# HISTORY Vault vs Frndly TV

The clearest difference is ads: HISTORY Vault at none against Frndly TV's shown. HISTORY Vault also leads on rating (3.9 vs 3.6). Frndly TV's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HISTORY Vault sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Frndly TV sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HISTORY Vault holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 2.5K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of HISTORY Vault's written reviews are positive against 34% of Frndly TV's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HISTORY Vault ships an update monthly, Frndly TV fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HISTORY Vault | Frndly TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/history-vault/id1076619087/reviews)** | [3.6 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frndly-tv/id1473398077/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 29.1% of reviews | **34.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 106 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [A+E Global Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/366448555) | [Frndly TV, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473398076) |

## What reviewers say

### HISTORY Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/history-vault/id1076619087)

Explore thousands of documentaries and specials about history, from ancient times to modern conflicts. Watch full-length, commercial-free videos on demand, with new content added weekly. Access classic series and discover the events and people that shaped our world.

**Highlights:** Thousands of documentaries and specials, Commercial-free viewing, New videos added weekly, Classic HISTORY Channel series, No TV provider needed, On-demand streaming

**Features:** Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| History Vault | $5.99 | per month |
| History Vault | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great content
- 🚀 Interesting documentaries
- 👍 Variety of historical topics
- 👍 Reasonable subscription price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🐛 Streaming and downloading issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience across devices
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔒 Billing and account issues

**Reported bugs**

- Login and password reset problems
- Incompatibility with certain devices
- Inconsistent content availability

**Requested features**

- Add more recent and popular shows
- Improve search and navigation
- Implement resume playback and favorites
- Add Chromecast/casting support
- Provide multi-language options


### Frndly TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frndly-tv/id1473398077)

Stream over 50 live and on-demand channels for an affordable price. Enjoy popular networks like A&E, The HISTORY Channel, and Hallmark Channel, with options to record shows and access a 72-hour look back feature.

**Highlights:** 50+ live and on-demand channels, Record shows and movies, 72-hour look back feature, Affordable pricing, Includes popular networks like A&E and Hallmark

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Movies Club | $5.99 | per month |
| HISTORY Vault | $5.99 | per month |
| Hallmark+ | $8.99 | per month |
| Hallmark+ Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Frndly TV Basic | $8.99 | per month |
| Classic Monthly | $10.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Frndly TV Basic | $83.99 | per year |
| Classic Yearly | $95.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Great channel selection
- 🎥 Ability to record shows and movies
- 💰 Affordable pricing
- 🕰️ 72-hour look back feature
- 🏠 Family-friendly content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- ⏪ Inconsistent resume playback
- 🚨 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- 📺 Excessive commercials and ad breaks
- 🔇 Lack of closed captioning

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes
- Playback issues (restarts, buffering, out-of-sync audio)
- Inconsistent recording and saving of progress
- Search results not showing recorded content
- Compatibility issues on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-picture mode
- Ability to record new episodes only
- Channel sorting and filtering options
- Improved fast forward/rewind controls
- Better progress tracking and resume playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HISTORY Vault free?

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

### Is Frndly TV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HISTORY Vault or Frndly TV?

HISTORY Vault is rated higher. HISTORY Vault averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Frndly TV averages 3.6 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do HISTORY Vault or Frndly TV have ads?

Frndly TV shows ads; HISTORY Vault does not.

### Which is updated more often, HISTORY Vault or Frndly TV?

HISTORY Vault ships an update monthly, and Frndly TV fortnightly. Most recently, HISTORY Vault was updated on November 6, 2026 and Frndly TV on November 6, 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.*