA Roulette and Achievement of the Week, and developers can use public API documentation. Players can report broken achievements and request manual unlocks by providing proof of completion. The service is free. Its web application source code is GPL-3, while achievement trigger logic is proprietary to the RetroAchievements community. The service does not host copyright-protected ROMs. A player must be connected to the internet when starting a session, so fully offline play is not supported. System support and new features depend on volunteers.

Spec sheet

What it does
RetroAchievements adds community-created achievements to retro games played through compatible emulators, while tracking profiles, progress and competition.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Purpose
RetroAchievements adds achievements to retro games and lets players build profiles, track progress, and compete with friends.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Privacy
The privacy policy says personal data is not passed to third parties without explicit consent or a legal basis and that API usage logs are retained for a period deemed appropriate.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Support
Users can report broken achievements on the website and request manual unlocks with proof of completion.Read 11 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Founded
2012Read 28 Sep 2026 · retroachievements.org
Achievement processing
The emulator checks achievement conditions against game RAM every frame and awards an achievement when all conditions are simultaneously true.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Achievement sets
Emulators distinguish core public sets, unofficial or user sets that award no points, and local sets visible only on the player's computer.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Achievement-data restriction
The GPL licence for the web application does not cover achievement trigger logic, which the terms describe as proprietary to the community.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
API availability
The public Web API exposes game, user and achievement data as JSON and requires an account API key.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api-docs.retroachievements.org
API endpoints
Documented API areas include games, leaderboards, systems, achievements, comments, feeds, events and support tickets.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api-docs.retroachievements.org
API limits
API access is rate limited, and developers are asked to cache static data and use requests reasonably.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api-docs.retroachievements.org
Community events
The site features community events, including RA Roulette and Achievement of the Week.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Community features
The website provides game pages, rankings, forums, events, user profiles, achievement sets and developer statistics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Developer API
RetroAchievements provides public API documentation for developers.Read 11 Oct 2026 · api-docs.retroachievements.org
Documentation depth
Documentation covers general use, emulator support, policies, API integration, achievement development, tutorials and contribution workflows.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Documentation licence
The main documentation site is released under GPL-3.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Emulator integration library
The project directs emulator developers to the rcheevos integration library and a separate emulator integration guide.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api-docs.retroachievements.org
Emulators
The downloads directory lists supported emulators including PCSX2, Dolphin, PPSSPP, Flycast, BizHawk, and others.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Funding model
Patreon contributions fund the server, Discord bot, periodic backups and an ad-free experience.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Game coverage
The site lists supported games across systems from Atari 2600 to PlayStation 2, including Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and other platforms.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Growth history
By January 2014 the project reported four emulators, more than 5,000 achievements and over 1,000 registered players.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Hardcore mode
Hardcore mode disables save-state loading, cheats, and most speed-altering emulator features; it is required for game mastery and some leaderboards.Read 11 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Hardcore rules
Hardcore-compliant emulators must correctly support achievements, Rich Presence and leaderboards, and cannot allow save states, rewind or gameplay cheats in hardcore mode.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Internet requirement
A fully offline mode is not supported; users must be connected when starting a play session.Read 11 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Known compatibility limits
