RetroBat vs RomM

RetroBat is a free, open-source Windows frontend for organizing and playing retro game ROM collections. It supports more than 230 consoles and computers and can run from a PC, hard drive, or USB key. The setup does not include emulator programs; an internet connection is required to download additional emulators. Library metadata can be scraped from ScreenScraper, TheGamesDB, HFSDB, ArcadeDB, and IGDB. ScreenScraper is the default and requires credentials. Retrieved information may include ratings, images, videos, maps, manuals, and pad-to-key settings. RetroBat also lists downloadable themes, shaders, bezels, netplay, cheats, save states, and rewind. Major Windows-compatible controllers should work, with X-Input recommended for best compatibility. Supported operating systems are Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8.1. The plan is free, and help is available through Discord, the forum, and the FAQ.

RomM is a free, self-hosted app for scanning, enriching, browsing, and playing a ROM collection. The project says it supports more than 400 platforms, including multi-disk games, DLCs, mods, hacks, and manuals. Compatible games can run in a browser through EmulatorJS and Ruffle without setup, while saves and states sync across devices with conflict resolution. Metadata providers include IGDB, ScreenScraper, LaunchBox, and MobyGames; RomM can also fetch artwork from SteamGridDB and track RetroAchievements. A built-in patcher applies ROM hacks and translations. The project lists granular per-user permissions, OIDC single sign-on, a REST API, and exports for ES-DE and Pegasus. Official clients include a Windows Playnite plugin, the Android Argosy handheld launcher, and the Linux Grout handheld client. A native iOS app is a community project, and the team says it does not regularly review community project source code. RomM is AGPL-3.0 licensed, with no tracking or paid features. Setup help and community discussion are available through Discord.