Provenance vs RetroArch
Provenance
provenance-emu.comRetroArch
retroarch.comSide by side
| Figure | Provenance | RetroArch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.33/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Boy Advance Emulators | 8.5 (#2) | 8.3 (#4) |
| Spec score · SNES Emulators | 8.6 (#3) | 8.5 (#4) |
| Spec score · Nintendo 64 Emulators | 8.4 (#3) | 8.3 (#5) |
| Spec score · Multi-System Emulators | 8.5 (#8) | 8.3 (#14) |
| Spec score · TurboGrafx-16 Emulators | 8.5 (#5) | 8.4 (#6) |
| Spec score · Game Gear Emulators | 8.4 (#7) | 8.3 (#10) |
| Spec score · Sega CD Emulators | 8.4 (#7) | 8.3 (#8) |
| Controllers | Apple TV support includes MFi, Xbox, and PlayStation gamepads. | Common game controllers are automatically configured when plugged in, and users can also configure them manually. |
| Founded | 2016 | 2012 |
| Multiplayer | The documentation describes local multiplayer with up to four controllers. | Its built-in netplay lobby lets users host or join network gaming sessions and watch through spectator mode. |
| Open source | The project publishes its source code on GitHub and identifies its license as BSD. | RetroArch/Libretro is an open-source project that has been around since 2012. |
| Privacy | The maker says the apps collect no personal or identifying information, while anonymous device model and iOS-version analytics may be recorded. | The privacy policy says third-party vendors including Google use advertising cookies on some of the project’s websites. |
| Purpose | Provenance is a free, open-source multi-system retro game emulator frontend for Apple platforms. | RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players that runs classic games through a graphical interface with unified settings. |
Plans
Provenance
- FreeFree
- Monthly$3.99 a month
- Annual$39.99 a year
- Lifetime$99.99, paid once
In their own words
Provenance
Provenance is a free, open-source retro game emulator frontend for Apple platforms, available for iOS and macOS. It supports more than 38 console systems, including systems from Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. Its library can display automatically downloaded box art, screenshots, release details, ratings, and scanned manuals. Listed emulation features include save states, cheats, fast forward, shaders, visual filters, controller support, RetroAchievements, and multiplayer. Apple integration includes native tvOS, Apple TV TopShelf, Siri Remote, Spotlight search, Siri shortcuts, and iCloud sync; Apple TV supports MFi, Xbox, and PlayStation gamepads. Nearly all CD-based cores support CHD disc images, and the native Mednafen core has a custom CHD implementation. The source is published on GitHub under the BSD license. Installation options include the App Store, sideloading with AltStore or SideStore, and building from source. The free plan includes emulation features when sideloaded or built from source. Plus adds iCloud sync and priority support.
RetroArch
RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players, bringing them under a unified settings system. The RetroArch/Libretro project includes more than 200 cores across those categories. Its menu can group scanned games by system and display thumbnails and animated backgrounds. Common game controllers configure automatically when plugged in, and button actions can also be assigned manually.
Stackable shaders can change rendered graphics or imitate the look of CRT monitors. Built-in netplay supports hosting or joining network gaming sessions, including spectator mode. RetroArch can record gameplay to video files and stream games to Twitch or YouTube. Versions are listed for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and web browsers. RetroArch is free and open source under GPL version 3; the libretro API uses an MIT license. Features differ by platform and store version: the browser edition has lower performance and fewer capabilities than the full version, while Steam lacks Core Updater and thumbnail scraping and offers a selected core set.