The emulator-support documentation notes limitations including restricted Nintendo DS microphone support, unsupported save states for melonDS DS, and unsupported dual-core speedups in Dolphin.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Leaderboards and Rich Presence
Achievement logic can also activate leaderboards and display Rich Presence describing gameplay.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Limit: connectivity
A reviewer complained that requiring Wi-Fi undermines the appeal of portable retro handhelds.Read 14 Oct 2026 · kylenyland.com
Limit: inconsistent sets
Independent commenters report that achievement quality varies and that some sets impose artificial or excessively difficult constraints.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Maker and origin
The project was created by Scott Breen in 2012 as a personal project.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org
Nonprofit status
The founder states that RetroAchievements has always been and will remain a nonprofit project with no paywall, advertising or monetization.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Official mobile app status
A RetroAchievements moderator stated that there is no official RetroAchievements app.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Official SDKs
Official client libraries are provided for NodeJS JavaScript or TypeScript and JVM Kotlin.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api-docs.retroachievements.org
Offline limitation
A developer review says achievement progress requires a constant internet connection to post information to RetroAchievements servers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · kylenyland.com
Open-source platform
RAWeb, the platform application, is open source under GPL-3.0 and uses Laravel, Inertia.js, React, TypeScript, server-side rendering and Filament.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Patreon support
The Patreon page identifies Scott Breen as maintaining RetroAchievements.org and shows membership starting at €1 per month.Read 14 Oct 2026 · patreon.com
Praise: community
Independent Reddit commenters repeatedly praise the community for being helpful, cooperative and adding a new dimension to old games.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Praise: motivation
Time Extension’s reviewer found RetroAchievements useful for motivating replay of familiar retro games and described connecting it to RetroArch as easy.Read 14 Oct 2026 · timeextension.com
Praise: Trustpilot reviewer
The sole displayed Trustpilot review praises competing for high scores across multiple retro systems and showing results publicly.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Rating on Chrome Stats
2.76 out of 5 from 294 reviews for the unofficial Android Retro Achievements app.Read 14 Oct 2026 · chrome-stats.com
Rating on Google Play
5.0 out of 5 from 9 reviews for the unofficial Athena RetroAchievements tracker.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Trustpilot
3.8 out of 5 from 2 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Recent site activity
The homepage reported 6,639 users online and an all-time high of 8,247 on September 13, 2026.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
RetroArch integration
RetroArch is listed as supporting 46 systems and is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS and Xbox Series S/X.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
ROM availability
RetroAchievements says it does not supply or host copyright-protected ROMs.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
ROM policy
RetroAchievements says it does not supply copyright-protected ROMs and has none available for download.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Security and privacy
The terms state that personal data is processed under applicable privacy laws, protected with reasonable safeguards, and that API usage logs are retained for an appropriate period.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Self-hosting
RAWeb documentation includes local development instructions using a local RAServer endpoint, making self-hosted development possible.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Site release
The legal page displayed site version v2026.10.9-8e55139.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Source license
The legal page says the web application source code is GPL-3, while achievement trigger logic is proprietary to the RetroAchievements community.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Standalone emulator support
The catalog includes standalone integrations such as PCSX2, DuckStation, PPSSPP, Dolphin, NetherSX2, SkyEmu and many others.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Supported devices
Listed emulator options include Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and a browser-based SkyEmu option.Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Supported systems
The downloads catalog lists 54 gaming systems and 33 available emulators.Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
Volunteer development
The FAQ says system support and new features depend on volunteers, and console support may also depend on emulator or core developers.Read 11 Oct 2026 · docs.retroachievements.org

