Comparison

MotorTrend vs Spot Network

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MotorTrend

Access the latest automotive news, in-depth car reviews, and a comprehensive buyer's guide to research your next vehicle. Explore historical magazine archives and find listings for vehicles in the marketplace.

Highlights
  • Breaking automotive news
  • Extensive Buyer's Guide
  • Car reviews and specs
  • Vehicle listings
  • 70+ years of magazine archives
Features
Read full description

Find what drives you with the MotorTrend app, your go-to destination for all things automotive. Whether you're an automotive enthusiast, researching your next car, or just love staying in the know about the latest automotive news, MotorTrend has you covered. Stay Ahead of the Curve: Get the latest automotive news delivered straight to your fingertips. From breaking industry developments to comprehensive car reviews, our app keeps you informed and up to date with the world of cars and all upcoming MotorTrend events. Explore feature stories that provide unparalleled insights into the industry's trends, technologies, and innovations. Find Your Dream Ride: With our interactive Buyer's Guide, you can dive deep to find the perfect ride. From classics to cutting-edge models, our detailed reviews, specs, and insights help you make informed decisions on your next purchase. When you’re ready to buy, check vehicle listings using the MotorTrend Marketplace. Be Part of the Celebration: Celebrate MotorTrend’s 75th Anniversary with us! Access a collection of digital magazine archives including over 70 years of MotorTrend, HOT ROD Magazines and more. Key Features: • Breaking automotive news • Extensive Buyer's Guide for researching your next ride • Over 70 years of MotorTrend and HOT ROD Magazines • User-friendly interface for seamless navigation Download the MotorTrend app now and find what drives you. For help, please visit https://help.motortrend.com Terms of Use: https://www.hearst.com/-/us-magazines-terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.hearst.com/-/us-magazines-privacy-notice We may work with third-party advertising companies and other partners that help us deliver tailored advertisements to you. To opt-out of behavioral tracking on mobile devices, you may use the DAA AppChoices Tool, available at http://www.aboutads.info/appchoices

About

Spot Network

Stream original video content inspired by active lifestyles. Explore dedicated channels for action sports, fitness, travel, music, and more. Watch live events and enjoy exclusive programming on any device.

Highlights
  • Original content for active lifestyles
  • Dedicated channels for various interests
  • Live event streaming
  • Watch on multiple devices
  • Continue watching across devices
Features
Read full description

Spot Network, a series of Streaming Channels inspired by those who lead an active lifestyle. View original content from the world of Action Sports, Fitness, Travel, Music, Business and beyond. Exclusive content from Athletes to Rock Stars, Spot Network is designed for those who lead active lifestyles. Available on any device, anywhere, the Spot VOD solution is not only a juggernaut of pure video pleasure, but it is also a powerful business marketing and sales tool that gives brands and business owners power and autonomy. Spot celebrates and supports the Spot Network lifestyle across the globe through active content How Spot Works: Chose what you want to watch Browse through dedicated channels that include Action Sports, Fitness, Travel, Music and more Under each channel there is Live Events, Exclusive Programming, or content separated by genre Browse through Channels section to find content from Brands, Athletes, Event Promoters, or other content providers. These individual channels can also host Live Events and content allocated into different categories. Use the Search feature and find content using keywords Features: Watch Live Events Now Watch concurrent streams on multiple devices - As a registered user you may stop watching and continue watching where you left off from any devices or platform Download the Spot app now, and start enjoying Spot’s extensive content today! Terms of use: https://spotnetwork.tv/terms.html

Screenshots

MotorTrend4 screens
Spot Network4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spot Network at 80% against MotorTrend's 40%. MotorTrend's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Spot Network sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. MotorTrend asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MotorTrend holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MotorTrend has 56K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of MotorTrend's written reviews are positive against 80% of Spot Network's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MotorTrend versus Spot Network: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMotorTrendSpot Network
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (56K ratings) — better4.4 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews40.2% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings56K — better13
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.114.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB38 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMotor Trend Group LLCSpot Network, Inc

Customer experience

MotorTrend

All ratings56,286 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews169 reviews
Positive40.2%
Neutral13.6%
Negative46.2%

Spot Network

All ratings13 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

MotorTrend

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Streaming problems and playback issues
  • Login and account management problems
  • Incompatibility with some devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Offline viewing and downloads
  • Improved playlist and resume features
  • Better organization of content and archives
  • Consistent experience across devices

Spot Network

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MotorTrend

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Spot Network

Subscriptions4
  • Spot Network Exclusive$4.991 Month
  • WTS Extra monthly$5.991 Month
  • WTS Extra yearly$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • SpotNetwork Exclusive annual$49.991 Year
One-time6
  • Pay Per View $1$0.99
  • Pay Per View$2.99
  • Pay Per View$4.99
Show 3 more
  • Pay Per View$9.99
  • Pay Per Vie w$14.99
  • Pay Per View$19.99

Questions

Is MotorTrend free?
MotorTrend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Spot Network free?
Spot Network is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MotorTrend or Spot Network?
MotorTrend is rated higher. MotorTrend averages 4.8 out of 5 from 56K ratings, while Spot Network averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.
Do MotorTrend or Spot Network have ads?
Spot Network shows ads; MotorTrend does not.
Which is updated more often, MotorTrend or Spot Network?
MotorTrend ships an update monthly, and Spot Network monthly. Most recently, MotorTrend was updated on November 2, 2026 and Spot Network on October 24, 2026.

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