RetroAchievements vs StreamTrackr

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.

StreamTrackr displays gaming achievements and trophies on a live stream through an OBS or Streamlabs browser-source overlay. It supports Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, and RetroAchievements. The Free plan includes four platforms, eight languages, four basic themes, achievement tracking, a persistent link, cloud save, and OBS/Streamlabs integration. A free, open-source Windows Companion app detects Steam achievements almost instantly and can bypass delays from Steam API polling. Pro adds a customization studio for adjusting badges, bars, text, and images, with live preview and no CSS, plus custom themes and animations. It also includes Twitch and Discord integrations, stream stats and goals, session exports, public recap pages, and achievement alerts. Recaps show game cover art, a timestamped unlock timeline, unlock pace, and rarity highlights. Pro is listed at $2.99 a month; its billing terms also say then €2.99/month, with no commitment. The pricing page advertises a free first month requiring a credit card, cancellation anytime, and a 14-day money-back guarantee. Pro’s stated 5–10 second polling depends on platform API responses and when games report unlocks; Steam may batch achievements and add minutes of delay.