Provenance vs RetroDECK

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.

RetroDECK is a free retro gaming platform for Linux handhelds, desktops, HTPCs and PC consoles. It packages emulators, engines, ports, clients, utilities and the ES-DE frontend in a preconfigured Flatpak environment. The RetroDECK Configurator handles file compression and management, BIOS validation, preset management and component tuning. Steam ROM Manager and ES-DE favorites integration let users add games to a Steam library, while Steam Input layouts support devices such as Steam Deck and external controllers. RetroDECK can connect to RetroAchievements, and PortMaster provides a continuously updated catalog of downloadable ports. Sandboxing isolates the package components. The software supports x86_64 Linux systems, including Steam Deck and Linux desktops. Games, proprietary BIOS files and firmware are not included, so users must provide legally obtained files where required. Save states and cheat support are available. RetroDECK is volunteer-run software; donations are optional and do not provide perks or early access. The plan costs nothing.