Head-to-head · Game Boy Advance Emulators
Retra vs My Boy!
Retra leads on 1 check, My Boy! on 1, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreRetra · 7.1/10
- Free planboth
Retra scores higher on our rubric for game boy advance emulators: 7.1 against 6.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #8.
My Boy! offers link multiplayer; Retra doesn't publish it. Retra offers open source; My Boy! doesn't publish it.
Retra is the better fit for android users wanting careful save and ROM handling. My Boy! is the better fit for android users wanting link play and cheats.
- Retra fits best
Android users wanting careful save and ROM handling
- My Boy! fits best
Android users wanting link play and cheats
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Side by side
| Feature | Retra 7.1/10 Visit ↗ | My Boy! 6.7/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.1 | 6.7 |
| Ranking | #5 in Game Boy Advance Emulators | #8 in Game Boy Advance Emulators |
| Best for | Android users wanting careful save and ROM handling | Android users wanting link play and cheats |
| Pricing model | Free | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | Not published | $4.99one-time |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Mobile | Mobile |
| Platforms | Android | Android |
| Built for | Solo, Small business | Solo |
| Features Retra 4/5 · My Boy! 4/5 | ||
| Save states | ✓ | ✓ |
| Link multiplayer | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Cheat support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Graphics enhancements | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | ✓ (best) | Not published |
| Specs | ||
| Platform scope | Mobile | Mobile |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Retra combines Game Boy Advance emulation with a local game archive, save manager, patch workspace, and homebrew hub for Android users. It uses an mGBA libretro core and organizes imported games with search, filters, artwork-based grid… Read the review → |
My Boy! is a Game Boy Advance emulator for Android phones and tablets. It runs user-provided GBA game files and supports link-cable multiplayer on the same device or across devices through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Its audience is Android users… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Retra — where it wins
- Save states, local saves, backups, and save timelines
- Checksum-verified ROM imports with GBA, ZIP, UPS, IPS, and BPS support
- Open-source Android app with cheats, rewind, patches, and custom controls
Where it doesn't
- Android-only platform scope
- Android build, device-testing, and ABI validation gaps remain
- APK releases require testing and sideloading
My Boy! — where it wins
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi link-cable multiplayer
- Supports GameShark, Action Replay, and CodeBreaker cheats
- Google Drive save synchronization in the full version
Where it doesn't
- Android-only platform support
- Games are not included
- Lite version is ad-supported
- Retra7.1/10 · Free plan
A careful Android GBA emulator with deep save management and verified imports.
Visit RetraFull verdict → - My Boy!6.7/10 · Free plan · paid from $4.99
A feature-rich Android GBA emulator with link play, cheats, and save synchronization.
Visit My Boy!Full verdict →
More comparisons
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- RetroArch vs My Boy!
- SkyEmu vs Retra
- SkyEmu vs My Boy!
All game boy advance emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →
Guides on game boy advance emulators
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update