Comparison

Apus vs Cinematic Player

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

Head to head
About

Apus

This app plays virtually any video or audio file format without conversion. It offers advanced playback features like subtitle support, frame interpolation, and gesture controls, alongside a music player and organized media library. Files can be transferred wirelessly or accessed from external storage.

Highlights
  • Plays all video and audio formats
  • Supports MKV, 4K HDR, HEVC, AV1
  • External and embedded subtitle support
  • Gesture controls for playback
  • Picture-in-Picture and background playback
  • Wi-Fi file transfer
  • Organized media library
Features
Read full description

Open it. It plays. Whatever the format. MKV, AVI, RMVB, FLV, WMV, WebM. HEVC, AV1, H.266. 4K and HDR. All of it plays directly — no converting, no plug-ins. Keep videos, music and pictures in one library, and send them over Wi-Fi in seconds. PLAYBACK, FULLY EQUIPPED • External and embedded subtitles (SRT, ASS, PGS and more), matching subtitle files load automatically, adjustable size • Switch audio tracks any time: dubs, original audio, commentary • HDR video keeps its highlight detail on supported displays • Motion+ frame interpolation for smoother motion (on supported devices) • Gestures: double-tap to skip, swipe across to scrub, swipe up or down for brightness and volume, pinch to fill the screen • Picture in Picture, background playback, and a control lock against stray taps A GREAT MUSIC PLAYER, TOO • Plays FLAC, APE, ALAC, DTS and more • Cover Wall, mini player, shuffle and repeat • A Home Screen widget that shows off your Cover Wall A LIBRARY THAT LOOKS GOOD AND STAYS TIDY • Icon, Waterfall and List views — pinch to resize • Every video gets a cover frame; half-watched ones show where you stopped • Nest folders as deep as you like, give them custom covers, sort them your way • Continue Watching remembers your place in every video • Play videos from your photo library without importing GET YOUR FILES IN, ANY WAY YOU LIKE • Wi-Fi Transfer: any computer on the same network can upload and download in a web browser — whole folders too • Drag files straight in from Finder on your Mac • Play videos from USB drives, external disks, SMB shares and iCloud Drive without copying them • Open with Apus from the Files app or the share sheet CONTACT SHEETS Turn a whole film into one contact sheet, with codec, resolution and bit rate details. Share it or save it to Photos. SUBTITLES / AI SUMMARY Browse and copy embedded or generated subtitles with timestamps, with translations alongside the original text. Generate or translate subtitles on your device, and use AI Summary to turn subtitles into an overview, key points and chapters. Subtitle generation, translation and AI Summary require Apus Pro; AI Summary also requires Apple Intelligence to be available on your device. MAKE IT YOURS Dark Mode, accent colors, progress bar styles and app icons. Made for iPhone and iPad. PRIVACY No data collected. No ads. No account. Your media and playback history stay on your device. Apus Pro — yearly, monthly or a one-time lifetime purchase — unlocks unlimited Motion+, Brightness+ and contact sheets, plus more accent colors and supporter icons. Without Pro, you can try Motion+, Brightness+ and contact sheets a few times. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Questions or ideas? apus.app.support@gmail.com

About

Cinematic Player

This app offers a powerful and versatile video playback experience on iOS devices, supporting a wide range of formats and offering advanced features for media enthusiasts. Enjoy smooth playback, a beautiful library interface, and convenient controls.

Highlights
  • Plays all major video and audio formats
  • Hardware-accelerated 4K & HDR playback
  • Advanced subtitle rendering
  • TMDB-powered metadata and artwork
  • Live Activities & Dynamic Island integration
  • Built-in format converter
Features
Read full description

Cinematic Player is the ultimate video player for iPhone and iPad — built for people who demand more from their media experience. Powered by the industry-leading MPV engine, Cinematic Player handles virtually every video and audio format without conversion, stuttering, or compromise. Whether it's MKV, AVI, MP4, HEVC, AV1, or Dolby Vision — just tap and play. POWERFUL PLAYBACK · Plays all major formats: MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, HEVC, AV1, VP9 & more · Hardware-accelerated decoding for smooth 4K & HDR playback · Advanced subtitle rendering with full ASS/SSA support · Automatic previous/next episode button if episodes are imported · Url streaming with download option YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR WAY · Beautiful poster and landscape browsing layouts · TMDB-powered metadata, artwork & genre browsing · Smart media library with fast search and filtering · Progress tracking so you never lose your place ALWAYS IN REACH · Live Activities & Dynamic Island — see what's playing without unlocking · Home Screen & Lock Screen widgets for instant playback control · Background playback so your show keeps going PROFESSIONAL TOOLS · Built-in format converter & transcoder · Playback manager with granular controls · Optimised for both iPhone and iPad, including Split View multitasking Cinematic Player is designed for movie lovers, media enthusiasts, and anyone who wants a fast, beautiful, and capable video experience on iOS. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Apus4 screens
Cinematic Player4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cinematic Player at 5.0 against Apus's 3.0. Cinematic Player also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Apus's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Apus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Cinematic Player sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cinematic Player holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Apus has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Apus ships an update every 3 weeks, Cinematic Player daily. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Apus versus Cinematic Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterApusCinematic Player
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (7 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHong WangHarsh Paun

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Apus

Subscriptions2
  • Apus Pro Monthly$1.491 Month
  • Apus Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Apus Pro Lifetime$19.99
4 purchases

Cinematic Player

Subscriptions4
  • 7-Day Premium$0.997 Days
  • 7-Day Full-Family Premium$1.297 Days
  • 30-Day Premium$1.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • 30-Day Full-Family Premium$8.991 Month

Questions

Is Apus free?
Apus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cinematic Player free?
Cinematic Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Apus or Cinematic Player?
Cinematic Player is rated higher. Apus averages 3.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Cinematic Player averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Apus or Cinematic Player have ads?
Neither Apus nor Cinematic Player shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Apus or Cinematic Player?
Apus ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cinematic Player daily. Most recently, Apus was updated on November 6, 2026 and Cinematic Player on November 9, 2026.

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