# zFuse vs Flex Samba Player

The clearest difference is rating: zFuse at 4.7 against Flex Samba Player's 1.0. zFuse also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 40%) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 1). Flex Samba Player's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. zFuse sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Flex Samba Player sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

zFuse holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: zFuse has 1.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of zFuse's written reviews are positive against 40% of Flex Samba Player's.

zFuse ships an update every 4 weeks, Flex Samba Player fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | zFuse | Flex Samba Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zfuse-media-player/id1054505347/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flex-samba-player/id1229872175/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **80.4% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 156 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [s-joys Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252722512) | [artur tagirov](https://appshunter.io/developer/931425259) |

## What reviewers say

### zFuse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zfuse-media-player/id1054505347)

Play any video format and encoding directly from your device or network storage without conversion. Enjoy advanced subtitle effects, gesture controls, and file management features. Supports media servers, TV casting, and privacy protection.

**Highlights:** Plays all video formats and encodings, Supports ASS/SSA/SUP effect subtitles, Network playback from PC/NAS, Gesture controls for playback and settings, Folder encryption for privacy, File download and decompression, TV casting and media server support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and smooth playback
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases
- 💡 Supports a wide range of video formats
- 🚀 Excellent video decoding and hardware acceleration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Lacking advanced video settings (color, contrast, etc.)
- 🔍 Limited subtitle support
- 🔍 Inconsistent network file sharing performance
- 🔍 Cluttered UI with too many ads in some versions

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain video codecs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between files
- Inability to remember last playback position
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add picture-in-picture mode
- Implement a more robust subtitle management system
- Provide more video customization options
- Improve network file sharing stability and speed
- Optimize UI for better user experience


### Flex Samba Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flex-samba-player/id1229872175)

Stream video content directly from your Samba (SMB) network shares. This app offers a powerful built-in player for various formats and allows easy management of files and folders on your network. It also includes parental controls for secure access.

**Highlights:** Play video from Samba (SMB) shares, Supports all popular video formats, Fast access to favorite network folders, Discover SMB devices on network, List, create, and delete directories/files, Upload files to network folders, Parental control with Touch ID/PIN

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is zFuse free?

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

### Is Flex Samba Player free?

Flex Samba Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, zFuse or Flex Samba Player?

zFuse is rated higher. zFuse averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Flex Samba Player averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do zFuse or Flex Samba Player have ads?

zFuse shows ads; Flex Samba Player does not.

### Which is updated more often, zFuse or Flex Samba Player?

zFuse ships an update every 4 weeks, and Flex Samba Player fortnightly. Most recently, zFuse was updated on October 29, 2026 and Flex Samba Player on October 11, 2026.

---

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