Igir vs Retrom

Igir is a free ROM collection manager for scanning, organizing, filtering, patching, and reporting on game files. It can find DATs, ROMs, and ROM patches, including files inside archives, then organize ROMs with consistent names. Users can filter duplicates and unwanted ROMs, create multi-disc playlists, and apply patches in batches. Reports can show which ROMs are present or missing for each console, and Igir can generate fixdats for missing ROMs. For arcade collections, it can build or rebuild MAME sets by un-merging, splitting, or merging them. Documentation includes configuration guides for tools such as Batocera, LaunchBox, RetroArch, OpenEmu, and RomM. Igir runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and other operating systems supported by Node.js. It is available as a downloadable executable or through npm, Homebrew, and Scoop. Every installation option requires a baseline understanding of command-line interfaces. The project describes its defaults as non-destructive and says it does not make network requests beyond those requested by the user, including usage or telemetry requests. Igir is licensed under GNU GPL version 3.

Retrom is a self-hosted game library service centered on emulation. It scans a server filesystem for games and platforms, then adds them to a library that desktop clients can use to install, uninstall, and play games. Clients are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with a browser client for library access from other devices. Retrom can run with a dedicated server or in standalone mode, where a client runs the server locally; other clients can connect to that standalone server only while the client remains open. It supports cloud saves for built-in and standalone emulators, syncing save data and save states to the server. Emulator profiles can be kept on the server for sharing or restoration, though clients need matching emulator and other client-specific paths to share configurations. Retrom can retrieve metadata and artwork through IGDB, its only listed metadata provider. Steam is its only supported third-party library integration and needs a Steam API key and user ID. Retrom is free under GPL-3.0. The project says it lacks specific security measures and recommends local-network use or a properly secured reverse proxy.