# MotorTrend vs MagellanTV Documentaries

The clearest difference is monetization model: MotorTrend at free against MagellanTV Documentaries's subscription. MotorTrend also leads on ratings volume (56K vs 3.9K) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MotorTrend sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and MagellanTV Documentaries sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MotorTrend holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MotorTrend has 56K ratings behind it against 3.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of MotorTrend's written reviews are positive against 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's.

MotorTrend ships an update monthly, MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MotorTrend | MagellanTV Documentaries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (56K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/motortrend/id1039264027/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **56K** | 3.9K |
| Positive reviews | **40.2% of reviews** | 36.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 27 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Motor Trend Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447901559) | [MagellanTV LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449628140) |

## What reviewers say

### MotorTrend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/motortrend/id1039264027)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Motor Trend OnDemand subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Motor Trend subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Motor Trend OnDemand Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Motor Trend OnDemand Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Motor Trend OnDemand Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Motor Trend OnDemand subscription | $54.99 | per year |
| Motor Trend OnDemand Annual | $54.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Great content
- 💰 Good value
- 🎥 Fantastic original shows
- 🔍 Comprehensive automotive coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with glitches
- 🤔 Confusing navigation and UI
- 📺 Streaming issues on TVs
- 🔄 Lack of continuity between devices
- 🔒 Subscription issues and lack of refunds

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### MagellanTV Documentaries

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141)

Access an expansive library of documentaries across various genres like history, nature, and science. Enjoy unlimited streaming with new content added weekly, free from advertisements. Cast content to your TV and explore exclusive playlists.

**Highlights:** Unlimited streaming, Extensive genre collections, Exclusive playlists, New content added weekly, No advertising, Cast to TV

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Membership | $17.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Membership | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great content and selection
- 💡 Diverse range of documentaries
- 🚀 Excellent customer service
- 🤩 Impressive content quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and search
- 🔌 Inconsistent streaming performance
- 🤯 Frustrating login and account issues
- 🤔 Lack of basic features (e.g. continue watching, auto-play)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Videos freeze or have audio-only playback
- Login issues and inability to access account
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Download failures and unreliable offline viewing

**Requested features**

- Add skip forward/backward buttons
- Implement picture-in-picture mode
- Improve offline viewing and downloads
- Provide better content organization and search
- Add user profile and watch history features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MotorTrend free?

MotorTrend is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?

MagellanTV Documentaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MotorTrend or MagellanTV Documentaries?

MotorTrend is rated higher. MotorTrend averages 4.8 out of 5 from 56K ratings, while MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 from 3.9K ratings.

### Do MotorTrend or MagellanTV Documentaries have ads?

Neither MotorTrend nor MagellanTV Documentaries shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MotorTrend or MagellanTV Documentaries?

MotorTrend ships an update monthly, and MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. Most recently, MotorTrend was updated on October 30, 2026 and MagellanTV Documentaries on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*