Plans and prices

RetroAchievements Free Free community service; requires internet when starting a play session Read 11 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org
RetroAchievements access Free No paywall · ad-free service · users supply their own games and use supported emulators Read 14 Oct 2026 · retroachievements.org

Every RetroAchievements plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free community service.
  • Game listings span systems from Atari 2600 to PlayStation 2.
  • Supported emulator options cover desktop, mobile, and browser use.
  • Public API documentation is available.

Limits

  • Internet is required when starting a play session.
  • Fully offline mode is not supported.
  • System support and new features depend on volunteers.
  • The service does not host copyright-protected ROMs.

Who it suits

It suits players who want achievement goals, progress profiles, and competition while playing supported retro games through listed emulators. Developers can also use its public API documentation.

RetroAchievements in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

RetroAchievements adds achievement goals and profile-based progress to classic games played in supported emulators. It suits retro players who want a shared record across systems; the trade-off is a free service that still requires internet access at session start and relies on volunteer development.

Players bring their own games: RetroAchievements does not host copyright-protected ROMs. The web application is GPL-3 open source, but achievement trigger logic is proprietary to the community, a distinction developers should weigh before planning contributions or integrations.

Key features

Coverage stretches from Atari 2600 through PlayStation 2 and includes Nintendo, Sega, Sony and other systems. Emulator options include PCSX2, Dolphin, PPSSPP, Flycast and BizHawk, alongside others. That breadth serves libraries spread across generations, but access depends on having a compatible emulator or core.

Profiles track progress and let players compare with friends. Events such as RA Roulette and Achievement of the Week add communal goals, making the service more than a personal checklist for players who enjoy shared challenges.

Hardcore mode disables save-state loading, cheats and most speed-altering emulator features. It is required for game mastery and some leaderboards, so it suits players seeking stricter completion conditions but not those who depend on those emulator functions.

Developers can use the public API documentation. Players can report broken achievements on the site and request manual unlocks by providing proof of completion. These routes offer ways to engage with the service, though support and new system coverage depend on volunteers and may also require work from emulator or core developers.

Pricing

RetroAchievements is free: its sole plan costs nothing and provides a free community service. There is no free trial because there is no paid plan to trial. The price makes it a straightforward option for players who want achievement tracking without a subscription, but it does not remove the practical requirements: an internet connection when starting each session and ROMs sourced by the player.

Platforms

RetroAchievements lists Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows support. The emulator directory includes options for those desktop and mobile systems, as well as browser-based SkyEmu. This range gives players several ways to connect a retro library, while actual compatibility still varies by emulator or core.

Who it's for

Choose RetroAchievements if you play retro games on supported emulators and want achievement goals, persistent profile progress and comparison with friends across a broad range of systems. It also merits consideration from developers who need a public API. Look elsewhere if you need fully offline sessions, expect the service to supply ROMs, or require guaranteed development of new systems and features.

Pros and cons

Broad system and emulator coverage: games span Atari 2600 to PlayStation 2, with multiple emulator options for desktop, mobile and browser play.

Useful free progress layer: profiles, progress tracking and social comparison add goals without a subscription.

Stricter completion option: Hardcore mode supports mastery and some leaderboards, but disables save states, cheats and most speed-altering features.

Session-start connection required: there is no fully offline mode, which rules it out for players who cannot connect when play begins.

Support depends on volunteers: new system and feature development may be constrained by community and emulator or core development.

Alternatives

For a broader selection of trackers, browse the Game Achievement Trackers list.

Game Rover is worth considering for players who want a cross-platform game library with a free tier capped at 200 active games, monthly platform sync, four lists and 30 Scout AI messages a month; unlike RetroAchievements, its listed platforms are Android, iOS and web. AchieveAll offers free tracking, syncing, communities and a feed on Android and web, making it an option for players prioritizing those community features over retro-emulator coverage.

StreamTrackr is the more relevant choice for achievement tracking tied to streaming: its free plan includes OBS/Streamlabs integration and a persistent link, alongside cloud saves, on web and Windows. Trophy Hub is a free alternative across Android, iOS, web and Windows, with all features included and 1 GB cloud storage.

PocketPSN is aimed at PlayStation players who want Stars Collectibles tracking, friend-filtered leaderboards and forum discussions. Backloggr may suit an Apple-platform library manager instead, with its free plan covering library import, game tracking, trophies and backlog tracking on iOS and macOS. GameSave is a Linux and Windows option whose core app remains free, with extra pages unlocked through earned Credits.

MetaGamerScore is another free web option for achievement tracking; its paid pledges add more frequent achievement syncing or remove ads.

Verdict

RetroAchievements is the right choice for retro players who want free, profile-based achievement progress across many systems and supported emulators. Its coverage and social goals are compelling reasons to choose it; seek another service if offline play, supplied games or dependable volunteer-independent expansion is essential.

Verdict

RetroAchievements adds profile-based progress and achievement goals across a broad range of retro systems and emulator options. Players should account for the session-start internet requirement and volunteer-dependent support.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to RetroAchievementsAll alternatives →