# PackTV vs MagellanTV Documentaries

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PackTV at none against MagellanTV Documentaries's 4. PackTV also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). MagellanTV Documentaries's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MagellanTV Documentaries sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. PackTV asks for nothing beyond the download.

PackTV holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MagellanTV Documentaries has 3.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PackTV ships an update every 13 months, MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PackTV | MagellanTV Documentaries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packtv/id1085781725/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3.9K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 36.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 16 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [North Carolina State University](https://appshunter.io/developer/377191484) | [MagellanTV LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449628140) |

## What reviewers say

### PackTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packtv/id1085781725)

Access the best content from NC State University, including sporting events, lectures, and current affairs. Stay connected with the university's happenings through this dedicated platform.

**Highlights:** NC State sporting events, University lectures, Current campus events, Official university content, Content for alumni and students

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 PackTV free?

PackTV is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?

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

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

PackTV is rated higher. PackTV averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 from 3.9K ratings.

### Do PackTV or MagellanTV Documentaries have ads?

Neither PackTV nor MagellanTV Documentaries shows ads.

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

PackTV ships an update every 13 months, and MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. Most recently, PackTV was updated on October 14, 2026 and MagellanTV Documentaries on October 21, 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.*